Tian Wei Signature Confinement Food Review

I am about 4 months post partum and I am very glad that during my 12 weeks of maternity leave, I was blessed with nutritious and delicious meals every day.

Confinement when done well, is a phase whereby a woman’s body is able to rejuvenate to an even better state than before and diet plays a huge role. I was determined to continue eating healthily after my confinement lady left and had the privilege to try out the confinement meals from Tian Wei Signature.




Before my confinement lady left, I was already racking my brains about the logistics of my meals for the rest of my maternity leave. It was such a coincidence that Tian Wei Signature reached out to me. I have read and heard a lot of good things about Tian Wei Signature whether from sponsored or non-sponsored reviews and was really thrilled that I would have 2 weeks’ worth of lunch and dinner settled till I returned to work. Whatever I write here are what I truly feel about the whole experience and I have lots of good stuff to say!




Packaging

The meals are delivered in plastic containers and stored in zipped thermal bags.

I usually eat my meals really late, as late as 2-3pm for lunch and 8-10pm for dinner because like all babies, Baby Ash was quite unpredictable. Leaving the food in the thermal bag till I was ready to eat them kept them warm enough for me. I did not have to reheat the food which was a good thing as my microwave oven has been spoilt for the longest time.

The plastic containers are double sealed with plastic cling wrap (one outside and another below the lid) to prevent leakage of gravy and soup. Everything was really neat and it was the first time I experienced eating from takeaway plastic containers that are so clean with no gravy smeared on the outside.

Everything is really convenient and hassle free which is great for new mummies who hardly have time for anything else. Just eat and throw! However, if you are someone who is into saving the environment, you might feel a tinge of guilt each time you throw these containers away. I would wash the non-oily ones and keep them. Oh yes, the thermal bags are to be returned to the delivery guy with the last thermal bag for the customer’s keeping.


Serving Size

My hubby and I were pleasantly surprised by the amount of food for the Signature trial meal. It was more than enough for the both of us. The trial meal included the traditional and fusion meals. I thought that the trial meal was an exception and that I should not be expecting such huge portions for the daily meals.

Boy was I wrong. The portion is pretty generous. I am quite a huge eater and already, I found myself inviting my parents over for dinner quite a lot. You could see from the photos and I would also elaborate in greater detail under some of the photos.




Good Customer Service and Customization

I experienced excellent customer service from the email communication, phone coordination and right up to the delivery service.

Upon confirmation of the meal package, a staff called to check on my food preference, allergies and other special requirements. I suffered from PUPPP and post-partum hives. Ginger and alcohol are both strong triggers and these are common ingredients used in most confinement dishes.

When I told them about this and said I understood that it was a rather demanding requirement to not include or reduce the amount of ginger and alcohol, the guy over the phone assured me that it could be arranged. He informed me that many of their dishes are cooked with ginger juice while some contained ginger shreds. He said he would inform the kitchen not to use ginger juice for my meals but ginger shreds would be fine since I could easily pick those out. I thought it was rather troublesome for them to go the extra mile but they did. Check out the photo below that states "no ginger juice" and "ok ginger shreds". As for alcohol, I did not manage to taste alcohol in the dishes so I guessed they settled that part too.



You could also call them anytime to update your personal requirements. For example, I simply called in advance to inform them that I did not want food delivery during the weekends as I would be out with my hubby or family and we resumed the food delivery on Monday. The only thing was that I missed out on some appetizing weekend fusion dishes.

The delivery guy would most of the time hand me the thermal bag but whenever I was busy with my baby, he would hang the bag at the door and texted me that food was here. Sometimes I would text him beforehand as a heads up so that he would not ring the doorbell.


Taste and Menu

I love eating confinement food and home cooked food. Tian Wei Signature is both of this. I didn’t quite expect that meals designed to help boost the recovery process and milk supply of mothers could taste so appetizing.



I am one who do not like food that is too flavoured or too oily and I’m happy to know that there is no artificial flavourings and MSG used in their cooking. Some people who are into flavours(重口味) might find the meals a little too “healthy tasting” though.

You know how economical rice sold outside are also rice with dishes but somehow they could never have the home-cooked taste? Tian Wei Signature food tastes totally home cooked! I admit that reading about their Head Chef Eugene Tan allows me to visualize him and his team lovingly cooking these meals for post-partum mummies. Haha!

Oh yes, I’m so impressed by the variety of rice they serve. White rice is a staple in Chinese meals and those could be so unhealthy in large portions. I recall seeing only 2 to 3 meals with white rice and read up that Tian Wei serves 9 different kinds of rice, from barley millet, millet mixed, calrose, tri-colour, five grain, quinoa mixed, brown, fried and pumpkin rice.


