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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

My Plastic Surgery Review with Wish Clinic Taipei - Part 1

A big Hello from Taiwan to my dear readers, as I am lying in bed in my Airbnb apartment writing this blog post, Would like to share with my friends and readers about this 8-day trip I took to embark on my plastic surgery journey (once again), to get some minor revisions done in view of preparations for my wedding photoshoot and dinner next year.

If you did read my older blog posts, you would have known that this isn't my first PS job. I've always been pro PS so long as its not OOTT and so long as one still retains some of what he or she had, "upgrading" or enhancing one's features to look even better is perfectly fine IMO.

People always like to ask this question, "why"?
I first wanted to get PS done b'cuz ironically I wanted to go w/o makeup or be able to put on only light make up on most days to look natural. I had round features that required me to put on full make up before looking pretty, it got really tiresome and honestly one word lah - "lazy". Lol.

rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Wayyy back in 2012... before when my face was at its natural form and eyebrows were still the sky-high arched type. Haha.. But looked quite good with makeup eh?
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Pardon the super messy Obasang hair. Just me trying to figure out how I would look like with parallel eyelids. If you can tell I already had double eyelids just that the inner corner of my lids was tapered, so my eyes weren't that pretty w/o makeup on. Had to brush up loads of mascara to open those peepers.
So since I've already gotten my PS done, now people ask "why get revision"?
During the initial stages I didn't have that much savings so I could only choose from the budget places to get my PS done. Could not afford high end surgeons like in SG or Seoul but didn't wanna go to cheap clinics in Thailand either. I would say the clinics I went to were mid-ranged; once in Taiwan & once in Vietnam, for my non-incisional double eyelids and rhinoplasty procedure. After some years when my new set of features finally settled down (from all the swelling), I found that the results of my first surgeries was not what I expected and so much wanted to get them fixed once and for all. That got my heart all itching to do so, so I started to do some research on plastic surgeons once again.

rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Me, taken before my flight. No editing. Can tell that my left eye is smaller? I've had this problem since young, and if I didn't "open" up my eyes enough I would have slightly sleepy-looking eyes. And my nose, you can't really tell from this pic but the slope is more hooked than straight/curved - aka "yin ko bi" or "parrot's nose". 
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Same pic as the above, but I edited my left eye to let both eyes look balanced. That's what I always had to do, so tiresome. Can't edit my nose lah, just want it to look like a normal straight nose instead of a parrot's beak!
Why Taiwan - Taipei this time? And how did I find Wish Clinic?
My first thought was that I wanted to get a revision done once and for all, so I would achieve the look the I wanted and not need to go under the knife again. I guess thats what everyone wants to achieve on their first PS job, but unfortunately some of us are being disappointed. No choice right? Its like a choosing game when you pick your doctor & clinic, you wouldn't really know the outcome till you've tried. So first choice that came to my mind was Korea - Seoul since its like a highly raved place to get PS done, I googled for all the top PS clinics and I mass sent similar email enquiries to those clinics. At the same time, I gave Taiwan - Taipei a little thought too so I did the same; sent email enquiries to a few clinics. Wish Clinic was one of the few clinics I sent my emails out to which I found on an online forum discussing PS topics, and there was this member who shared a list of doctors popular in Taipei so I just blasted my emails away.

Why did I settle with Wish Clinic then?
After sending out all the email enquiries, I slowly gotten most of the replies. Most clinics gave me the impression that they would only give me detailed consultation in person, they only provided brief information and replies which to me was not sufficient. The only one email reply that caught my attention was from Dr Chuang (Wish Clinic), he replied in detail to each and every one of my questions. That left me a deep impression and led my interest in him to continue asking more. So there we were, going back & forth for months before I settled my mind on him as my next surgeon. Dr Chuang was really really patient with all of my queries, he replied to all my emails even though sometimes it may take 1-2 weeks to get a reply, but all my questions were answered in detail. I think I may have sent him almost 20 over emails (???).. Hahaha.. Oh yes and not to forget, of course after the first reply from Dr Chuang I went to their official website as well as their FB page (will state link at the end of blog post) to check them out and was already quite impressed since Wish Clinic's profile and pictures looked pretty pro. But of course ultimately Dr Chuang was patient and professional in replying all of my emails, and totally understood my questions & needs. As a matter of fact, he told me exactly the problems I thought I had, great mind thinks alike! Ahah! His command of English was good too and it was a breeze to liaise with him. Read a few reviews from fellow forum members that Dr Chuang did natural jobs for them, that also helped to build my confidence in him.

