Before buying a baby carrier - READ THIS (i-Angel hipseat carrier vs Suppori sling)

Actually both these products are completely different range but with the same purpose. To ease your burden in carrying your baby.

So below is a comparison chart between Suppori and i-Angel:-

PRO AND CONS
I did not give full stars for both products in the COMFORT category as I would be lying to say that carrying your baby with a carrier or sling is "pain" free.

I reckon it is because using a carrier or sling will "work" those muscles which normally would not be used in our normal day to day activity but the pain will ease in time as you would have strengthen those muscles.

Still for prolong continuous wearing, it is normal to have backache but you will experience the ache faster with Suppori than i-Angel because from the design you know that Suppori is not meant for long period of wearing being un-padded at all.

Anyhow, baby always managed to sleep when being carried on both products.

Suppori

i-Angel

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Also I would say baby carrier / sling are highly recommend as long as baby are still crawling. Because once baby learn how to walk, they prefer to exercise their new skill and independence.

So buy a carrier / sling early on, so that you can enjoy the benefits of the product longer.

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From my experience in using these products, to increase comfort I would recommend:-

SPECIAL TIPS for using SUPPORI

1) Choice of shoulder is very important. The guide given was to use the opposite shoulder of the side that you would normally side carry your baby.

But I find the initial "discomfort" on my right shoulder too much to bear.

So my personal tip is to carry the baby on the shoulder which you normally carry your handbag because this is the shoulder which is "used" to carrying weight.

Initially used the right shoulder

Found left shoulder better in handling weight

Revert to right shoulder as previously had
shingles on right side of lower back

2) to help distribute baby's weight, it is important to hold baby's bottom like you would if you side carry him.

Also with Suppori, your baby will cooperate with you and actually hold on to your arm as well  =)

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SPECIAL TIPS for using i-ANGEL
1) must attach the hipseat at the waist, the smallest part of your body as tight as possible. Later the weight of the baby will lower the seat and it will not be exactly at your waist anymore.

i-Angel helped me hike up to
the Japanese garden @ Bukit Tinggi

2) when using just the hipseat, besides holding on to your baby, hold the top part of the hipseat as well because this will take some of the baby's weight off your back.

I prefer this style of carrying as my baby perspire or sweat a lot. This method without attaching the rest of the carrier would ensure he stays cool.

Are Citibank credit cards good? Or other local Malaysian cards better?

If you are looking for a credit card with high instant cash rebates, look no further than Ambank credit cards.

Because for every RM1 spent, you will earn 1 points and every 30,000 points can be converted to RM150 cash rebates. For easy calculation, take 30,000 x 0.5% = RM150.

This I believe is the best there is in the current market.

My Citibank Platinum card used to offer the same cash rebate but this was amended sometime in March 2015.

So now for Citibank cash rebate, you will need to have 80,000 points to get back RM200!! Meaning 80,000 x 0.25% = RM200.

This is a very significant difference because with the same points at Ambank I can get back RM400, which is double!

FOR FURTHER READING

I highlighted my grievance to Citibank on the unfairness of this amendment and sad to say, my loyalty to the Citibank is completely ignored.

In fact the latest reply from Citibank's customer service Mr Panglima Jagumba, which came after a few reminders was such an insult to my intelligence!

I quote him, "Even though vouchers redemption requires higher points than last year, we are still competitive compared to other banks".

Well, let's do a COMPARISON then on voucher redemption since Citibank is already the undisputed loser in the cash rebate department.

The above is a screenshot of latest Ambank's latest voucher redemption or you can click AmBonusECatalogue.pdf

And this is what Citibank is offering to their platinum cardholders.

Just comparing PARKSON RM100 vouchers, it's a no brainer that Citibank is ripping off its platinum cardholders.

Ambank 22,280 points
Citibank 42,900 points

So Mr Panglima Jagumba, may I ask in what way is Citibank COMPETITIVE..??

my brain hurts cos it's been ripped off by Citibank

So IN CONCLUSION, I have stopped using my Citi card and exclusively using my Ambank card to earn points faster.

What shoes to buy for 1 year old

Baby's walking.. yeah.. which means it's time to get him shoes.

We bought him a Garfield shoe with squeaker cos we figured he'll be motivated to walk by the squeaky sound. We didn't want an all covered shoe because of our Malaysia hot weather.

The shoe was good for like a week or two week until a center strap snapped.

The shoe can still be used by looping over the remaining side straps

But by week 3, more parts are tearing :(    Such lousy quality for Rm36.90!