Let me take you through my daily meals in pictures and elaborate more along the way!



Week 1 Day 1 Lunch
STIR FRIED CELERY WITH STRAW MUSHROOM AND WHITE FUNGUS
西芹草菇银耳
RED FERMENTED WINE CHICKEN SESAME BRAISED CHICKEN
红糟鸡 麻油鸡
EUCOMMIA KIDNEY NOURISHING SOUP
杜仲补腰炖汤
BARLEY MILLET RICE
薏米小米饭




Right from Day 1, I fell in love with their soup and lapped up every single bowl of soup thereafter. In fact as I was doing this blog post, I found myself craving for all their delicious soups.

I am someone who hates celery and all other strong smelling vegetables so imagine how much I cringed when I saw celery in the first meal. Surprisingly, there wasn't the usual tart kind of celery taste I dislike. I amazed myself when I could finish that dish.

You would also notice the replacement for the chicken dish. Due to my allergy as mentioned before, I have to abstain from alcohol. Hence, Tian Wei could not serve me the Red Fermented Wine Chicken and specially replaced it with Sesame Braised Chicken. Caring for their customers certainly goes a long way!





Week 1 Day 1 Dinner
STIR FRIED BROCCOLI WITH GINGER AND TWIN FUGUS
姜丝双木耳炒西兰花
STEAMED WOLF-BERRIES PORK RIBS WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE AND RED DATES
黑豆豉红枣枸杞蒸排骨
DISPEL WIND CHICKEN SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS
香茅祛风鸡汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭



I am one who likes black fungus and eat it quite frequently but for people who don't like, they may get a shock seeing black fungus in 2 dishes. Black fungus is especially beneficial for cleansing the body and expelling stale blood. It is not only great for confinement but for overall well being too.





Week 1 Day 2 Lunch
STIR FRIED KAILAN WITH GARLIC
蒜香香港芥兰
LEMONGRASS FENUGREEK BRAISED FISH FILLET
香茅葫芦巴焖鱼柳
GINGKO LOTUS SEED PIG STOMACH SOUP
白果莲子猪肚汤
PUMPKIN RICE
南瓜瓜子饭







Week 1 Day 2 Dinner
SILKY EGG WITH AMARANTH IN SUPERIOR BROTH
上汤蛋花苋菜
STIR FRIED PORK AND KIDNEY WITH GINGER AND SESAME OIL
姜丝麻油炒肉片腰子
NOURISHING AND BEAUTIFYING CHICKEN SOUP
滋润养颜炖鸡汤
PLAIN RICE
白饭




I love green leafy vegetables without thick and hard stems so this silky egg with amaranth vegetable dish is something I love a lot.





Week 1 Day 3 Lunch
STIR FRIED LETTUCE WITH MINCED MEAT AND GINGER
姜丝肉碎油麦菜
BRAISED PORK TROTTER IN BLACK VINEGAR
猪脚醋
POLYGONUM MULTIFLORUM BLACK CHICKEN SOUP
何首乌乌鸡汤
FIVE GRAIN RICE
五谷饭



The Braised Pork Trotter in Black Vinegar was not too thick and rich and has a homely flavour. Do you know that black vinegar has the ability to purify the blood and cleanse the arteries? It also helps break down the mineral content in the trotters and ensuring that the resulting gravy is rich in calcium, iron and gelatinous collagen. So even if you’re someone who dislike fatty trotters like me, you’ll still get your collagen from the gravy. I love the lean meat portion of this dish best and I would always water my rice with the black vinegar. Yumz!

This was one of the meals I enjoyed a lot and finished almost everything except the fatty parts of the pork trotter. Whenever there was pork trotter in black vinegar dish, my parents would be able to whip up enough for the whole family from my leftovers with added ingredients.





Week 1 Day 3 Dinner
STIR FRIED CHINESE YAM WITH KAILAN AND LEAN MEAT
山药瘦肉炒芥兰
STEAMED THREADFIN WITH GINGER IN SUPERIOR SOYA SAUCE
港蒸姜丝午鱼
STRONG NOURISHING SOUP
大补元血汤
BROWN RICE
糙米饭



I appreciate it a lot when dishes are easy to eat. Other than the fact that I need to eat my dinner quickly to tend to Baby Ash, I'm a super lazy person who dislike picking bones from my fish and the threadfin dish was one of my favourite protein dish.





Week 1 Day 4 Lunch
STIR FRIED SHANGHAI GREEN WITH CONPOY
清炒干贝上海青
BRAISED SESAME CHICKEN IN SWEET POTATO VERMICELLI
麻油鸡红薯细粉
FENUGREEK GREEN PAPAYA HERBAL FISH SOUP
葫芦巴青木瓜药材鱼汤



The main vermicelli dish itself is enough for my usual lunch serving so you could see just how huge the meal portions are. I usually dislike thick bee hoon and was wondering why this one tasted so good. No wonder! It wasn't thick bee hoon but sweet potato vermicelli, something which I found really unique and wonderfully tasty.





