Ointment for Babies and Toddlers

  

 There are days when we mummies need some soothing balm not just for us but our little ones. We all know it, there are down times that could do with some help.  For those long nights I have the below in my stash

1. Tropical Herbs Baby Oil from Amway

2. Badger Aromatic Rub from iHerb

3. Olbas Oil for Children

Normally when my bubs has the sniffles, I drop some eucalyptus or tea tree oil in a burner and let it fill up the air. Both oils has antibacterial properties and is able clear out stuffed nose, work well for adults too. On nights when these oils were used, the room smells fresh and nice.  I can imagine what a welcome relieve it can be for a congested nose, not to mention therapeutic.

My mummies friends have been raving about these cute little bottle of Olbas oil for children but on the downside, our local pharmacies does not stock up on this wonderful remedy. The nearest country where you can buy it from is Singapore Boots. I am not sure whether Bangkok sells them but mine came all the way from England. Just drop the oil on some soft tissue and bring it near your child to breathe in the vapour, you can drop it on  pillows too if you want a long lingering scent of eucalyptus. Olbas oil is safe for babies above the age of the age of 3 months and is used by mothers all around the world.

Another nice and soothing balm is Badger Aromatic Rub, it can be used in a vaporiser or just massaged into the chest for fast relieve.  Rub some on the sole of the feet and socks it up for a nice warm comfortable wrap.
One good method that I have learned is to drop a teaspoon of Badger Aromatic Rub in a bowl of hot steaming water, leave it in the bathroom and let the hot shower run. Let it be that way for few minutes before bringing in your bubs for a shower. This method warms the body, clears the nose and allows easy breathing. I bought my Badger at the faction of the normal price from IHerb. Local retailers are selling it for RM60 plus, from Iherb it is sold at 9 USD which is much cheaper at RM28.80 after the conversation rate of 3.2, that's nearly half the price!

I bough this from Amway, particularly for nights when the cries signal indigestion. A warm rub of this oil between your palms and on the tummy area brings smoothing relieve for the bubs, for tummy upsets probiotic pairs best with oils as it helps indigestion and gas internally . The scent is nice, aromatic with Tropical Herbs and tames a headache too, since it is from Amway I do feel a little bit secure compared to using the myriad of baby oils out there form "minyak telon" to Yu Yee Oil. 

When travelling never forget to pack these items into your bag, probiotics as well. One will never know how a child will react to a new environment and having these on standby will certainly spare you the agony of driving around. 

Cheers mama!

Skin care for expecting mothers

As a full time working mom, known as FTWM time has always been an issue. For those working mummies out there I am sure you know the predicament of us mummies on the go. There have been months were I have gone without a night cream , a scrub, let alone a face mask but I do try to squeeze in some repair sessions for my pitiful bashed up skin.  My skin type is both combination of normal and oily hence I have these little white heads under my skin especially the jaw area. During my pregnancy on the contrary I was blessed with  glowing skin which came to me as a surprise. 

Skin care selection is as important as your selection of a obgyn  I must say...at least for me. i have tried various brands from off the shelves to salon brands. Some of them were just a waste of money and some even made my skin worst. Most of all I hated all the sales talk to make me sign up facial courses in thousand of ringgits, so the quest for the ideal skincare continues.

The I talked to a friend who has been a Clarins user for a period of time and was using it for her wedding  preparation.  Her skin  did radiate and  she had a beautiful glow on her big.  Back to my skincare quest, so I headed to a Clarins outlet to see what is in store for me. To find the right skin care that is safe  for expecting mothers was one of the main reason why I was quite adamant to change my skincare range.  I was using a range of French products from BodyPerfect but did not find any good in it, as you can see I can't even remember the name.  One of the reason why I was unhappy with Body Perfect is because they did not have a proper support information for expecting mothers. All  explanations are based on what trainers tell their sales personnel. There is no literature to support their claims and no educational information on how mothers can upkeep their beauty regime without harming that little growing human in them.

I must say that I was happy with the service at Clarins and how they promoted good diet and health maintenance for mothers. They also have  a special facial programme for expecting mothers and even new mothers. There are also a number of literature on pregnancy and how Clarins products go hand in hand with this beautiful journey. My first few products that I bought from Clarins was their treatment oil. Many mothers have raved about Clarins Body Treatment Oil. I used it during my pregnancy and there is not a single stretch mark on my belly, but I must warn that stretch marks are hereditary and no amount of oil or lotion is going to help if you are bound to have them but prevention is certainly a better shot than just taking your fate hands down. Just to note that  Clarins toning oil best sellers for pregnant mothers all around the world. For me I just love the beautiful scent and texture that this oil provides me before before a warm shower. Best to massage it in 1 hour before you step into the shower.

I then moved on to other products like cleansers, scrubs, toner, masks and other treatment serum to help boost my skincare regime.  Discipline is ultimately crucial for you to see results. I am guilty of not keeping to that rule but I must say on the weeks and months where my spirits are high, I do see a huge difference in skin quality compared to the times where I just hit the pillows sans products. If my skin could protest it will be BERSIH 5! The only person that is really happy about no skin care on is my husband, he just labels everything as harmful chemical can't expect much from a person who washes his face with only plain water. 

Since being a Clarins user, I have been stocking up products especially on my birthday month so that I can earn double cash rebate points, Oh did I tell you about this wonderful system that gives you some money back for purchasing their products, well Clarins rewards their customers through a cash rebate system, for every ringgit  spent 10 point is earned I spent about RM1000  during my birthday month and earned RM300 in rebate cash point which I find very reasonable, any better you will have to resort to MLM products.