Preparation for the trip; flight & accommodation booking.
Booked my round trip flight to Tao Yuan Taipei airport via Scoot economy class for approximately $300ish, excluded meals and check-in bag (since I always go on budget for solo-trips; backpack!!). I booked the flight 2 months in advance, was quite a good deal I would say. Do wait for Tuesday mornings for their promo mornings or their one-time promotional fares every bi-weekly or so. Just sign up for their newsletter to get first info on their promotions. As for accommodation, I decided to try out Airbnb for the first time. I wanted to stay close to the clinic, like walking distance so it would be convenient to visit the clinic when I had to. Because the clinic was situated in the city of Taipei, most hotels around this area was quite costly; even budget hotels cost approx SGD$100up/night. Browsed through apartments on Airbnb in this area and found a few affordable ones, ranging from SGD$70-80/night, that looked spacious enough for one, plus looks clean and nice... I had to pick a really clean looking one since most days I would stay in to rest & relax. Am rather particular about cleanliness when it comes to where I would stay cuz I super dislike cheap hotels that reek of cigarettes with dim lighting that looked like motels. Rather spend a teeny bit more for the comfort (all thanks to my OCD, aha). Sent queries to a few home owners on Airbnb and settled for one that was 8 minutes walking distance from clinic & train station to the apartment. True enough, location of the apartment was really good with lots of shops & eateries around and also photos of apartment placed on Airbnb was true to it, so were the ratings of the apartment. Pretty pleased with my stay so far.

Eh I tell you ah, I missed my flight to Taipei and I had to book a next flight but since Scoot only flies once in the day time I had to choose another airline to take me to Taipei to keep my schedule on track. Hubby helped me pick Eva Air and I didn't even know it was the Hello Kitty plane until I checked in and received my air ticket.. HK prints!! Lol.. JTS the pictures of the flight, I know there's many HK fans out there. ; ) Oh ya, and the price? I booked on the same morning for a one-way ticket that cost me $540!! : O
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Hello Kitty printed flight ticket. I know HK fans will surely keep this for life. Ahahaha.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Before boarding my flight.. snap shot to show you HK fans... Envious not? : P
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Kitty everywhere~~~
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Kitty & friends printed pillow.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Headphones packed in Kitty bag.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Kitty beverage list, land evacuation instructions and disposable bag.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Kitty napkin & Japanese rice cracker+nuts.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Its quite yummy. : P
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Even the toilet rolls are HK printed!
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
HK paper cups for gargling & toiletries.
Face mist was quite refreshing.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Pardon the low lighting since it was 6:30pm in the skies. I had chicken with mashed potatoes & steamed veggies. The food is surprisingly yums. Chicken was really tender and the mash was really good!! Came with a bun, potato salad, fruits, and a small piece of chocolate cake.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
The utensils were really cute. Would have packed them for a friend if I hadn't used them. I had many friends PMed me on FB to help keep souvenirs I could get my hands on. Too bad I only received those PMs after I touched down, could have "tapao-ed" alot of little items. Hurhur.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Alcoholic beverages free flow... Had a tinge of white wine to relax myself. Well deserved since I have been a good mummy the whole of this year being a healthy pregger!
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Neh, show you the chocolate cake in close. Its not the best I've had, but not bad overall lah for a flight dessert.

I planned for 8 days to stay in Taipei, with first day to be spent in Wulai with my Mom & relatives and the rest of the week in Taipei city area in my Airbnb apartment. Consultation & surgery with Dr Chuang on my second day in Taipei, and return to Singapore after a week just after removing stitches before my flight.

