Cloth Diapers

I was determined to use cloth diapers on Mick even before he was born. Not so much for economic reasons, but for better breathability. Cloth diapers are not as popular in Asia as they are in US, UK and Canada. I bought the Gerber birdseye and prefold diapers from US on my first assignment there.
The birdseye diapers are the normal traditional lampin that are available in retail stores. Prefold diapers are rectangular diapers sewn with more material in the middle. The prefold diaper is not available in Malaysia, however you may be able to get them in some online stores. With these 2 types of diapers in hand, I thought I was ready to cloth diaper Mick upon his arrival.

However, when I tried the birdseye diaper on Mick, it leaked non stop. I ended up changing the sheets each time I changed the diaper. Then I tried the prefolds. Of course this was much better than the birdseye, but Mick was a very, very active baby and I just couldn’t get the pins on the diaper. I tried using the Snappi, but due to lack of experience on my side, I couldn’t get them to stay on. I ended up using the prefolds as burp cloths.
I bought some plastic covers and went back to using the birdseye diaper. But I wasn’t happy with Mick wearing the plastic cover(it was as good as wearing disposables with more cleaning work). I was searching online and I found this really nice looking breathable covers. I ordered them online and after 2 weeks I had a nice system going with birdseye diapers and breathable covers.
However, after 3 months, the birdseye diapers were not absorbent enough to hold the mess. At this point, I gave up on cloth diapers and switched to disposables. While visiting some chat rooms, I learned about fitted diapers. Fitted diapers are just like disposables but made out of cloth. They can come in various sizes or one size. After visiting diaperpin and reading so many reviews, I decided to try the Mother-ease One Size, since my breathable covers were also from Mother-ease. I was really happy with my cloth diaper system.

During my second assignment to US, I discovered more about cloth diapers. There are many other types. There’s the all-in-ones, which is a fitted diaper with a breathable cover sewn on the outside. Then there is the pocket diaper, which I absolutely love. If you are attracted to disposable diapers but want to switch to cloth diapers, these are the diapers to go for. You will notice that your baby is just as dry in pocket diapers. They are very easy to use. All you need to do is to stuff the pocket with inserts. Out of all the diapers available, fitted diapers are the most natural as you still have natural fibers(example – hemp, terry, organic) next to baby’s skin. The pocket diaper has a microfiber material that acts as a barrier between the baby’s skin and the insert. Microfiber is a man-made breathable material, although much better than disposables, the material is still not 100% natural. The cost of cloth diapering a baby is still much less than disposables. Like all good things(like breastfeeding), the initial investment is high and the learning process is a little longer, but you will reach the cost breakeven point after about 6-7 months and the benefits are greater.

Singleton vs Twin Pregnancy

How is twin pregnancy different from singleton pregnancy? That’s what a lot of people ask me when I tell them that I am carrying twins.

To begin with, I didn’t have a good singleton pregnancy. I was suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) with my singleton pregnancy. When people say that twin pregnancy is much worse than singleton pregnancy, I actually would think otherwise in my case since I didn’t quite experience a normal singleton pregnancy.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum occurs in 0.5 – 2% of pregnancies. The occurrence is very low and the root cause of it still cannot be determined. It effects you mentally and physically. The peak incidence is at 8-12 weeks of pregnancy, I had severe nausea that I couldn’t keep anything down. I vomited at least 40 times a day until I was so dehydrated that the skin on my tongue started to peel off. I was hospitalized at 8 weeks and was on medical leave for almost a month. I vomited till my 8th month. Not only I was sensitive to smells, I was also very sensitive to certain colors and sounds. But all that pain was forgotten when I saw my beautiful Mick.

Now, with the twin pregnancy, I do get nausea, but not as severe as my first pregnancy, so I am able to deal with it. Other than that, I also have severe stomach cramps, swelling of the feet, fatigue, insomnia which is also bearable at this point. So, all in all, my twin pregnancy is not that bad, nothing much for me to complain about after going through the whole HG episode.

Stuff Toy

I got this stuffed toy for Mick from the Cheshire Home booth that was set up in Tesco a few months ago. What I like about this toy is that it’s stuffed with sponge and not fiber. The outer material is made out of cloth, so it’s washable, unlike some other toys which are magnets to dust mites. What amazes me about this toy is that there are so many colors on the body, and Mick actually picked up all his colors vocabulary from this toy, without memorizing. Initially, we had bought him some books and stack-up toys, but he was memorizing the colors. With this toy, he actually took the effort to learn his colors. Plus I got to do my bit for charity.