More parts tearing

So we bought fabric shoe instead and it's a covered shoe from Larrie for RM39.90.

Larrie shoe - much better quality

Quality is much much better and we didn't not have to worry about the shoe falling off like we had to with the Garfield shoe cos once baby wore the shoe, it stayed put.

So should have saved some money and gotten the Larrie shoe in the first place. So parents.. take note!

Garfield shoe @ RM36.90

Larrie shoe @ RM39.90

UPDATED - Lacte Duet Electric Breastpump Review

After long comparison with Malish Ilaria, finally I decided to get the Lacte Duet because of the following Lacte's stronger points:-

1) service center is nearer to my house in Puchong :D

2) Even though Malish is quieter, in the end there is no comparison with Lacte's soft breastshield.. meaning it will feel more like the baby's sucking. Soft breastshields also translate to gentler suction and ability to empty the breasts as this silicone will compress and decompress the nipple.

3) the packaging of Lacte gives a more complete feeling. For example, they provided:-

a) cover for the breastshield (which I did not actually use in the end because it just means extra 2 parts to wash :p

b) 2 teats and bottle cover which can be used with Lacte bottles.

All these I guess make it worth the extra RM50 (compare with Malish).

* * * * * * * * * * *

AFTER nearly 2 months...
So far so good. It can perform well and definitely better than using a manual pump.

In fact with practice, I can even use it hands free (without using special bra) by supporting it with my thigh.

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Only special note to ensure the unit works well is:-
NOT to use electric steriliser for the soft component - meaning the soft breastshield, the diaphragm and the membrane - because it will caused these parts to harden and may not work as well later.

So just wash with baby liquid cleanser and dry.

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OTHER PROBLEM...
FYI I also tried Lacte's customer service because somehow for my particular unit, there is this annoying "air escaping" sound from one breastshield.

I tried changing the diaphragm at Fabulous Mom (FM) near ioi Puchong (cos apparently the supplier of Lacte and Fabulous Mom are same company) but still the problem persists.

Then I tried changing the cover with cap. This did not really solve the "air escaping" sound moreover for my unit the suction sound from the left pump and right pump are different. On one side the sound is louder than the other.

But since I paid only RM450 for the unit and I can get almost same amount of milk from both breasts, I am very happy and satisfied with this product and would gladly recommend it.

Their customer service especially from a Ms Christine earns them TOP score!

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UPDATE:- Yay!! I finally found the reason for the air escaping sound! See the photo below:-

My two very different caps (see the center)

 As you can see, the raised part in the center is different in each cap. It is the lower one which have this air escaping sound.

Funny that I get 2 different type of caps in one box. I am going to highlight this to the supplier. Let's see what is their response now that I have "evident" proof. Yes! Finally this proves that the sound is not my imagination! :D

UPDATED @ 16 September 2015
Been using this Lacte pump for nearly 14 months and after going through it, I would recommend the soft breastshields to mothers who are new to pumping because they may need the stimulation.

But for more advance mothers, better just use normal hard breastshields because it would translate to lesser parts to clean and also assemble.

Sometimes it might take a bit of time to properly assembly the soft breastshields to ensure optimum suction and the rule not to sterilise is very very important here.

So once you are pro to breastfeeding, you can change the soft breastshields to normal hard ones.

Lacte hard shield (note the matte plastic in front is the cover)

Baby Liquid Cleanser - Pigeon, Bumble Bee, Tollyjoy, Baby Kiko and Pureen

Being a full-time-working breastfeeding-breastpumping-mom, there are many bottles for me to wash everyday! :(

Had I known this, I would not have bought breastmilk storage bottles but instead use bags cos it's just tear, pour, store, use and throw.

That simple.. No cleaning, sterilising and drying!

Plus it's really not that expensive to use the bags RM12.90 for 25pcs ~ RM0.51 each.

Anyway I am now using bottles since I have 33 bottles, why waste, therefore I have to go through the cleaning routine :(

To make my job easier, I find that using the correct "tools" help.

#1 - use bottle cleaner brush and not your finger

#2 - use baby liquid cleanser not normal cleanser because baby one is made of edible ingredients

For #2 - I find PIGEON's better than Bumble Bee because:-

Do note that breastmilk can be very GREASY especially on the membrane part of the pump so it might take several washes to get it squeaky clean but with Bumble Bee, it took double the time and double the amount of cleanser in comparison with Pigeon :(

UPDATES
Bought Tollyjoy cleanser during a recent Mom's and Baby Fair. It was RM50 for 1 bottle and 2 refill packs of 900ml each.