Since my skin is pretty oily with open pores, I find the Truly Matte Pore Minimising Serum to be really effective in regulating sebum level and leaving your skin looking matt and clean. I have at least 2 bottle of this in my drawers in fear of running out and not having the time to buy.  Throughout my pregnancy I have used Clarins, even my Obgy gave me a thumbs up, which is good because all expecting mothers should have a peace of mind and confidence in their choice of skin care during those delicate months, however I stopped using the pore minimising serum while I was pregnant because it contains salicylic acid, Clarins told me to listen to my Obgy and was not pushy at all in defending their products which I truly appreciate, other than that all products were used in great confidence. I also attended a workshop by Clarins for expecting mummies, Yes that's how concerned they are about mother's confidence in their products.

So for mummies out there, expecting or not and is on a quest for good skin care for you and your little one perhaps you can give Clarins a go.

Happy trying

Travelling with a Toddler

Road trips are fun minus the tiring bit, but travelling with a toddler brings on a new ball game. We have been making few road trips up and down our Malaysian highways with my little tot and with each trip I seem to be packing more and more. Since my little princess is now a toddler and has 3 square meals besides her finger food, I  find myself packing in carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, leafy vegetable, pasta and the list goes on and on besides the basic clothes and milk.


There is a whole box dedicated to her organic produce. It is certainly a feat packing for road trips with a toddler in mind. Below is my checklist for a 4 day 3 nights away from home

Food and Supplements
1. Bread
2. Probiotics
3. Yogurt
4. Cheese
5. Fruits
6. Box Organic vegetables
7. Baby pasta and rice
8. Cereal
9. Puffs and snacks from IHerb

I keep the probiotics and yogurt in my used to be breast milk insulated bag, stashed up with ice packs. This bag must be kept in the car where it can stay cool from the air condition. Yogurt is for breakfast and it saves me time from preparing another set of meal in the morning. 

Medication and First Aid ((just incase we need them)
1. Paracetamol
2. Terumo thermometer
3. Dentinox
4. Iliadin for nasal congestion
5. Smecta for runny stools

Feeding
1. Steriliser 
2. Feeding bottles and teats
3. Milk powder

Others
1. Cloth diapers
2. Disposable diapers
3. Clothes and PJs for 4 days
4. Soothers
5. Bumbo seat (for feeding)
6. Soap nuts
7. A small basket of toys and   books
8. Burts Bee shower Gel and Shampoo



In total there were 25 items on my checklist...pheww  all that into the car with our own luggage and stroller.  Packing it up in the first place is already a challenge.I know some mothers who have double of my list and that is certainly scary.

Travelling with a toddler needs a lot of planning and skills in manoeuvring tasks in a moving car. I get motion sickness when I have to look down and rummage through things when the car is on the go, however I survived this trip having served lunch, breakfast and dinner in the car to her royal highness. 

Tips for mothers who are travelling, do keep a goodie bag of food in the car so your child is entertained besides playing with toys. For this road trip, I prepared a bag of cut apples, baked some cheese muffins (recipe from my bread story board ) and packed in some finger food.  Have too, lots of tissue papers, small hankies and wet tissues near you as it can be get messy when eating is purely for fun. Don't forget plain water, long distance travelling can dehydrate young children easily so do keep the fluids up. For me, my little munchkin always ends up constipated from the excitement,  long hours of travelling and the just the sheer joy of refusing water.


Pit stops are needed so that your little fella gets to air their bum bum, stretch a little, touch some flowers at the R&R areas, wave at strangers, run about and perhaps have a snack or  a change of diaper under a nice shady tree. Mummy and Daddy too can get a run for the toilets. Isn't that just lovely? 

Entertainment is important and crucial for your sanity, so do pack in books and toys, I tried Violet this trip and it seems to work, as my little tot was occupied off and on with this travel companion of hers. Press its paws and Violent responds with a list of songs, nursery rhyme and catchy phrases but most of the time, mummy is the CLOWN. I wish I was the one behind the wheels. 


As you can see, I only had one bag cramped between my legs which carried my important items, even that is shared with some other things not belonging to me.  Motherhood certainly shakes, rocks, turns your world upside down and inside out, but good things never come easy. Raising a child is never easy, I keep telling myself that when things do go downhill at times, looking around I see so many courages mothers raising children and special angels  and I know their shoulders must be heavier. These mothers inspire me and I look to them for strength. I thank god everyday for the blessings he has given us and honestly every night my simple prayer is to thank him for bringing us all back safely  as a family amen!

Reaching your destination brings great relief that you have survived the drive without a melt-down. The next trip I swear, we need to install a bracket so the iPad can be fixed for some in-car entertainment.   To be honest, I was exhausted to the bone but there was still  the unpacking and preparing stock for next day's meals...oh the joys of motherhood.  


Breakfast the next day was splendid. Basking in the morning ray, my little girl had her yogurt and cereal.  I would say if my 15month  old could articulate her thoughts, she would be telling her friends at the nanny what an adventure she had over the week, the driving on long long roads, the yummy yums she had in the car, the extra attention from mummy, the exploring of these strange stop places where people zoom in and out,  not eating in her feeding chair, breaking all table mannerism, exploring a strange kitchen and house, plucking flowers and leaves....if only I could get in her mind and see how happy it is. 

Happy travelling mamas!