Breastpump review

My review on breast pumps that I have used....

Avent(manual) –
This is the first pump that I bought. Got it when I was hunting for baby stuff when I was carrying Mick.
What I like about this pump –
- feels natural – mimics the suction & compression of normal breastfeeding
- did not hurt at all
What I don’t like –
- tiring, as the pumping process is manual
- pump has too many parts to clean(about 7)
- made for wide neck bottles
- once you invest in the Avent pump, you pretty much need to get their whole system – the bottles, the sterilizer(yes, I used a cheaper sterilizer and one of the parts for the pump melted)

Medela(semi auto)
I got this as soon as I delivered, just panicked when I only got 1ml of milk when the nurse asked me to hand express.
What I like about this pump –
- faster than Avent since its semi automated
- fits on narrow neck bottles(my storage bottles are all narrow neck)
- battery operated, need not carry power cable around
What I don’t like –
- makes you feel like a cow, nothing natural – just sucking action, no compression
- it didn’t last. First unit lasted a week, then I got it replaced since it was still under warranty, the second unit failed on me after 9 months.

Spectra3
I tried this when I was at the hospital and liked it the most. But hubby asked me not to buy since I had already purchased the above two.
What I like about this pump –
- value for money, cheaper than Medela and Avent
- fits both narrow and wide neck(with adapter) bottles
- fast
- still makes you feel like a cow but the output is 5 times more than Medela
- medela’s breast shield is adaptable on this pump
What I don’t like –
- doesn’t work on batteries, need to carry power adapter around(heavy)
- makes you feel like a cow, nothing natural – just sucking action, no compression

My Choice for Mattress Protector

I tried the simple rubbermat, placed it under the bedsheet, and it was really hot. Mick was sweating so much. Then I purchased another type of protector. It had a plastic layer sewn at the bottom and cloth on top. I must say that it looked much better than the blue-pink plastic rubbermat. But the end result was the same. Plastic is plastic. Furthermore, the protector was hard to wash, after washing it left stains(yellow) on the edges. Then I discovered the Fluffies Mattress Protector, which I bought online. It doesn’t feel plasticy at all. The top is made of soft quilted cotton(with teddy impression) and the inner is made of a vinyl barrier. It truly does what it is supposed to do, which is protect the mattress. This mattress protector is also very easy to care for. Just wash it in the washing machine and dry it.

Pretty Flowers

I have transformed my clay flower art hobby to create something meaningful for new mums - something unique and functional that stand out from the rest. I received quite a few of hampers when Mick was born. Some were really intricate but just didn’t have the WOW factor. We ended up giving the flowers to the nurses and only taking the hampers back. One day while experimenting, I managed to create my own baby gift using baby blanket, clothes, mittens, socks and handkerchiefs.

Mick

This is a picture of Mick taken for his playschool registration April this year. The picture turned out pretty well. None of my own passport sized photos turned out so good. He even managed to give a smile. Mick is simply Mick. Loves to talk, showing a little bit of cheekiness and also a sense of humor.
I still remember when he first started talking I used to list down the number of words he was able to say, the list started off with 10 words, then within 2 months he had picked up about 50 words. Now at 28 months, I have just lost count. He is able to make 3-4 sentences now. And is starting to use local slang like lah, hor, adoi, alamak and all at the right times too.
We are preparing him for the arrival of his siblings. Hopefully, it will not affect him that much. Initially when we first told him that he was going to get a brother and a sister, he had nightmares. He would wake up in the middle of the night and say “mama, please don’t sayang babies, sayang Mick only”. We stopped mentioning about the babies. Last night, he came and told me that on Saturday he wants to go to Queensbay Mall and Sunshine Square to buy clothes for the babies. Says, he wants to get pink, purple, blue and white colors. That’s quite an achievement on his side.
I have been doing some search on the internet, here are some recommendations from some experts on how to introduce a baby to the older sibling without causing much sibling rivalry.
- a young child should definitely be part of the reception committee, before any other family members or friends arrive
- the mother have someone other than herself carry the baby into the house and she devote herself to the older child exclusively for a short time after coming home
- the child should accompany the father to the hospital to pick up mother and infant
- give the older child one large present to celebrate the birth of the new brother or sister, choosing one that emphasizes his or her maturity, such as a new game or some more sophisticated art materials
- to help yourself feel better and to make your older child feel wanted is to include him or her in every possible part of the care of the baby. Even a two year old can fetch a diaper from upstairs, perch on a stool beside you at the dressing table, or help you pat the baby dry after a bath. Little kids can sort the baby's laundry, help you gently pat up a burp after a feeding, and entertain the baby with nursery songs and finger plays.

