Essential steps for new mums to take after realising a pregnancy

pregnancy scan

Congratulations on your pregnancy! It can be an overwhelming episode if you’re a new mum as you go through the joys of conceiving your first child to the nerves of having to mind your body from day one.

However, fret not as we show you the essential steps to take after realising your pregnancy. Stay on this page!

Find a doctor you can trust

Apart from the pregnancy being a delightful family affair, you will need a doctor you can work hand in hand with during your pregnancy.

You should ask for recommendations from friends or family members and schedule a visit as soon as possible. Do expect some blood tests, prenatal vitamins prescription, and miscellaneous information to help you prepare for your next 40 weeks.

According to Healthline, here’s a general guide on how often you will be seeing your doctor:

  • once per month until week 28
  • twice per month from weeks 28 to 36
  • weekly from week 36 to birth
Talk about medications with your doctor
pills

Image Credits: everydayhealth.com

Once you’ve decided on your preferred doctor, let the healthcare professional know about your existing medications and supplements.

Since some drugs can pass through the placenta, they may drastically affect your precious baby. However, do not simply stop taking them because some medications can cause severe side effects if stopped abruptly.

The safest way is to seek a medical opinion and follow through with whatever the doctor recommends. With a baby growing inside you, it’s best not to simply Google and heed online advice.

Make plans for your work schedule

Ladies who are working and plan to continue during your pregnancy and after giving birth must mind your work schedule.

Don’t forget that you will still need to keep up with your doctor appointments, and your employer should be kept in the loop of your need for time off from work. For working mums with higher-risk pregnancies, you may also wish to consider reducing your workload gradually.

Now’s also the time to start researching the child care centres near your house so your baby can be assured a place in infant care when they reach two months old.

Relook what goes into your mouth
a pregnant woman saying no to alcohol

Image Credits: walnuthillobgyn.com

Since you’re not walking alone anymore for the next few months, you’ve got to assume responsibility for the life inside you. One of the main ways to protect your growing baby is to pay close attention to what you eat.

In short, alcohol and tobacco are harmful for your little one. All forms of alcohol, including beer, can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or even disabilities. As for tobacco, the nicotine inside it can damage your developing baby’s brain and lungs.

In addition, you should also decrease your caffeine intake to about just two cups a day. Anything more than that can increase your risk of miscarriage so stay away from that if you can. By caffeine, we’re not just referring to coffee, but tea, soda, and dark chocolates too.

While you must limit the harmful stuff, be sure to have balanced meals to get all the nutrition you need for a healthy baby. Here are some excellent foods to take:

  • Dairy
  • Legumes
  • Whole grains
  • Cooked lean meats
  • Fruits and vegetables

Have an incredible pregnancy journey and a smooth delivery!

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5 Surefire Ways To Avoid Spending Too Much Money On Junk Food

“Cravings are powerful. (It) can make a person value a food more since it not only may fulfill a hunger need, but also a psychological need for satisfaction.”
– Ms. Jackie Arnett Elnahar, a Registered dietitian and CEO of TelaDietitian

When fast food chains offer their tasty meals, they go beyond advertising on television and social media. They employ different marketing strategies to entice the consumers into spending their hard-earned cash on the spot. These attractive offerings can increase a person’s craving for junk food.

You need to realize that your cravings for junk food burns both your wallet and your health. A 2018 study from New York University showed that people were willing to pay more for foods they crave. It did not matter whether they were hungry or not. Moreover, the amount they were willing to pay multiplied when they were offered bigger portions.

The lead author of the study explained that the “results indicate that even if people strive to eat healthier, cravings could overshadow the importance of health”. Participants craved for larger portions of junk food but did not crave larger portions of healthy food.

It is up to you to fight these cravings and to choose a healthier path. Read the following tips to start your journey.

#1: BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF

The first step to curb your junk food spending is to be honest with yourself. If you aim to gradually remove unhealthy snacks from your diet, include it to your grocery budget. Set a realistic amount and stick to it. Limiting your budget for snacks will prevent you from dropping by the store to spend more money on it.

#2: PLAN YOUR MENU

Whether you are cooking for yourself or your family, planning meals is a good place to begin improving your food choices. Taking the time to plan a healthy meal can help you avoid the costly takeaway or delivery food.

Start by grabbing a pen and a paper. List down your favorite meals. It may help to talk to your spouse or your family regarding their meal preferences. Some meals are healthier than others, but write them all for now. After gathering your options, it is up to you to strategically spread these meals out. Planning the weekly menu will help you save money and give you more time to prepare healthier food.

