I'm a full-time mummy

I get asked often how do I handle taking care of 2 kiddos during an outing all by myself with them. Oh well, practise, practise and more practise I guess?

In my initial stage of pregnancy, I have avoided taking unnecessary stuffs like strollers and etc and prefer to travel light with my 2 kiddos. I get our 4.5 years old boy to wear his own school bag (with his own water bottle, a pack of baby wipes, a backup diaper for his baby sister and a spare change of clothes for himself and some snacks in case he's hungry) while my own diaper bag consists of the similar things I packed in my boy's school bag. Getting in and out of car must be swift and careful as well.

Anyway, now that I'm at 37 weeks preggy, it is tiring for me to walk for long distance and even carrying our 2 years old girl for longer than 10 minutes, so yes, I have to bring our stroller along for our latest mother-kiddos outing to Ikea. We had a church playgroup outing to a pet shop in a shopping mall nearby and I decided I must bring the stroller along since I also planned to get some box containers to revamp the toys and stuff in our room.

So how to handle 2 kiddos in an outing? Get them busy with something. The first thing I did when we stepped into Ikea is grabbed 2 pencils and 2 sheets of 'to-buy' checklist from one of their stands and then hand each to my kiddos. Both start doodling and scribbling as if they are onto a treasure hunt or something.

When it was time for lunch, I got our 4.5 years old boy to help out pushing the food trolley as I had to push our stroller with my girl sitting inside still. Just gotta make sure my boy pushed the food trolley carefully.

And finally, reward ourselves with nice yummy food! And before leaving, to gently remind kiddos it is time to go home right after our meal, no more stopping over at any toy shops etc.

Have a blessed week ahead and thank you for reading!

Sharing pictures taken of my labor bag as I realised I have never actually had a proper checklist to keep track or remind myself what to bring when I am due to give birth! I packed this when I was at my 36 weeks pregnancy.

Stuff for myself:

* A pack of disposable panties (the hospital I am going to give birth at only provide the 1st maternity pad which is those string type where they tie at the sides, but other than that no free panties or maternity pad for you)

* A nursing bra

* A T-shirt and a long pants for myself when I checked out from the hospital (will be wearing hospital gown during my stay after labor so no need to bring any extra own clothes until I leave hospital)

* A pack of maternity pads

* Some light snacks (though I can get hubby to bring more from home if I needed to)

* Books to pass time (hopefully can read when baby is asleep)

(Not in picture yet: My mobile phone and charger, hospital health booklet, my identity card)

Stuff for newborn baby:

* A pack of newborn diapers (we don't need to bring the whole pack but I'm lazy to open it up and bring some so just going to lug the whole pack over to hospital since the hospital will not be providing any to us also)

* 3 pairs of baby clothes (short/long sleeve and pants)

* 2 packs of baby wipes

* Talcum powder (just in case need to use)

* Towel (though we can get from hospital as well)

* Few hankerchiefs

* Baby blanket and some comfu swaddles

In case you are wondering what about baby formula powder, bottles and pacifier, well, we never have it for our previous 2 kiddos. Our birth hospital is pro-breastfeeding and they ban any form of baby formula powder, bottles and pacifier so that's the reason we don't need to pack these items in my labor bag.

Let me know if there is anything I should bring along! Thanks!

This post is to journal down the 9th month of my third pregnancy now! From 33 weeks onwards, we are going for bi-weekly check ups with our gynae. Anyway here goes the update:

* APPETITE

Sweet sugary stuff still lures me every now and then which I do indulges after resisting long enough.

* WEIGHT GAIN

My weight at this month (week 35 now) is 55.5kg, that makes it an increase of 10.5kg since I got pregnant, okay, so far so good, weight is gaining normally!

* GYNAE CHECK-UPS

Gynae said based on my previous 2 labors at 39 weeks, our 3rd child will most likely be the same, to be born around 39 weeks as well. Baby weight based on ultrasound scan is 2kg at 35 weeks preggy now, slightly low compared to my previous 2 kiddos. Gynae expected 3rd baby weight to be around 2.4 - 2.6kg when born. He said anything above 2kg he's happy already as according to the hospital guidelines, if baby born is below 2kg, baby will need to be admitted to NICU for monitoring. I'm praying baby to gain weight a little bit more! I still have about 4 weeks to do so!

* BREASTFEEDING DURING PREGNANCY

Yes, like what I did with Benjamin when I was pregnant with Alyson, I nursed him throughout the pregnancy. This round? Same. Nipples tend to get sore nowadays with Alyson continuing to suckle for comfort.

* BABY MOVEMENT

Baby movement very very active especially past midnight. Gynae advised to start monitoring for fetal kick count.

So there you go, updates as at 9 months pregnancy... Overall, I am very thankful as all readings are normal and progressing well. I do get worry now and then when I think of the coming labor, even though this will be my 3rd experience, well, every labor is different you know!

Have a blessed week and thank you for reading!