Day 1 in Taiwan - Wulai

rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Arrival at the airport. Mom came to pick me up.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
This is one of the river views in Wulai. The river banks look really rocky bcuz there was a really bad flood in Wulai 2 months back during typhoon season. Heard from my Mom it was the worse in 100 years, even the elders living there hadn't seen such floods. Pray for them it doesn't come back next year.
Day 2 in Taiwan - Taipei City

rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Breakfast in Wulai before setting off to Taipei City to meet my Airbnb host to check-in to my apartment. My last meal before surgery since I had to fast from 9am to after surgery which ended around 8/9pm at night.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Arriving at Zhingxiao Dunhua Station exit 2, and you're less than 2 minutes from Wish Clinic. Also approx 8 minutes to my apartment.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
So this is my apartment for the week!
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
My bed & couch for the week.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
The bathroom.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Mini kitchen space.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
TV & wardrobe space.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Outside of the apartment building.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
After checking into my Airbnb apartment, I quickly hurried to Wish Clinic for my appointment. Clinic was just a walk away which was really convenient. Upon arriving at Wish Clinic, I was greeted by the clinic's friendly staffs at their reception area. Clinic was very "white" & clean since their theme was all white with simplicity.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
A view from the entrance, spacious and clean-looking. Gives a very professional vibe. You can even see some certificates of Dr Chuang on the left wall.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
There were a few consultation rooms beside the waiting area which were simple and nicely designed, with window films for privacy during consultation.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
The waiting area.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Some iPads and iMac for patients to use while at the clinic, wifi was also provided FOC.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Selfie while waiting for Dr Chuang in the consultation room, also to capture the last of my face. Haha.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Mom came along to the appointment, she was trying to take pictures of me until the clinic's staff walked into the room.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Okay and we got a good shot of me and a little of how the consultation room looked like. Neat & clean!

Besides visiting Wish Clinic for consultation & surgery on Day 1, my other purpose was to be video interviewed for their website on foreigner's experience with plastic surgery as well as experience to Wish Clinic. *Do note I am not sponsored to write about Wish Clinic* in case if you are wondering. I merely agreed to do this interview since I could get a good price for the surgery and at the same time I sincerely have trust in this clinic that I would recommend to others who are interested to get PS done. So after meeting with Dr Chuang for the first time, we did a final consultation as well as Q&A time, then we prepped for the video interview. It was quite fun actually. : D

rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
While waiting for the cameraman to set up his gear, Mommy dear was busy taking photos of her dear daughter.. Haha. 
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Getting briefed and prepping myself on the insides.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Ready, set, roll!
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
While filming.....
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Sharing my experience on camera....
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Reading my next question for the interview.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Thinking through what I want to say on camera and doing a quick run through in my mind.

I hope I did okay in the video interview as I was slightly nervous then. Will post up the video when its ready. After the video interview, I was briefed about the post-care treatment and got to rest in their VIP patient's resting room while waiting for my surgery appointment in the afternoon. So I took the opportunity to take more photos of the clinic just to share. : )


rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
This is Theresa, she's assistant to Dr Chuang. And she explained to me all the post-treatment care and instructions. There were written instructions given as well but printed in Chinese.
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Medication, saline wash, lotion/creams, hot & cold water bag, face masks, and sterile cotton buds for post-treatment care. All well prepared and packed in a nice take away box.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Patient's resting room. For patients who would like to stay for the night. Nice & cosy room with lots of movies to keep entertained.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Clean and neat room.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Very clean bathroom.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Outside of the resting room aka Observation Room - quiet & private.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
One of the corridors to other treatment rooms. Its all very quiet & private.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
This was taken right after the surgery as I left the clinic. I was drowsy and all so I quickly snapped a shot to see how I looked like. Eyelids were really swollen which is normal, but for first-timers looking at such a face you'd probably think I look gross or really painful. As a matter of fact, its painless. Just felt drowsy at that time, and since eyelids were really swollen vision was abit blur too.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Back in my apartment lying on my bed, trying to do a selfie.
Also did a quick video for the night. 

rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
Packed simple dinner and snacks on my way back to my apartment, salad & wrap from Family Mart convenience store. I superrrrrrrrr love Taiwan's convenience stores! They are everywhere, they sell LOTS of drinks & food, I Love Love Love la!! If it was the same in SG, i'll probable have salads from 7-11 most days since they're cheap & portion is not too huge. Great for days when im not that hungry.
rhinoplasty nose eyelids epi epicanthoplasty zhongxiao dunhua zhongxiaodonglu
After dinner and washing up, it was time to take my meds and did cold compress with the hot/cold water bag. And also time to rest for the night.. *Yawns* Good night and I shall update part 2 soon. Stay tuned! ; )

Just before I end this blog post, here's some info on Wish Clinic if you would like to know more about them:

Official website: http://wishclinic.com.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wishclinictaipei/timeline

Also if you'd like to book an apartment with Airbnb, here's the link using my code to get $28 off! http://www.airbnb.com.sg/c/vanessat19

Feel free to leave comments in the comments box below if you have any question and I'll try my best to answer if its not already stated in my blog above. Thanks for reading! : D

P.S. If you'd like to see my future posts, follow me on FB & IG.. 
FB: www.facebook.com/vannytelly
IG: www.instagram.com/vannytelly


Thank you for reading my blog. Cheers and stay tuned for more posts. ; )

*** Ciao~ And see you soon! ***

Monday, November 16, 2015

Baby Preparation & Hospital Packing List

All first time parents would have surely wondered what needs to be prepared for the arrival of the little one and all mummies would have at some point asked around to find out what needs to be prepared for the D day. I guess like me, most first time moms would have gone online to Google for both the lists.

To be honest, Im a very budget type of mom who likes to prepare only the necessities. I very much dislike to have excessive number of things and end up not utilizing them; waste of money and space!

So here's a list of things to prepare for the arrival of your baby as well as a list of items to pack for your hospital stay. And as I mentioned before, my list mainly comprises only of the necessity items than the pampering/splurge items. : ) P.S. Im not saying I have only the following, surely I've more than that 'cuz the rest were given as gifts, but the list are items of all you need. 

Baby Prep List:

Clothing (for me, based on washing every 3 days)
3 long sleeved tops/rompers for night use (optional since baby will be mostly swaddled, I personally only used short sleeved tops for baby)
8 simple short sleeved tops, preferable with buttons/tie-type for easy wearing (for home use; day & night)
6-8 long pants with footings, if no footings can wear socks but its more hassle (for initial month's use and night use after)
5 shorts (for day use, after first month)
3-5 rompers (optional)
8 pairs of mittens
4 pairs of socks (also depends on whether you bought pants with footings)
2 hats (optional; I have many hats that came in clothing sets but so far only used once for baby full month)
1 cardigan (optional)
2-3 swaddles (I attended parentcraft course from TMC and was given 2 large swaddles, have been using these 2, super useful!)
1 bottle baby clothing detergent
1 bottle baby clothing softener

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
SG50 Jubilee Baby Gift Set

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
Includes a few sets of clothing of different sizes.


Bedding
1 Cot/playpen
1 Cot mattress
1-2 Cot mattress sheet
1 Cot mattress waterproof protector
1 Cot bumper (optional)
1 Baby pillow (optional)
1-2 Baby pillow case (only if pillow is used)
1 Cot mobile (optional)
1 bean pillow (to place on baby's chest while sleeping for a sense of security)