#3: GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK

Let us face it! Sometimes, you may feel too tired or unmotivated to prepare a meal. Give yourself a break. Reduce your junk food spending by giving yourself a cheat day. With all the factors that hinder you from preparing a meal (e.g., time), you can purchase pre-packaged meals such as salad or frozen pizza. You can only eat these types of meals during your cheat day.

#4: REWARD YOURSELF

As you practice healthy habits and reduce your junk food consumption, you can increase your motivation by rewarding yourself. Whether you want to purchase a new top or an air fryer, include this purchase on the leisure expense category of your budget. This way, you will not feel guilty about spending too much money outside of your budget.

#5: CUT DOWN ON EATING OUT

It is no secret that Singaporeans love to eat! People in Singapore are blessed with a variety of cuisines that one cannot resist the temptation of dining out. As with everything that is good, too much can be bad too.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

You may feel that eating out during lunch daily does not make a difference. But, all your costs add up. The cost of one restaurant meal may be equivalent up to three home-cooked meals. Try packing lunch from home as it is generally cheaper. Packing your meals will also enable you to follow your dietary restrictions.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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Mid-Autumn Festival 2021: Special mooncake flavours, including one with mala chicken floss to try

traditional mooncakes

We have more than a month to this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival! To be exact, we will be celebrating it on Tuesday, 21 September.

If it has been a tradition for the family to gift mooncakes or gather together for a tea session, then you’ve landed at the right article. We will be sharing with you some of the most special mooncake flavours, including one with mala chicken floss to spice up the festival. 

Ready to get started? Let’s roll with the list!

#1: ​​Mala Chicken Floss & Salted Egg Yolk Low Sugar White Lotus Paste Mooncake
mooncakes

Image Credits: Birds Of A Feather

Contemporary Sichuan restaurant Birds of A Feather has come up with their mooncake box of 4 (S$68) with these 2 flavours:

  • Mala Chicken Floss & Salted Egg Yolk Low Sugar White Lotus Paste Mooncake
  • Single Yolk Macadamia Nuts Low Sugar White Lotus Paste Mooncake

The former promises a harmonious blend of Sichuan spices with a pleasant mild spicy note and a heavenly combination of salted egg yolk and chicken floss. Not a fan of mala? You can present this as a gift to a friend or relative. The majestic black box with intricate gold illustrations will make a premium presentable present for that special someone.

Click here to preorder your Birds Of A Feather Mooncake Box.

#2: Sakura Shrimps with Peanut Mooncake
Sakura Shrimps with Peanut Mooncake

Image Credits: Shangri-La Singapore

Yes, we kid you not with this concoction of savoury sakura shrimps and crunchy peanuts. It’s one of the limited-edition mooncake gift boxes designed by local designer Benny Ong. The box of four consists of:

  • Assam Tea with Almond Mooncakes
  • Sakura Shrimps with Peanut Mooncakes

At the time of writing, there’s an ongoing promotion which will cost you only S$100.30 (usual price: S$118). Check out more limited-edition mooncake types such as Aged Mandarin Peel, Rose & Red Bean Paste Mooncakes, Mini Custard Bird’s Nest Mooncakes, and more here.

#3: White Rabbit Truffle with Cranberry Paste Snowskin Mooncake
snowskin mooncakes

Image Credits: Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

Take a trip down memory lane with Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s White Rabbit Truffle with Cranberry Paste Snowskin Mooncake. Everyone’s favourite milk candy will be joining hands with a rich truffle filling and tangy cranberry paste to reward your tastebuds.

For those who love all things truffle, here are other flavours to try:

  • Cognac Truffle with Chestnut Paste
  • Salted Egg Truffle with White Lotus Seed Paste
  • Champagne Truffle with Milk Green Bean Paste

Place an order here.

While it can be tempting to eat your fill, remember that mooncakes are high-calorie foods and should be eaten in moderation this Mid-Autumn Festival. We will leave you with some numbers so you can plan your intake accordingly:

mooncake calories chart

Image Credits: CNA

Have a blessed Mid-Autumn Festival to come. 中秋节快乐!

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Looking for a Home Tutor in Singapore? Here's Why You Need One

In today’s extremely competitive world and educational system, one needs to perform well in academics to help one succeed. 

But the thing is, even the best schools fail to cater to the individual needs of their students. In fact, according to a report, 76% of students feel anxious when taking an exam even if they’re “well prepared.”

That’s because every student is different and has various learning capabilities. Some students can easily understand the lesson, while others need that extra guidance (and push!) to know the lesson well. 