Week 1 Day 4 Dinner
STIR FRIED PEA SHOOT WITH KING OYSTER MUSHROOM
白灵菇炒豆苗
MARMITE MARINATED PORK RIBS
妈密排骨
LOTUS ROOTS AND RED DATES CHICKEN SOUP
莲藕红枣鸡汤
BLACK BARLEY MIXED RICE
黑薏米饭



I just HAVE TO talk about this black barley mixed rice. OMG! I love biting onto the bits of black barley. Before looking at the menu online, I often wonder what the black stuff was whenever they served this rice. My parents also agreed that the texture of the black barley made a lot of difference to the rice. I think my kitty cat Miyo agreed too!





Week 1 Day 5 Lunch
STIR FRIED PORK LIVER WITH WHITE BEEHOON AND KAILAN
芥兰猪肝焖白米粉
SWEET AND SOUR FISH SLICES
酸甜鱼片
HEART CALMING SOUP
安神甜汤



Just like the vermicelli meal, the bee hoon itself was more than enough for my lunch. And I really appreciate the variety of carbs in the whole meal package.





Week 1 Day 5 Dinner
FRENCH BEANS WITH SHIMEJI MUSHROOM
四季豆炒茶树菇
STIR FRIED CHICKEN WITH CAPSICUM IN PUMPKIN SAUCE
金瓜酱炒鸡丁灯笼椒
PORK RIBS SOUP WITH BLACK BEAN
排骨黑豆汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭



Without looking at the menu, my parents and I could not figure out what the yellow sauce was and thought it was salted egg yolk without the salt to make a healthy dish. It was delicious even if it wasn't salted egg yolk and I was so amazed that pumpkin could achieve such a salted egg yolk sauce effect.





Week 1 Day 6 Lunch
PUMPKIN WITH BLACK FUNGUS
姜丝木耳炒金瓜
STEWED PORK WITH GALANGAL AND LEMONGRASS
香茅南姜炖肉片
CORDYCEPS BLOSSOM SOUP
虫草花炖汤
QUINOA MIXED RICE
藜麥饭



I didn't quite like the visual presentation of this meal without the greens (I need my green vege) but once I started eating, I finished everything. And that cordyceps blossom soup? It tasted like a soup I drank in an atas Chinese restaurant.





Week 2 Day 1 Lunch
STIR FRY ASPARAGUS JAPANESE STYLE
日式炒芦笋
BAKED FILLET FISH WITH GINGER MIRIN SAUCE
味醂香烤鱼柳
UTERINE TONIC SOUP
子宫收缩炖鸡汤
BARLEY MILLET RICE
薏米小米饭



I did not have the weekend meals delivered except for Saturday lunch so I missed out on some delicious weekend meals.





Week 2 Day 1 Dinner
STIR FRIED BROCCOLI WITH SCALLOP
西兰花炒带子
ROSE WINE BRAISED CHICKEN
玫瑰露焖鸡
FENUGREEK GREEN PAPAYA MILKY FISH SOUP
葫芦巴青木瓜牛奶鱼汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭



While this meal was delicious, I gave my feedback on the broccoli and the chicken. I love broccoli but not when they have thick stems or when they are lightly cooked and hence too crunchy hard. The chicken had some small bits of bones which did not pass my discerning (lazy) mouth. It felt really good when the staff over the phone said he valued my feedback and that he would relay my feedback to the kitchen.





Week 2 Day 2 Lunch
SEARED SALMON WITH CAULIFLOWER CREAM
香煎花椰菜奶油三文鱼
RED BEAN PUREE WITH ORANGE PEEL DESSERT
陈皮红豆沙
TRI COLOUR GRAINS
三色谷



During my difficult pregnancy, I would every now and then have craving for salmon as it is a fish that has a nice “oily fish” taste. It has amazing nutritional value, improves cardiovascular health, enhances tissue development, boosts overall ocular well-being and provides efficient metabolism. Great for pregnant and confinement mummies!



During my maternity leave, I look forward to dishes that are fuss-free and easy to eat as I need to be able to tend to Baby Ash readily. The salmon dish is one such dish. I could finish this Seared Salmon with Cauliflower Cream and Tri Colour Grains in 15 minutes when I usually take 1 hour to finish my meals because Baby Ash loves to sabo me by fussing and crying when I’m eating.