Bath
1 bathtub
1 anti-slip mat (to attach to bottom of tub)
1 shower foam
1 shampoo (usually shower & shampoo are 2-in-1, see picture below)
1 rubber mat (to place under baby before & after bath, while dressing & undressing)
1 small pail (to wipe baby's face)
3-5 small face cloths (for wiping baby's face and body during bath)
3 bath towels
1 face moisturizer (I am using California Baby's Calendula cream, it helped to clear my baby's tiny pimples/bumps on face during first month, picture below)
1 body lotion (California Baby; purchased as a set with shower foam and face cream)
1 nappy cream (I used the one given by TMC, its really good! Heard it can be bought from pharmacy at TMC)
1 bottle Ruyi oil (must have! to rid wind!)
1 baby powder (optional to use baby powder holder & puff)
1 comb/hairbrush
1 pack of thin cotton buds (to clear baby's booger aka "nose sh*t")
1 pack cotton balls (optional for cleaning baby's eyes, or you can use face cloth)
1 movable 2/3-tier storage trolley (to keep all the necessities in place and organized, mine's plastic and was purchased from qoo10.sg, you can also find metal ones from IKEA)
1 pack NB sized diapers (I only used one pack then moved on to S size after finishing initial pack)
1 pack wet tissue (stock up more if you'd like)
1 pack dry tissues
1 bottle hand sanitizer (I bought from hospital pharmacy)

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
California Baby Shampoo & Body Wash - gentle & mild.

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
I used this cream for my girl's face when she had the pimples/red bumps on her face during her first month.

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
This was how bad at one point the red bumps got, after using California Baby's Calendula Cream the bumps all went away. Baby's skin is now smooth & soft (she's 2 months+ now) ; )


Feeding
1 breast pump (for mummies who intend to breastfeed longterm)
1 pack of BM storage bags
1 cooler bag (if you pump outdoors and need a cooler bag to transport BM home)
1 box nursing pad
2-3 pairs nursing bras
2-4 nursing clothing (for convenient nursing in public)
1 nursing shawl/cover (optional)
1 nipple cream (I bought Avent nipple gel but ended up using the free one from TMC, its good)
2-4 feeding bottles 
1 extra set of teats (can prepare one size up)
1 bottle sterilizer
1 bottle warmer (optional)
1-2 pacifier (optional; I prepared a pair but only used after 2 months when I stopped breastfeeding, as a help for the transition)
1 formula container (to pack FM when heading out)
1-2 baby spoon (I used them to feed baby warm water)
1 bottle of baby accessories washing liquid
1 small shallow pail (I use the pail to collect all the bottles and wash at a go, so that the bottles do not touch the sink in case there's dirt or oil)
1 bottle brush (for washing feeding bottles)

Travel
1 stroller/pram (I have two strollers, one Combi stroller & one EasyWalker MINI Buggy. Blogged about it previously, link here: http://vannytelly.blogspot.tw/2015/10/product-review-easywalker-mini-buggy.html)
1 car seat (if driving, also blogged about it in the link above)
1 diaper bag (personally using the free bag from Nestle, picture below)
1 diaper changing mat (I find this important 'cuz I don't want to place my baby on the public changing station when so many other babies have laid on it before)
1 bag organizer/pouch (to stash diapers, sanitizers, wet tissue, etc)
1 wet bag (to store soiled clothing)
1 plastic bag (in case to throw dirty diapers if you do not have access to nursing rooms)
1 small fan (optional to attach to stroller)
1 baby sling (best to use sling in the initial months, can change to carrier after that. Picture of me using Baba Sling below)

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
(Picture taken from: https://sg.carousell.com/p/28115396/)

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
First time when I brought Baby Fayth out in her Baba Sling to visit her PD.

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
When I had to pacify her at home... solution? The Baba Sling! Haha.
(pardon me I look like a mad woman here)

pregnant pregnancy mummy mummies
First family day to the supermarket in her fav Baba Sling!


Hospital Bag Packing List:
P.S. this list of mine is based on hospital stay at TMC. Try not to bring too much things 'cuz you will have to carry alot of stuff home esp since its SG50, there will be lots of freebies!!

