29.11.08 / Medication, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (10)
After taking medication for more than 2 months, I have decided to stop the boys medication. I decided to let their body to take over and heal naturally. However until today my twin boys are still coughing, lightly with some sign of phlegm. So I emailed to Dr Koe to ask for some advice and the below is reply from her. (Decided to post it here so that it can be useful to other mummies out there too).
Q: How come my twins are getting sick too frequently although they are 100% on breast milk?
A: It could due to the older children who go to school/ kindergarten who pass the infections to the twin infants. It should be better during the school holidays when the older ones are not infected in school. Apart from breast milk, there are no supplements the twins and the older siblings can take to boost their immune system. To make the older children stronger, pump extra milk and give each of them about 3 oz of breastmilk a day. This may help.
Q: Since I am breastfeeding exclusively, can it be due to something in my diet that makes them so weak?
A: If you have a family history of Asthma, Eczema and Nose allergy, it is best that you avoid all dairy products [milk, chocs, yoghurt ice cream etc] and peanuts and tree nuts [ cashew , hazel walnut, almond and coconut!] The babies may have symptoms of lung allergy to account for the cough and phlegm.
Q: Can you tell me if there is anyway I can boost their immune system (any good supplement you think a breastfeeding mother should be taking)?
A: There are no effective supplements that the breastfeeding mother can take to boost the babies immune system. The best is to BF exclusively foe 6 months and thereafter, BF is continued with solid foods to 2 years and beyond.
28.11.08 / maid / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (25)
I really don’t know what to do with this stupid woman anymore. So many times I have told her, that if she wants to eat something that I have not given to her, she MUST ask my permission. This morning I found out that she quietly ate my cake, which was put on my table before I woke up. And yet, she lied to me that my hubby ate it this morning.
In the past I have told her, MANY MANY TIMES, that she can ask from me, if she wants anything. In fact, for the past 6 months, I have NEVER ONCE say No to her. Even if she did not ask, I will still allocate things that we buy to eat at home (at her station), if it is something not too expensive. In the past incident, she promised me that she will not lie again, and yet, she did it again this morning!
So, what do you think I’ll do to her? Make her skip her lunch? Hmm…I do not want her to fall sick otherwise no one will help me to take care of my babies if she is sick from empty stomach. Perhaps I can just ask her to eat plain porridge (our lunch today) without any side dish? Grrrrr……I think get a term life insurance quote since I might age faster with all these nonsense.
27.11.08 / Baking/Cooking, Child's Play, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (19)
Tags: Dongzhi, Tang Yuen, Winter Solstice
Oh, I think we celebrate Dongzhi a few times in a year 
QQ loves to eat Glutinous Rice Balls (Tang Yuen), just like me. She can really eat a lot when I cook them in Gula Melaka (coconut sugar) syrup. And best of all, she knows how to roll them herself now. All I have to do is just to prepare the dough, and she will mould them into balls for me.
Since we have so many bento kits, I thought it would be a good idea to make little Winnie The Pooh instead of balls. All I have to do is just to make my dough into a big piece (must make sure it is thick so that you can enjoy biting it). Then QQ will cut and stamp the face.
Eager to try too? Go make good use of the Bento mould and shapes that you have, to make pasta or these Glutinous Rice Balls for this coming Dongzhi celebration. Good for your child’s holiday home cooking projects too
26.11.08 / Medication, Parenting, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (25)
De Bumbo Boys: Wow….thanks for all leng lui aunties’ comments and the compliment. Actually this is how we look at home, coz we cry A LOT!!!
Mummy’s turn to talk:
After forcing them to drink their medicine for so long, I must say I have develop some skill in forcing the sweet syrup down their throat. If you think that using syringe is easy, I tell you, they are even smarter than me.
Method 1:
Whenever I pump the medicine into their throat (even though deep on the side of their mouth), they will still cough to spit everything out. Each feeding we have to use so much handkerchiefs and even change their wet shirts. Then I get smarter…..
Method 2:
Using a bigger syringe, I combine all medicine into one syringe so that i only feed one time. Then I’ll poke the syringe into the side of their mouth, leave it inside while I slowly inject the fluid in. Of course they got to swallow it since they could not close their mouth *while crying like mad*….But then they got smarter again……
Method 3:
Seeing the syringe, they TOTALLY don’t even wanna open their mouth anymore. They too became smart and developed new ways to cry. With tears running down, with mouth shut tidely, they go “Mmmmm….mmmm…..mmmmm” (like the picture above). So no way I can poke the syringe into their mouth liao….Damn funny!!!