There are 2 range for Tollyjoy - Normal One (blue) and Antibacterial (pink).

So far I have tried the antibacterial one and Tollyjoy:-
a) leaves a temporary floral scent
b) cheaper than Pigeon because Pigeon is only 700ml each.
c) thicker and almost clear liquid
d) more foamy
e) a little goes a long way as cleans effectively

UPDATES @ 12 June 2015
BABY KIKO liquid cleanser
This is by far the WORST liquid cleanser I have used because it takes a lot of water and time to make it squeaky clean. Somehow the breastpump parts have a "slimy" feel to it which you have to wash and wash before it becomes squeaky clean.

It's thick and clear like Tollyjoy and does not have any fragrance.

UPDATES @ 19 September 2015
PUREEN liquid cleanser
Not bad. I would rate this same as Tollyjoy. If I cannot find Tollyjoy cleanser, I would buy this.

I tried the "No Flavour" and it basically cleans like Tollyjoy. Thick and clear with no fragrance.

MY VERDICT:-
If you can afford it, Pigeon is better because it is odorless and have less foam but since it is watery, you will use more.

Otherwise, Tollyjoy and Pureen are good in terms of value for money and easy super cleaning power.

I must add that Tollyjoy was previous winner of Singapore Mother and Baby award and are made in Singapore. Since Singaporeans have high standards and very good in calculations, you can't go wrong with Tollyjoy!

Before buying a Medela breast pump, read this.. - UPDATED

It's undisputed that the Mother of all breast pumps is Medela Freestyle because it seems to be on every mom's wishlist.

But the price factor makes many especially me think twice. Maybe because one is never sure how long she can breastfeed and how many children will she have.

Also I was afraid that cheaper brands will hurt the nipple or not work as well or worst, break down easily. Cos even cheaper brands will cost a few hundred ringgits and this money can instead go towards "Medela Freestyle fund".

It was because of these reasons that I bought a Medela Harmony manual pump at RM215 when I had sore and cracked nipples in Day 5.

And I was very content with the manual pump and used it during my confinement to stock up more than 30 bottles of 90ml milk in the freezer.

my stockpile :D

I'll use it on one side as my son direct latch on the other breast.

But once I began work full time, in less than a week of pumping using the manual pump, I knew I need to get a double electric pump.

Because not only was tiring to empty 2 breasts, it took too long. Almost 45 minutes away from work desk do not rest well with my bosses especially after 2 months confinement leave.

So in my quest to look for a reliable electric pump, I chanced upon a mother using SPECTRA M1 in a nursing room which we shared in Jusco MidValley,

SPECTRA M1

Seeing the ease of pumping, low noise as well as the affordable price tag of less than RM600 and most importantly real testimony of its reliability, I was elated that there are other pumps beside Medela!

I was convinced to get myself a Spectra M1 until my cousin told me that I can go to PUMP ON THE GO (a retail shop in Kelana Jaya area - click PumpOnTheGo website) to try it out.

At Pump on the Go, moms can try all the popular brands and they even provide breastmilk storage bags for you to pack the milk expressed during the trial.

It was in Pump on the Go that I was convinced that:-

- Medela Freestyle is not for me because of the LOUD noise and
- Spectra M1 is not for me because of it's too-powerful suction.

The very informative saleslady reasoned that since I am a Medela Harmony manual pump user, I will not like Spectra.

Indeed Spectra made me felt like a cow because not only is the sucking pulling my nipple from front to back, it even  shake it!

During the trial I was most impressed with Mango Ilaria and Lacte Duet double pump.

 Here is comparison between Malish and Lacte:-

MALISH ILARIA

LACTE DUET

Besides these 4 brands (Medela, Spectra, Malish and Lacte) , you can even try Eve Love and Autumnz at PumpOnTheGo and also other manual and single electric pumps!

So now you know these alternatives, you can make a good decision for a breast pump. One which will work for you. For all you know, you might still end up buying a Medela Freestyle but at least you know you have tried other brands. So happy breastfeeding to you!! :D

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UPDATED @ 28 July 2015

Having been pumping for 12 months and still counting, this is my humble opinion on breastpump:-

1) get a pump (double and electric if you are in for the long haul) that have LESS PARTS TO CLEAN.