- shawl/cardigan (optional; for me I stayed in bed most times and adjusted aircon to high temp so was not that cold, but that was because I stayed in a suite so I could adjust the temp settings)
- nursing sleepwear (optional since you can wear hospital gown)
- nursing bra or any comfortable non-wired bra
- clothing to wear on discharge
- maternity pad (yes, important since you will bleed!)
- disposable cotton panties (wore this for the first month during confinement since I didn't want my nanny to wash my panties)
- personal toiletries (TMC provided basic necessities like shower foam, shampoo, and toothbrush, etc, I brought my own like facial wash and cream)
- socks (keep feet warm)
- a set of baby clothes to wear on discharge (optional since TMC provided new clothing for baby, but we brought our own since MIL says its pantang to wear passed down baby's clothes so baby will be obedient)
- phone charger
- snacks (optional)
- magazines/ipad (optional entertainment. I personally did not bring any 'cuz I was on iphone or watched TV in my suite)
- marriage cert to make baby's BC (TMc had a counter to do that so we brought our marriage cert)
- IC & admission letter


That's about all for my list, do feel free to leave a comment below for any questions on the topic. May all expecting mummies have a smooth delivery and daddies stay loving & strong! ; )

P.S. If you'd like to see my future posts, follow me on FB & IG.. 
FB: www.facebook.com/vannytelly
IG: www.instagram.com/vannytelly

Thank you for reading my blog. Cheers and stay tuned for more posts. ; )

Monday, November 02, 2015

Post Natal Jamu Massage & 44th Day Post Natal Treatment

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
Hi Mummies, the above was the progression of my belly growth for my recent pregnancy.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
And this was me a few days before I delivered; @ 38 weeks.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
This was me home after delivery.. look at my big belly, bigger than I was 6 months preggie. *faint** : (

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
Took this picture right after my first Post Natal Jamu Massage; was so excited to take a picture to see how tight the binder was... Feeling slimmer already. Hehe.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
And the side view, same time taken as the above.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
This was taken after my 2nd day massage.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
Jamu slimming cream applied inside the binder wrap - its spicy I tell you.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
And this was taken after my 3rd day of massage, and at the end of the night after I removed the binder.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
I still breastfed my baby as per norm. Although I must say it can be pretty warm with the binder wrapped around my body with hot Jamu cream inside. Also, because the binder was wrapped really tight, I had to sit quite straight up. I quickly got used to it after my first session.

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
Hehe. Capturing more photos of our special BF moments.

bind binding slim slimming
Here's my massage lady; Nur. Love her to bits! She's the same age as me, a young mother of three boys with 10 years of massage experience. We have so much to talk, every session flies through with our chats. And what I really liked about her was her dedication to her treatments for her clients. What I mean is that she'd massage your body according to your size (surface area) and body problems, so not all massages last the same time and are the same... it really depends on your body condition. E.g. if you have more water retention in your knee cap, she'd massage that area longer to flush water out. And if you have blocked milk ducts (which I did), she would spend more time there to help remove it. Appreciate the work! : )

The Post Natal Jamu Massage comes in either single, 5, 7, 10, 14-day sessions. Prices are $80, $400, $530, $680 respectively. Treatment consists of confinement massage, binding (inclusive of binder wrap), param/pills (only if requested). Massage was done using massage oils and binding done with Jamu slimming cream.

Many mummies ask when's the most effective period to do this massage? As advised by Nur, for natural birthed mummies 1 week PP is best up to two weeks, and for C-sect mummies best to wait for at least 2-3 weeks before starting the massage.


Benefits of traditional post natal massage:
- help improves blood circulation
- tighten and tone tummy
- reduce water retention
- expel ‘lochia’ and trapped winds and toxins
- quick recovery after childbirth
- reduced postnatal depression
- relief from constipation
- straighten spine
- relieve body from aches and cramps
- lift the womb and keep it from sagging
- get rid of remaining blood clot from the body
- hasten the shrinkage of the enlarged Uterus
- flatten the abdomen
- relax the mind and regain energy

All mothers are advised to set aside a confinement period of at least 30 days after delivery to recover back from the changes caused by pregnancy and childbirth. It is highly important to take proper rest, eat well and reach out to family and friends to receive support in baby care and also breastfeeding. Also, remember to indulge in jamu massage to get back in shape, feel confident and enjoy motherhood! ; )



Benefits of binding:
- Binding the abdomen after delivery helps to flatten the tummy.
In the massage, herbal pastes and cotton fabric are used to bind the abdomen.
- (the ingredients) Natural ingredients such as ginger, lemon grass, tumeric, kaffir lime, cumin, nutmeg, and cinnamon are used n the wrap. These herbs have healing properties that help to get rid of unwanted impurities in the body post delivery.