Week 2 Day 2 Dinner
AMARANTH WITH SLICED FISH
鱼片苋菜
STEWED CHICKEN WITH BASIL AND PUMPKIN
九层塔炖金瓜鸡肉
PORK KNUCKLE SOUP WITH LOTUS ROOTS
莲藕猪脚汤
PLAIN RICE
白饭



Super love this green vege amaranth with sliced fish dish. With such a balance of proteins and vege in this single dish, the stewed chicken with basil and pumpkin dish was too much in a meal.





Week 2 Day 3 Lunch
STEAM OKRA WITH CONPOY AND JUJUBE
清蒸干贝红枣羊角豆
BRAISED PORK TROTTER IN BLACK VINEGAR
猪脚醋
MIND CALMING AND LUNG NOURISHING SOUP
健脾润肺甜汤
FIVE GRAIN RICE
五谷饭



I like lady's finger (okra) and never knew they are an important confinement ingredient.  It is rich in potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. It is low in calories and has a high dietary fiber content. Lady's finger has been suggested to help manage blood sugar in cases of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.





Week 2 Day 3 Dinner
STIR FRIED NAI BAI WITH SHIMEJI MUSHROOM
奶白配茶树菇
STEAMED THREADFIN WITH GINGER IN SUPERIOR SOYA SAUCE
港蒸姜丝午鱼
PORK RIBS SOUP WITH LOTUS SEED AND LILY
莲子百合排骨汤
BROWN RICE



I mentioned I love all their soups right? I remember I did not quite like this soup with pork as the main ingredient and not much Chinese herbs. I somehow found the porky taste really overwhelming.





Week 2 Day 4 Lunch
TIAN WEI SIGNATURE COQ AU VIN
天味招牌法式红酒炖鸡
PAPAYA WHITE FUNGUS DESSERT
炖木瓜雪耳
TOASTED OATS MILLET MIXED RICE
燕麦小米饭



Other than the seared salmon, the coq au vin cooked in red wine is another of Tian Wei Signature fusion meal. The chicken itself was a lot so I left the rice aside. The antioxidants that can be found in the skin of red wine grapes have beneficial effects in women. Red wine can help prevent certain cancers and protect you from heart diseases and osteoporosis, while reducing inflammations caused by arthritis.





Week 2 Day 4 Dinner
STIR FRIED SLICE FISH PEA SHOOT WITH GINGER
姜丝鱼片豆苗
BRAISED GIANT MEATBALL
红烧狮子头
GINSENG NOURISHING SOUP
人参大补炖汤
BLACK BARLEY MIXED RICE
黑薏米饭



Hey look! It's my favourite rice again! And that giant meatball was good too. I tend to avoid large meat balls for Chinese food as I'm afraid of the strong porky taste. These meat balls were yummy.





Week 2 Day 5 Lunch
SPAGHETTI POMODORO AND CAPONATA
茄酱意大利面
BLACK PEPPER FISH FILLET WITH BASIL
九层黑椒鱼柳
MIND-SOOTHING AND HAIR-PROTECTING SOUP
安神护发炖汤



I can't figure out if this meal was fusion or traditional. All I can say is that the soup seems out of place with the spaghetti and fish fillet which are western. However, everything was yummy. I was craving for a new variety of carb.





Week 2 Day 5 Dinner
STIR FRIED FRENCH BEAN WITH EGG AND TOMATO
西红柿四季豆炒蛋
BEETROOT OVEN BAKED CHICKEN
甜菜根焗鸡柳
APPLE WHITE FUNGUS PORK RIB SOUP
苹果银耳排骨汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭







Week 3 Day 1 Lunch
STIR FRIED CELERY WITH WHITE BEECH MUSHROOM, LOTUS ROOT AND BLACK FUNGUS
西芹莲藕白玉菇木耳
BAKED FILLET FISH WITH GINGER MIRIN SAUCE
味醂香烤鱼柳
SPLEEN STRENGTHENING ABC SOUP
健脾ABC汤
BARLEY MILLET RICE
薏米小米饭



Once again, I skipped the food delivery on weekends and missed the Japanese fusion meal. The dishes from here onward had slight repetition since it was a new week. If you were to take a package with Tian Wei during your confinement period when you are truly confined, you would not miss out on their weekend meals.