25.11.08 / Twins, breastfeeding / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (27)
Yesterday shopping at Ikea
For the first time, I experience frequent engorgement 2 days back (now the boys are already getting into their 5th month!). Unfortunately this is not a good news. Not that I have oversupply of milk now, but the boys were so sick that they hardly want to latch on. They rather sleep most of the time since they were feeling so drowsy after taking so much medication. So I had to keep on waking them up and latch them to me.
Boys so sick still can shop one whole day:)
Love the way they look while I seated them at the promotional items corner while breastfeeding them.
Actually I was quite amuse over the engorgement since I hardly experience one after my birth. Ever since I gave birth to them, I was as dry as seaweed even though I was in my confinement month. I am glad that although starting quite late, I still manage to feed them both only with breast milk, only from the second month onwards. Can’t wait to start them on solid, another month to go!
23.11.08 / Parenting, Twins, breastfeeding / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (28)
Sometimes I really feel tied up with the kids at home. Whenever there is wedding dinner invitation, hubby has to attend while I have to stay at home with the kids as there no way we can bring the babies along. Yesterday night I feel so stressed when I see hubby had the chance to dress up nicely for dinner (while I have to handle 3 sick children at home). Before going out, he even suggested to me that, “When baby reached 6 months, stop breastfeeding la…..” (seeing that breast milk does not help much as they are still constantly down with cough and flu ever since the second month).
But of course, I would not have the heart to stop breastfeeding. After all I have decided to close shop and the boys are my last babies. Am really disappointed to see all my efforts to breastfeed them go down the drain like that. I even asked the paed if I should take any supplement to increase breast milk quality but he say none. I wonder if there is any supplement or vitamins for lactating mums in the market?
21.11.08 / Health, Medication, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (22)
Tags: Chinese, Hao Zou San, medicine, Pou Ying Tan
Although both the boys are exclusively on breastmilk, I still find that they get sick very easily as compare to my elder girl. Since they moved into their 3rd month, they have been getting sick, from one to another. The doctor said it could be due to different kind of virus, therefore when they are recovered from Virus A, they could be getting Virus B the next week. For instant, Kor-kor had just finished his antibiotic last week, and today he is starting with another course of antibiotic because he is sick again (according to doctor, probably another virus this round).
It is so difficult to feed the medicine, especially to di-di where he will spit out everything. Furthermore, they have been taking the medication for almost 2 month. I think their body also immune to the Western medication by now 
Older generation relatives suggest that I feed them Chinese medicine occasionally (in powder form such as Hao Zou San or Pou Ying Tan) but I find it does not really help much too, especially when they are already so sick. My aunt said the powder is good and she suggest me applying it to their gums each morning.
Anyone modern Mama out there still practice this? Can anyone share any advice of the application of Chinese medication today to the babies?
(Oh yes, I find that the babies (even QQ) prefer the horrid taste chinese powder to the sweet tasting Western syrup prescribed by doctor. Weird yeah….)
20.11.08 / My Scrapbook, Parenting, Then (Twin 2), Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (34)
At first it was Kor-kor
As a twin mama, I admit I was a little bit “pin sam” (bias) between my 2 boys *feel like slapping myself now*. In their earlier days, I always prefer to hold Kor-kor as I feel he is somehow closer to me (well, this sweatie loves gazing directly into my eyes when I nurse him).
But now it is Di-di
But now, between them, Di-di is the cuter one. He loves open his mouth wide and smile at anyone who makes faces at him, or when I carry him up. He is more cheeky, and also a quicker learner *just can’t help but comparing them*. He could grasp things quicker and even recognises strangers (too bad for me as he does not allow people to carry him).
Trying hard to get them 2 sit by leaning on a pillow so that I can catch a picture of them together. Alas, Di-di just could not sit still *itchy bum-bum* and he went sliding down. Ok, tried again placing Di-di on the right.
*zuuppp……* Again, this itchy bum-bum slided himself down…..Mummy gave up!
*Really difficult to take pictures of them! sigh….*
19.11.08 / Pregnancy, best & good / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (3)
It has been almost five months since I gave birth to the boys. Unfortunately my stomach now still bulge out, and I look as if I am a 3 months pregnant. During my confinement month, I was able to get the Malay massage lady to come over to help me with the massage. But after my confinement lady was gone, I can hardly have two hours of free time in between to spend for the massage. Furthermore, the twins are still feeding directly from my breasts, it makes me even difficult to get time in between for a massage session. I wonder if visiting to the slimming centre could help me get rid of the bulging stomach later or should I check up with Denver Plastic Surgery for help?
18.11.08 / Parenting, QQ, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (18)
Not sure if it is true, but my kids are having lots of phlegm in these few months.
I started evening bath (between 6-8pm) a few months back since the weather recently is quite hot and humid although it rains. I hate to mop the kids as I feel bath is much quicker, and cleaner too. With a cool body, I feel that the kids can sleep better. However they have been getting sick almost all the time, passing from one to another (including QQ).