In this post, we’ll walk you through the benefits of hiring a home tutor in Singapore: 

Learn At Your Own Convenience

One of the biggest benefits of home tuition is the convenience that it offers.

With education and learning right at your door, you’ll get to learn at the comforts of your home. This gives you the flexibility to decide what your preferred days are to get tuition.

Students can also discuss with their tutor things like the tuition place, time, and days.

Personal Attention

A home tutoring service is usually on a one-to-one basis. Meaning, students are getting full attention that’s otherwise available in a room packed with 20 or more students.

Students don’t have to worry about failing to grasp a concept as fast as their peers. By increasing focus on the student, a professional tutor can work on areas for improvement. This also allows them to work at the learning pace of the student.

Because of the undivided attention given to them, students can also clear out any misconceptions that they might have.

Positive Learning Environment

Many students usually hesitate to ask questions to a teacher. Some are embarrassed to let the teacher re-explain the concept to them.

This isn’t the same with home tutoring. A home tutor will be the one who will encourage a student to ask questions and will re-explain a concept if needed. As a result, students feel more confident and open up their concerns with the tutor.

Detailed Feedback

At school, a teacher might miss out on important subtleties. Often pressed for time, they might miss correcting every student’s faulty areas.

On the other hand, home tutoring allows the student to analyze and then work on their weak spots as they go.

A professional tutor will usually provide detailed productive feedback, which will motivate students to improve and do better on their work the next time.

Improve Performance

As mentioned earlier, if students are weak on a particular subject, they might need special attention to enhance their performance. But this doesn’t often happen in school.

With home tutoring, students can get their tutor’s undivided attention and have more time to work on a particular subject or concept.

Apart from tutoring on subjects, a home tutor can also mentor the student, helping them develop great time management and study skills. Doing so improves the students’ overall performance.

Work With The Best

More often than not, schools don’t give the students the chance to choose their teacher, affecting results.

One of the primary benefits of a home tutor is that one can pick the best tutor on a particular subject. You have the option to consult with home tuition agencies as you choose the best tutor.

This is important because a great tutor can easily understand the student’s needs and give them the right guidance.

Final Thoughts

If you’re struggling with your studies, home tuition may be necessary to help you get a quality education.

That’s why you need to work with the best professional tutors who will cater to your needs and assist you with your studies.

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How To Make Better Money Decisions

When it comes to handling your finances well, there is a plethora of information available online and in the nearby library. Educating ourselves and widening our financial literacy is the first step to making better financial decisions.

Often, there is no single path that will lead us to the “right” decision. Instead, we must walk the path using different strategies and methods to come up with the best financial decision. Start with these steps.

#1: EDUCATE YOURSELF

Gather as much information as possible to organize your options and action plan. Although you are inclined to make a gut-driven decision, educating yourself is an important first step. Research shows that gut feelings tend to be more accurate when they are made by experts. Thus, becoming an expert on a certain financial issue can make your intuition more reliable.

#2: INTERVIEW PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR CHOICES

Talking to people who have taken the paths that you are considering will help you see the bigger picture. Choose people who are willing to speak to you with all honesty. Study suggests that this approach can help you make more accurate predictions about your own reactions to potential future events. While no one’s experience will mirror yours exactly, you will be able to learn a lot from these people.

#3: ESTABLISH A LIST OF OUTCOMES

When making decisions, I make it a point to list the possible outcomes of each option. Writing down the outcomes can help you make better decisions. Write down a couple of ways your option can go wrong and highlight how you can potentially lose money. Then, write down the ways your option can go right. This option is a strong contender if you think that there is nothing that can go wrong.

#4: DISCUSS YOUR DECISION

Look for a person whom you trust and respect. Discuss your financial decision with that person. Discussing your decision with others will help you understand the situation at hand. Moreover, you will be able to get feedback from someone who does not have a vested interest or a personal involvement in this decision.

#5: CONSIDER BOTH THE PRESENT AND FUTURE

Improve the quality of your financial decisions by making sure that you strike a balance between what benefits you at the present and future states. Do this by listing down the possible advantages and disadvantages of an option for the short-term. The other list must contain the advantages and disadvantages of the same option in the long run.

#6: GIVE EACH OPTION A TEST RUN

When buying cars, most people take advantage of the test run. With a huge financial investment such as this, people want to make the best decision. Giving each option a test run will enable you to observe how it will impact your life.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Research shows that people tend to make decisions differently depending on their mood. To bypass this bias, you can imagine that you have already made a decision and absorb that choice for a few days. This method allows you to determine how you will feel when you are in a range of different situations. Furthermore, you can gradually test the impact of a financial decision.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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