Week 3 Day 1 Dinner
BROCCOLI WITH BRAISED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM
西兰花炖花菇
BRAISED CHICKEN WITH BLACK FUNGUS AND ANGELICA
当归木耳焖鸡
TIANQI BLOOD-TONIFYING SOUP
田七补血汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭






Week 3 Day 2 Lunch
SEARED SALMON WITH CAULIFLOWER CREAM
香煎花椰菜奶油三文鱼
RED BEAN PUREE WITH ORANGE PEEL DESSERT
陈皮红豆沙
TRI COLOUR GRAINS
三色谷







Week 3 Day 2 Dinner
STIR FRIED EGG WITH AMARANTH AND SILVER BAIT FISH
银鱼苋菜炒蛋
HAWTHORN CHICKEN
三楂鸡扒
PEANUT PORK KNUCKLE SOUP
花生猪脚汤
PLAIN RICE
白饭






Week 3 Day 3 Lunch
STEAM OKRA WITH CONPOY AND JUJUBE
清蒸干贝红枣羊角豆
BRAISED PORK TROTTER IN BLACK VINEGAR
猪脚醋
CHINESE YAM AND WOLFBERRY CHICKEN SOUP
山药枸杞鸡汤
FIVE GRAIN RICE
五谷饭






Week 3 Day 3 Dinner
STIR FRIED FRENCH BEAN WITH MUSHROOM AND CHICKEN FILLET
香菇鸡柳四季豆
STEAM GINGER THREADFIN FILLET
姜蓉蒸午鱼
FOUR OBJECT DECOCTION PORK RIBS SOUP
四物排骨汤
BROWN RICE
糙米饭







Week 3 Day 4 Lunch
TIAN WEI SIGNATURE COQ AU VIN
天味招牌法式红酒炖鸡
PAPAYA WHITE FUNGUS DESSERT
炖木瓜雪耳
TOASTED OATS MILLET MIXED RICE
燕麦小米饭




Each meal came with 1 litre of red dates tea which came in 2 cups as shown. I get unbelievably thirsty while breastfeeding that after my confinement period, I resorted to drinking 100 Plus and coconut water straight from the fridge as plain water could not quench my thirst. These red dates tea could quench my thirst such that all the drinks in my fridge were untouched. I don't know the logic of how red dates tea could quench thirst but it really did!




My parents and sometimes my 2nd sis would come over my house every few days. Here is an example of how the portions are so huge that my parents were able to make use of that day's meals to whip up a dinner for 3 to 4 pax. My mum would even rehash the leftover nutritious ingredients from my finished soup to make a new batch of wonderfully tasting soup!




All in all, I had a really pleasant experience with Tian Wei Signature. Should I have another child and should my confinement lady not be available, I would definitely engage Tian Wei's service.

For more information, you can visit:
Tian Wei Signature Home page
Tian Wei Signature Facebook
Tian Wei Signature Instagram

Post Natal Massage Singapore Review

I have just ended my last postnatal massage session from Postnatal Massage Singapore with my therapist, Eva and here I am writing this blog post in between pockets of free time while juggling looking after Baby Ashleigh and doing the household chores.

My therapist Eva is from Indonesia and I love her traditional massage technique. She could always pinpoint my problem areas and knead into all the painful (but super shiok) points and paths. She also shares advice on postnatal care and general health. I always look forward to massage sessions with her.

I really love massages in general and I learn from my gal pals and fellow mummies just how important it is to do post natal massage after giving birth.

After the massive changes that the body goes through during pregnancy, it needs proper treatment to go back to its original state as much as possible. Postnatal massage is not just about slimming the tummy and getting the body back in shape, it also helps in the issue of engorgement, misalignment of pelvis and swelling in certain body parts after childbirth. (See the summary table a few scrolls down.)



Prevalent in Singapore is the Malay Jamu and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) style.

A few days after I delivered, I did TCM post natal therapy which does not include Jamu binding. While it did have benefits, my tummy still had lots of capacity to be slimmed and firmed. And to be honest, I simply love more massage sessions just to knead away my aches, pains and strains.



After delivery, I still look 5 months pregnant (as attested by my family, friends who saw me and even 2 sales assistants). After hearing so many people swear by the slimming and firming effects of Jamu binding, I was excited to try the traditional Malay style and went with Postnatal Massage Singapore after reading good reviews. I have never regretted my decision!


Firstly, here are the benefits of postnatal massage therapy:



~*~

Other than all the usual benefits stated above, I want to highlight 3 unique improvements I have experienced:

1. Speed Up Recovery Process of My Postpartum Hives

During pregnancy, I suffered from Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP). It should have gone off after delivery but instead, they developed into severe hives 2 weeks later.

I was initially worried that the lemon grass oil would aggravate the hives. However the massage sessions seem to have helped the recovery process!

Rubbing the skin eases the unbearable itch on the skin surface and probably due to blood circulation from Eva’s deep kneading, bruises formed around some patches of hives. Those bruised patches itched lesser, dried up and cleared up faster! I never would have thought that massage could cure unbearable itchy hives when no medication could!





2. Lessened My Tailbone and Pubic Bone/ Muscle Pain

There’s a technique whereby Eva would push the perineal area upwards. I never knew there is such a step in postnatal massage and she mentioned that she learnt it back in Indonesia.