I myself did a 9-day session of Post Natal Jamu Massage with Nur, and felt really relaxed after each session. Binding of the tummy made me feel less hungry as well. I knew I couldn't depend on only the massage & tummy binding to lose weight but I do know the benefits surely would help e.g. flush out toxins and the "dirty blood" as well as help shrink my uterus size. Of course with those benefits more or less tummy would go down. But ultimately, losing fat is the key to losing that big pregnancy belly. Many women (and men too) have the wrong conception thinking with massage or slimming creams, etc, can help to lose those stubborn fats. You'd still need to watch your diet and keep moving if you want to maintain your figure or lose fat! 

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After I completed my 9-day Post Natal Jamu Massage, I was recommended a post natal follow-up treatment aka the 44th Day Post Natal Treatment. 

As advised by Nur the most effective time to do this treatment is on the 44th day post partum. I couldn't do it on the 44th day but did on the 47th day. Nur mentioned so long as its not past 50 days PP it should be considered effective.

Purpose of this follow-up treatment actually lies in the V Steam as the main factor, supposedly it helps to flush out the remaining of the dirty blood aka lochia, also with the help of the post natal massage.

This treatment includes:
#1 - 30 minutes body scrub ~ this is to clean/scrub off dead skin cells since mummies tend to not bathe that often during confinement, great way to get cleansed!
#2 - Flower bath ~ for enhancing of immune system, can lower blood sugar level and improve heart health. Flower bath is prepared using seven types of flowers and also lime essential, best enjoyed using a bath tub otherwise benefits remain same.
#3 - 90 minutes post natal massage ~ (same benefits as stated above)
#4 - 30 minutes V steam (aka bertangas) ~ to aid as an internal cleanser of the membranes of the vaginal tissues and the uterus. This is important for the stagnant fertility conditions, eliminate yeast infections and other vaginal bacteria, increase cervical fluids, relax vaginal canal and cervix, nourish and tone the uterine lining, prevent and ease bladder and kidney stones and more.
#5 - 20 minutes baby massage (complimentary) ~ Nur will teach mummies & daddies how to massage baby via a demo. 

bind binding jamu cream slim slimming
First, Nur did a body scrub for me. Remove all the dead skin cells!

Scrub that Nur used...

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Flower bath with essential oil.

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Then we are down to massage time.

slim slimming bind binding
Enjoying the massage...

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Here's an illustration of how the V Steam treatment looks and works.

traditional detox vaginal slim slimming
And this was how Nur did the V Steam treatment for me in my room.

traditional detox treatment nur
Relaxing on the stool, steaming my V... while on my iPad. Hehe. : P

post natal jamu massage review postnatal
This little pot was used to hold the hot charcoal which then is placed below the stool with some Balinese paste as seen in the next photo.

jamu paste slim slimming burn fats

The whole treatment was relaxing as usual, great way to pamper myself from taking care of baby day & night. Hehe. Was actually excited to watch Nur massage Fayth but due to this little girl being grouchy & screamy at that time we decided to skip. Oh well, maybe next time.


This entire 44th Day Post Natal Treatment cost $250 (u.p. $350) . : )
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Last but not least, for mummies who are also interested to get some pampering session by Nur, her contact number is 85552844. 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mumndot/

Do feel free to whatsapp her to enquire first, and only make bookings when you feel comfortable to do so. Good luck! ; )

P.S. am not paid to write this, I'm only sharing the prices on my blog post cuz I know alot of mummies would like to know the price, and I'm saving myself some work from sharing the information one by one.

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Thank you for reading my blog. Cheers and stay tuned for more posts. ; )