This is because cleaning the pump will be a CHORE that you have to do almost DAILY! So the less parts, the less things to clean and less time spent on cleaning!

Somehow the pump especially the part which attaches the membrane is prone to "fungal" growth cos our milk is really ALIVE!

This does not only affect Lacte pumps as my friend using Medela faces the same problem.

2) if you can afford Medela, then might as well GET A FEW PUMPS.

For me, initially I pump in the house, car and office. So why not buy a few pumps and keep a pump in each location. Also the one in house and car can be single pump since you might not be pumping both breasts at the same time.

Why is this good? Well, it will translates to less one item to carry.

Lip Balm Review - UPDATED

With the many choices available for lip balm in the market, it's no wonder that many will spend at least a few minutes staring at the display shelves.

This is inevitable considering within Metholatum brand alone, there are more than 10 variations of lip balm.

I can't say that I have tried all but this is a review of the ones I tried (in the order of preference):-

1) Mentholatum DEEP MOIST fragrance free

This is by far the BEST lip balm considering its very affordable price of less than RM15.

Like the name suggest, it's really provides deep moisturizing effect to the lips as the ingredient can attract and retains moisture.

Another pro is the shape of the balm. Because it's oval shape, it'll just stay put and will not roll away.

2) Mentholatum Medicated LIP GEL

This is not for you if you dont like the mint after effect and gel like texture.

However it does work well for chapped lips, that's why it's my 2nd choice. Again the design meant it will not roll away.

3) Palmer's COCOA BUTTER formula with SPF 15

It works but the downside is the round shape which tend to roll away (a no-no especially when you place it beside your bedside).

Also if you have chapped lips, it tends to sting a bit and I dont really like the texture and smell.

Generally I prefer fragrance free products.

4) Avene Eau Thermale Lip balm WITH COLD CREAM

My first encounter with this product was in Japan. It was price at about 1,000yen making it about RM30 plus. It works like a charm.

Coming back to Malaysia, I was pleasantly surprised to find this balm selling for less than RM20 in SASA.

Lo and behold, besides the different language on the packing, the balm itself is also different. Really low and inferior quality compared with the one I bought from Japan.

So you can buy this from overseas especially Japan because somehow it's made by Shiseido but do not buy from Malaysia.

5) L'occitance SHEA BUTTER LIP balm stick

For me this is the worst even though many raved about it. This is possibly because our malaysian hot weather is not kind to the shea butter, changing it's texture (making it hard) and smelly.

The smell is so bad that I had to throw it away. That is why I rated it the lowest considering it is not cheap in Malaysia.

6) Burt's Bees BEESWAX LIP balm tube 4.25gm

This lip balm is not fragrance free. It smelt kind of like Spearmint chewing gum. Also it has peppermint so it leaves a cooling sensation on the lips.

Not bad in terms of moisturizing, in fact it's probably number 1 side by side with Mentholatum Deep Moist with additional points for being more "natural" but the minus points are the facts that:-
a) the tube is round shape, making it prone to rolling away and
b) the roll-up mechanism is faulty - meaning you can roll it up but cannot retract it. So frustrating because it's not that cheap in Malaysia (RM25.50) but super reasonable if purchase in USA (USD3.30).

Hopefully the mechanical fault is an isolated case.

So if you have friends in USA or going USA for a trip, a great buy would be Burt's Bees products, anything from their lip balm to hand salve or even their cuticle cream because of the fact that it's super pricey in Malaysia :(

Breastmilk storage bottles - Autumnz or Bumble Bee

For breastmilk storage bottles - even though Bumble Bee's are slightly more expensive than Autumnz, they are worth your money because of just one point.

Yes ONE point!

Autumnz sealing cap always comes off by itself because it does not fit properly!

And when it does, it somehow manages to land on the sink's dirtiest spot :( humph.... and you will have to wash it again  ヽ(ಠ_ಠ)ノ 

I have used Bumble Bee's many times and not once do they come off by itself because the fit is perfect and you need to use force to remove it from the cover.

Comparison chart:-

IMPORTANT NOTE:

I never use the electric sterilizer for these bottles because PP bottles are BPA free. So they tend to have a cloudy look and can withstand heat until 120 degree celcius.

Water boils at 100 degree but steam can be more than 120.. Anyway Bumble Bee's staff also wrote this on their page:-

Therefore it is not recommended to use electric sterilizer SO for me, I just use tap water and liquid cleanser to wash and then dry. So far baby's stomach is ok with this method :D