My tailbone and pubic bone/muscle pain which plagued me during 3rd trimester and continued on weeks after delivery lessened many folds just after the first massage session! I believe it is due to this particular step. Before that, I couldn’t even lift my legs at a height to wear my bottoms without pain and had to sit down to wear with minimal pain. Now I could climb up chairs to reach for the top cabinets!


3. Good Technique in Relieving Breast Engorgement

I am an oversupply mummy and even up till now, I still suffer from engorgement and mild mastitis which includes the usual feverish feeling, chills, sharp pulsing pain in my boobs etc. Eva always manages to massage the rock hard lumps away.

There was once my engorgement was so bad on the left that the hard lump could not be gotten rid of with frequent pumping, hand expressing and few sessions of Baby Ashleigh's direct latching.

That session, I told Eva that I knew it was really very different from all the other days. She spent more time on my left upper back where the "wing" portion is. She started kneading in a fan-like pathway there. I could feel how the "paths" were very bumpy with a very shiok muscle pain feeling that I thoroughly enjoyed. She kneaded till the bumpiness was gone from each pathway and it felt really good.

She did the same to my right though I did not feel any bumpiness. I reckoned that it was because my right side wasn't blocked. Eva explained that everything is all connected and by working on the back first, it would be a lot easier to unblock the clog when it comes to the front. I would not have to endure so much pain on my left boob with hard pressing and kneading then. I was really amazed by this newfound knowledge. True enough by the time, she reached my left boob, it was a huge relief and release of milk!

~*~


We get to keep the binder provided by the company. It is in a shade of red that is so pretty that it makes traditional Jamu binding really hip and fashionable. Being a bimbo, the red binder was one of the reasons why I chose Post Natal Massage Singapore. LoL!




Before

Look at how saggy my tummy was before at the start of the package. I was a low-carrying mummy so my tummy really SAGS a lot! From the way it sags at the bottom, I also suspect that I have split abs (diastasis recti) horizontally but I can't confirm this. You can't really see from the front but I look 5 months pregnant from the side. I wasn't able to button or even zip up in my pre-pregnancy shorts.




I hope the video is showing. If not, head over to view them on my Instagram Stories.




After

This was taken at the end of the last session. My tummy isn't perfect or 100% like my pre-pregnancy days. There are still flabs and loose skin but I am now able to zip up and button the very same shorts! I swear this isn't a before and after shot by letting all out and then sucking in my tummy. I mean if I sucked in, I would have sucked in till flat right? LoL :P And yup, we have moved Ash Ash's cot into our room and this room has once again become our laundry room.

My tummy might have slimmed down over time on top of the massages but the jamu binding really helps a lot in firming my tummy! As I mentioned, I suffered from rash and hives so my itchy skin is sensitive to Jamu. For most of the binding, we used ginger cream or simply nothing whenever my itch flares up. I think the results would have been a lot better had my skin be able to take all the sessions of Jamu binding.





I hope the video is showing. If not, head over to view them on my Instagram Stories.

Now and Then Side by Side Comparison

I've put the before and after side by side so it is easier to compare. And yes, the brown spots and patches on my tummy are scars from my PUPPP. I did not have stretchmarks till those little buggers appeared on my tummy in a web-like fashion. Eva did prepare me that they might not be able to fade off. T_T

As mentioned, the after result isn't like what you see in slimming ads. Nevertheless, I know that if I did not proceed to do the traditional Malay Jamu massage, my tummy would be in an even worse state.

Say goodbye to this tummy for good! How I miss those days when I had visible abs (before eating for the day... hahaha) but I don't mind no abs as long as I have my precious Ash Ash.




Packages

Prenatal Massage Packages: 3 sessions - $270 5 sessions - $400

Post Natal Massage Packages: 7 sessions - $668 10 sessions - $888


How to book 

Step 1 : Visit Post Natal Massage Singapore website: www.pnsingapore.com, Click on “Book Now”.
Step 2 : Select your desire package plan, fill up your personal details.
Step 3 : Make payment via credit or debit card.


I'm gonna miss Eva and her massage sessions. She is so cute. She just cannot smile in photos and I had to ask her to look like how she usually look when she is talking happily and we had such a nice shot!




Thank you Post Natal Massage Singapore and Eva for accompanying me through my post partum journey and making it an enjoyable one!

For more information, you can visit Postnatal Massage Singapore's website! I hope that my sharing is beneficial to you. Hope you would be able to reap all the benefits of postnatal massage and regain your pre-pregnancy figure in no time!

Mother's Day Flower Bouquet from Floral Garage

Mothers... They carry us for 9 months close to their hearts, suffer immense pain giving birth to us and take care of us for as long as we are still their children.