Then yesterday my neighbour told me that her mum said evening bath can cause phlegm and that strikes me! Probably I should just stop their evening bath immediately and see how if it works.
Any one would love to share their opinion about evening bath?
Sigh….really feel tired…but how come I still could not loose weight as much as effective as taking the Anoretix?
15.11.08 / Parenting, QQ, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (15)
It is amazing how little brain works. QQ gave me a good request few days ago.
QQ: Ma, next time when you give birth, can you give birth to “not-so-cute” babies? (she said this because she thinks that her brothers is the cutest lol..)
Me: Oh, why? You don’t like cute babies?
QQ: Like, but people always want to take them away since they are too cute (she refers to visitors/relatives who always tease her by asking her to give them one of the boys)
Me: Ok lor…but if your babies not cute, will you love them?
QQ: Of course.
See, even for a little children like QQ, LOVE IS BLIND!
14.11.08 / best & good / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (0)
With 2 toddlers in school in the morning, a friend of mine now starts to feel lonely at home during daytime. Sometimes she will come over to my place to hang around, sometimes she goes online to chat with her friends. I must admit that when kids are not around, there isn’t really much to bother too. We certainly need to keep ourselves busy, at least to keep our mind entertained so that we do not feel lonely. I probably will indulge with some of my favourite activity. I may also take another degree for self improvement purposes if I can find any course that I like from the available online college courses.
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13.11.08 / Parenting, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (27)
Tags: Boys, Bumbo, Magazine, November, Parenthood
I had some of my Bumbo boys picture printed out and sent in for contest. **giggling** (just can’t help calling them weird names like Little Potatos, Little Monsters and eg all the time). This is the first one they were chosen, appearing in the current November 08 issue, Parenthood **hooray**
However I find that prizes from English magazine wasn’t that great. After all, how many shampoos can the kids finish in one year? Like most mummies, I guess it is our kids appearance in the page that makes us proud, right?
11.11.08 / Parenting, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (31)
At 4 months plus, they still cannot seems to recognise or play with each other. I capture this pic of them holding hands when Di-di (the one on the left carried by kakak) wanted to hold Kor-kor’s hand while watching TV. Although the boys are entering their 5th month, my days with them are getting more difficult.
Our mornings
Between 4-5am, both of them will start to cry, wanting to me to pacify them all time. Not that they are hungry but plainly sucking for comfort. Since I can only lie down and turn one side, hubby would have to wake up and carry the other crying one downstairs so that he would not wake his brother. We usually ended up not having enough sleep, even though on weekends.
Our evenings
The boys now recognice faces. So guess who is the victim? The boys only allowed MUMMY to carry them from 6pm evening onwards, and the one carried by Kakak will keep on crying and fussing until we have to keep on switching carrying them *priority will be given to the noisiest baby*. By the time hubby returns at about 7.30pm, they totally do not want Kakak anymore!
How our dinner looks like
When we eat our dinner, I would carry one while one will be screaming away in Kakak’s hand. Initially they would want hubby, but after a while, they will search for Mummy again. *sigh…hot and sweaty liao*
How I look like by 8pm
I am totally wet with sweat after gobble down my dinner plus carrying the boys, alternately each time (depending on who cries louder) jumping here and there as they do not allow me to sit down. I tell you, these 2 monsters really makes me go bonkers (that also I belum cerita about QQ who needs my attention too, especially when it comes getting her to eat her dinner!). Thinking of going slim? I think this will work even better than the best diet pill in town.
Parenting twin can really makes one go gila! I wish they would soon be able to play with each other so they can leave me alone. Anyone out there still wish for twin babies after reading what I have to go through?
09.11.08 / Family, Parenting, Twins / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (22)
After seeing QQ’s teacher on Parent’s Day, we took the opportunity to go shopping since hubby was on leave. Shopping on weekdays definitely is more leisure and fun as we do not have to squeeze our way with 3 screaming monsters (oh yes, old QQ still screams when we do not go to places she wish to go, get things she wants from the shelves) through the crowds.
Now that the boys are older, they seem to be able to enjoy being pushed too, in stroller. However only one will get a seat while the other seat is always being occupied by our old baby! Cannot imagine how my stroller can fit 3 of them. Probably I got to put some snow chains to control their weight :p
Although I still need to stop occasionally to breastfeed the babies, change their diapers (sometimes twice for one baby when they poo), dine with wailing babies (especially when they are cranky), our shopping is definitely more fun as long as QQ does not make a fuss during our outing.
I always tell my husband, babies are more easier to take care of as compare to demanding toddlers, agree?