Choosing baby bottles

When it comes to choosing baby bottles, no one, not even your pediatrician can tell you which one to choose. Your baby will be the best to tell you which one he or she likes. Just like formula milk, you can decide to give your baby the formula milk with the highest content of DHA, AA and what not, but its your baby who decides whether its suitable for them.

I am hunting for baby bottles for the twins. I already have Avent bottles & nipples that were used by Mick. Just to be on the safe side, I want to get another brand/type so that I don’t have to rush at the 11th hour, if the twins reject the Avent bottle and nipple.

Factors that I need to consider –

Wide neck/narrow neck –
Wide neck is easier for cleaning and less messy when mixing formula milk. However, narrow neck bottles are compatible with most breast pumps.

Material for the bottle –
Recent concerns have been raised about possible negative health effects from exposure to BPA(chemicals used to manufacture polycarbonate). However, studies have not shown specific problems related to this substance unless it is heated for more than 20 minutes with milk or formula inside it. This means that polycarbonate bottles can be sterilized with no issues. When you visit the websites of the baby bottle manufacturers, they stand by their products 100%. With this assurance, I am not going to pay extra for glass or BPA free bottles.

Nipple types –
All bottle manufacturers claim that their nipples/teats mimic baby’s breast-feeding style and allow you to breast-feed longer.
Orthodontic nipples(example - NUK) – elongated and indented in the center to evoke the same tonguing action of breast feeding babies.
Natural shaped nipples(example – Avent, Breastflow) – soft and wider shaped to encourage changing between breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
Traditional shaped nipples(common in the supermarkets) – bell shaped with thinner base. Ideal for formula fed babies.

Material for the nipple –
Silicone – very durable, clear color, heat resistant and causes less allergy to babies(less prone to bacteria)
Latex – brown color, softer than silicone(suitable for newborns), not as durable as silicone(need to check for cracks frequently)

So many to factors to consider, so I have finally decided that I will go for Nuk System with Silicone Orthodontic nipples. Since I am planning on getting the Spectra2 breastpump, I am going to get the narrow neck bottles. I had a hard time juggling with the Medela pump and Avent bottles previously.
I have also decided to make my purchase online so that I can purchase more later without the hassle of leaving my house with the twins.

Planning, Scheduling and Multi-tasking

When I first found out that I was carrying twins, I was in a state of shock. Lucky for me, on that day itself, there was an article in the newspaper on how to deal with twins. Basically, the article said that we needed to plan, schedule and multitask to the minute detail.
Both my husband and I are struggling to manage our son, Mick. That’s 2 pairs of hands. So, in order to manage our coming twins, we would need 4 pairs of hands. That’s why I am imagining myself as mama octopus now. After contemplating for a few weeks, we have also decided to hire a live-in maid, who will be here in August.

I also took out my previous newborn baby checklist to cross-out the things that we don’t need and added things to the list based own my experience with Mick.

So, here’s my second & third baby checklist –
1) breast pump – I need to get a new one since my first pump(Medela) stopped functioning after 9 months. Tried to get it repaired but agent recommended to get a new one instead. This time I am going for Spectra 2.
2) baby bottles and teats – I have to invest in these this time round since I would need help with the feeding
3) changing table – probably get one from Ikea. I used to put my baby on my bed and change him, but ended up with a bad backache last time. So, this time, a changing table is a must.
4) sterilizer – I am planning to get a new one. Gave my old one away.
5) diapers – for economic reasons, I am going to convert to cloth diapers
6) present for Mick – we are planning to get a nice big present for Mick to celebrate the arrival of his new siblings. There will be some amount of sibling rivalry and jealously, so giving a present to Mick will reduce the tension.
7) baby clothes – we decided to buy some new clothes for the babies, since we know that they will be small. We bought larger size clothes for Mick(he was born at 3.36kg). Our doctor has already told us that the twins will not be more than 3kg each. So, we’re going to get some preemie sizes for the babies.