I have learnt to appreciate my mum more especially during my Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) period. I am really thankful to my mum for coming all the way to my home to buy food or cook for me during the very difficult initial phase of my HG.

The journey from my family home to mine involves taking the MRT and bus. Despite hurting her back in an accident and should be on bed rest, she would come over to my house every day without fail to make sure I get food into my system.

As I had no appetite for anything, she would sometimes buy too much food in the hope that there would be something I would reach out for. I would often chide her for doing this even though it was a well meaning act from her. Never once did she flare up at me (which she usually would... haha) as her heart broke seeing me suffer. Together with my dad, my mum also helped me do the daily chores like washing the dishes, basic cleaning, feeding and clearing Miyo’s litter box, throwing away my many puke bags etc.

No matter how big and old I am, I would forever be her precious daughter.




This year's Mother's Day is different from other years as I have just become a new mum myself and I am able to put myself in the shoes of my mum.I experienced various challenges during my almost 40 weeks of pregnancy and my daughter would always be my most precious baby girl no matter how old she is. I'm sure that is exactly how my mum feels too!

Besides being filial to our mothers, a little act of love on Mother’s Day is a good way to show our appreciation to them.

Most mothers would adore a bouquet of flowers. My mum and I share the same love for flowers and I know that a bouquet of flowers would certainly light up her day.




Floral Garage Singapore has a variety of attractive and budget-friendly options to gift your mother. Besides the usual floral bouquets, there are quirky bouquets such as Delightful Vegetables and Edgy Veggie which are suitable for those mothers who are into healthy eating and who appreciate humour in their gift.

There are simply so many varieties of flower gifts on Floral Garage Singapore that I found myself scrolling through pages and pages of beautiful arrangements. If you don’t know which bouquet to decide on, you could choose the Freestyle Bouquet version. Talented florists will create a unique bouquet for you to suit the style you prefer, occasion, and recipient of the gift. Certainly a very personalised gift I would say!

I chose the Drusilla bouquet for my mum. I really love pastel, romantic, vintagey flower theme. The Drusilla bouquet arrived with a sweet combination of pink and cream coloured roses with sprinkles of dew on them, presented in a vintagey wrapper and ribbons, and bursting with fresh plant fragrance. I love how the greens in the bouquet remind me of a meadow field and they smell really refreshing. My mum usually likes everything I like and indeed she likes the Drusilla bouquet that I chose for her.

As usual my kitty cat Miyo who loves sniffing at flowers, stepped into the doorway of the room, lifted her head and sniffed the air with a cute little pink nose going up and down before jumping onto the table to have a closer sniff at the flowers. Haha... The picture obviously shows a chair but the bouquet was first on the table when she did that.




Floral Garage had an on-going early bird Mother’s Day promotion that ended on 3 May. However, specially for my readers, you can continue using the code JOMDFGSG for a 10% discount until Mother's Day (13 May).

Besides that, they have recently launched a subscription plan called Flowrendipity. This was created to make the experience of purchasing flowers a lot easier. You can plan ahead to get your flowers delivered, so that you won’t miss any special occasion! Plus, you would be able to save money by getting extra cash credits as well as getting free delivery for the first few orders.

Floral Garage is having a Mother’s Day promotion for Flowrendipity. You can get 10% reduction of the plans’ prices by using the code MDFlow10, valid until 13 May, Mother’s Day.




More importantly, let’s make our mothers happy. Do browse through their full range of Mother’s Day 2018 products at mothersday.floralgaragesg.com.

Also check them out at
Floral Garage IG: https://www.instagram.com/floralgaragesg/
Floral Garage FB: https://www.facebook.com/FloralGarageSG/

Special 10% Discount Code Just For You Readers: JOMDFGSG

Horrible Nightmare on the Last Leg of my Pregnancy Journey

I am exactly at Week 39 today and 7 more days to count down to my EDD on 26 April 18.

From about Week 36 onwards, many people around me predicted that I would deliver earlier at Week 37 due to the size of my bump and all the symptoms I was exhibiting.

Although I was given home hospitalization leave to rest at home since last week, I am only officially using it this week. I didn’t like being alone at home as it reminded me of my Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) days and made me sicker. I also preferred to be doing as much work as I possibly could before going on maternity leave, to be around people and feeling the warmth of my colleagues instead of mopping about at home. I am also blessed with colleagues who willingly volunteered to drive me to the hospital in case of any emergency.

I finished running the last “Baby A Errand” on Tuesday, that is to register her into our Number 1 shortlisted Infant Care Centre (IFC) and then I am all ready for her arrival. While I was getting lots of new signs and symptoms of her impending arrival since last Friday, all these suddenly stopped yesterday and I’m feeling a little bummed.

My mind tells me that I am able to make use of this time to settle lots of other things while waiting for her arrival whereas my body doesn’t allow me to.

I could sit down and open the tonnes of unopened letters and bills and file them all up.

I could read up on some insurance policies.

I could pack my existing clothes into drawers to make space for Baby A and the confinement lady.

I could pack all the stuff out from the baby cot and wipe it down instead of waiting for the hubby to do so.

I could update my blog with many posts and slowly post them on a timed schedule.

I could check in with some groups of friends which I have not been doing so religiously during my pregnancy.

However right now, I could only do things that do not require much brain juice and physical strength. In other words, I have become stupid and handicapped in my own ways.

My eczema rash from the stretch marks on my bump has gotten more serious. The rash are spreading to more areas, are unbearably itchy and painful and have become angry open wounds. Besides prescribing me with mild steroid cream that is pregnancy safe, my gynae also prescribed me Xyzal which is a much stronger oral anti-histamine than Piriton (which I have been using to knock me to sleep).

Xyzal is NOT supposed to be drowsy but somehow while on it the past 2 days, I feel drowsy and sickly that I only wake up in the late morning and still nap in the day. I am also nauseous and queasy quite a lot and I can’t really function well.

Then just now during my nap, I had the most horrible nightmare ever. I dreamt that Baby A was gone. When people asked me what happened to Baby A, I was at a loss for words.

In the dream, I knew that I had lost her but I couldn’t recall exactly what happened. There was haziness about having to choose between the well-being of my family and friends and whoever I cared for over having a smooth delivery and survival for Baby A. I believe I chose the former as I rationalized that these people were physical/tangible and hence more important whereas Baby A isn’t as physical yet and that I could make another baby next time.

It was difficult to finally have Baby A in our lives and I don’t know why I am so horrible to have rationalized it in that manner. I don't even know why I was made to choose. Was there some horrible being wanting me to make a choice? Was it all in my mind? I screamed and wailed in the dream so much that I had no voice left and I woke up tearing.

I also dreamt that to cope with her loss, I was going to use back Baby A’s English and Chinese name for the next baby in memory of her and got chided by people around me for not leaving a proper memory of Baby A. I explained that her legacy and memories would live on in my next child by using the same name but got more criticisms instead and said that I totally deserved it that Baby A was taken away from me.

My dreams are always vivid and I had 2 bad dreams during my HG phase which I recalled vividly. Ever since then, I did not encounter any pregnancy nightmare till today. I read up on the side effects of Xyzal and was horrified by what I read. Apparently it caused drowsiness in many people and some had nightmares too! I wonder if this is one of the side effects and perhaps I should try to bear with my itch instead of continuing to take it. Apart from the drowsiness and nightmare, some people experience more itch which is what is happening to me now. I'm not sure if it's the pregnancy hormones causing the spread of rash from bump to other parts of the body or if it is one of Xyzal's side effect. The itch is so bad that I feel like tearing my skin away!


~*~*~*~*~

Dear Baby A,

Please be a good girl and make Mummy as comfortable as possible before your arrival.

You are so heavy that the pain and pressure is almost too much to bear standing, sitting and lying down. I could hardly move about now.

At times, you would be pressing onto some nerves that would make Mummy's legs give way all of a sudden while standing or walking. There was once my legs gave way while squatting and I sat on the floor not being able to get up till Daddy helped me up.

The many lighting crotch experience from your little movements inside that feel like a T-Rex clawing at my cervix is getting annoyingly painful.

The eczema rash from the stretch marks are so itchy and they have become angry open wounds. Mummy had no choice but to use steroid and Xyzal.

The gastrointestinal pain and stomach upsets are getting way too frequent. They sometimes come along with queasiness and nausea which should have stopped by now.

The panting and shortness of breath is worsening every day; I feel like I can’t take in enough oxygen for you.

Mummy is at Week 39 today. It has been 9 months of having you growing inside me and this is the closest we would ever be. Although you’re causing me lots of discomfort so much that I want to evict you, I love having you inside me and the bond we share. I know that despite all the discomfort now, I would still wanna stuff you back into me as I know I would miss this feeling of having you so close to me.

You have caused quite a lot of problems to Mummy from the start:- The initial bleeding for days after the test kit showed positive, the difficult HG phase and then for the past few days, you had been giving Mummy all sorts of discomfort and signs of your arrival which suddenly stopped after Tuesday.

You have been so obedient to stay inside when Mummy kept telling you to do so for the past one week when we were not ready yet. Right now, Daddy and Mummy have finished running the last errand for you and are ready for your arrival. As much as I know that having you out means a whole new set of challenges to overcome, everything would be all worthwhile.

Daddy and Mummy love you!