MUMMYPOH

So why do I emphasised on minimalism when it comes to packing your hospital delivery bag? Reason is simple. Because this will reduce your effort of unpacking everything again after checking out from the hospital! After the trip home from the hospital, your top priority is going to be this little newborn that you've just brought into this world. So you wouldn't want to fuss over unpacking your luggage and simply just focus on bonding with your little precious.

A disclaimer before I share my checklist! My delivery hospital is at Thomson Medical Centre. I actually checked with them the items that are included in the TMC congratulation gift to avoid overpacking items which will be given by the hospital. So these are the items which I needed for my hospital bags and included in TMC congratulation gift 2016:

1) 4-Wheeled Cabin Hard Case Luggage Bag (20 inch/ 50cm) - great for storing all the goodies and gifts!
2) Kimono Robe - thick,comfy and BF-friendly!
3) Anti-slip Cosy Slippers - keep your bare feet warm and comfy during the hospital stay as you move about. This is really fluffy and comfy too!
4) Breast Pads - for milk leaky boobs!
5) Waterproof Wet Bag - for dirty laundry
6) Antibacterial Overnight Sanitary Pads (360mm)
7) Newborn Diapers - travel pack size

And these are items that are included in the gift too but are useless to me during the stay
1) Skin Care Set - prefer my own
2) A set of Cleansing Mousse, Feminine Mist and Probiotic Wipes - no use for my stitched up VJJ after delivery
3) Document Holder + $300 Huaxia Taimaobi Voucher for Thomson Babies
4) Mom’s Body Wipes - don't like the sticky feeling on the skin after using it
5) Young Parents Magazine

Besides the gift, TMC also provide a going-home outfit, swaddle blanket and hat for the newborn upon discharge. So unless you prefer to dress up your newborn in your customized going-home outfit, there's no need to prepare this too.

I prepared 2 bags - Delivery & Postpartum Bag. Thanks to the tips from Youtube! My delivery bag includes the items I need during delivery whereas the postpartum bag includes all the items my hubs and I need for our overnight stays in the hospital.

Delivery Bag

1) Documents
- Doctor’s Admission Letter  (given by your gynae when you enter 3rd trimester pregnancy)
- NRIC or Passport (for non-Singaporeans) & Spouse’s NRIC or Passport (for non-Singaporeans)
- Original copies of receipts from your ante-natal visits to your doctors for Medisave claims under the Medisave Maternity Package
- Original copy of marriage certificate if you are doing the birth registration of your baby during your stay
- Letter of guarantee from your employer/insurance company if part or all of your medical expenses are to be borne by them (Applicable to companies that have credit arrangements with the hospital)
- Birth Plan (States the preferences of your childbirth)
2) Socks - to avoid cold feet during delivery
3) Hair tie - to avoid looking like Sadako during childbirth
4) Jacket - delivery room air con can be chilling
5) Camera - to take better quality photos compared to a mobile phone
6) Handphone & Wallet (duh haha)

Postpartum Bag

For Mummy & Daddy
1) Overnight sanitary pads
2) Nursing Bra - 3 sets
3) Disposable Underwear - around 10 pieces as changes will be required often due to heavy bleeding after delivery
4) Breast Pump - to start building up your supply early yo!
5) My Breast Friend - for better nursing position
6) Toiletries - shampoo, shower gel, etc in case you don't like the one provided by the hospital
7) Skincare - serum, toner, moisturzer, etc
8) Light Make up - so you can still look decent when visitors come
9) Lip balm - hospital air can be drying and cause chapped lips
10) Toothbrush & Toothpaste
11) Hairbrush
12) 1 set of going home outfit for Mummy
12) 3 set of clothes & underwear for Daddy
13) Hp Charger
14) Entertainment - books, laptop, etc for Daddy

For Newborn
1) Carseat
2) Gift - our first gift to lilmisspoh
3) Baby Book - to record baby's information

As you can see from my list, I did not bring any outfit for the hospital stay as I will be dressed in the hospital gown all the time and it's BF-friendly! Hooray to less laundry!

1) Baby Sleep Sounds

2) Feed Baby - Baby Tracker

3) Meetup 

4) BigOven

5) Cozi - Family Organizer

Page 1 of my Hospital Bill

Personally I chose OCBC Mighty Savers as my baby's CDA is already under OCBC. So that will give me a minimum of 0.45% interest p.a. However, below is my take without consideration of CDA!

For initial deposit below $1000
OCBC Might savers or Maybank Youngstarz will be two considerable choices due to the high interest they offer with deposit lesser than $1000.

For initial deposit between $1000 to $2000
I will definitely choose CIMB Junior Savings because of it's highest interest rate(0.8%) for deposit amount above $1000.

For initial deposit above $2000
I will definitely choose Maybank Youngstarz because of it's free Personal Accident Insurance coverage, including HFMD! Currently, a PA insurance for a kid can range from $200 to $300 p.a based on the coverage amount.  Thus, that contributes to our "savings" as well!

I'm on my week 39 now! Currently busy preparing for my postpartum and confinement preparation. Like all first time Kiasu Singaporean mummies, ever since I found out about lilmisspoh, I've been acting like a sponge trying to absorb all the information regarding childbirth, childcare, postpartum recovery, etc. But why do I still feel like Dory swimming in the sea of the unknown. There are simply too many information out there until I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed now. #firstworldproblem

For my post on newborn preparation, please click here!

So below are the lists of items I've "armed" myself before baby Charlotte pops out in 2 weeks' time! I've categorised them into 2 lists ; Postpartum Recovery Preparation & Confinement Preparation. Disclaimer: The items below are kind of Western-Chinese fusion. Some of the traditional rules I've forgone as comfort and hygiene are my top priorities during confinement period, especially when you just went through an extraordinary life and death experience (YES, delivery is indeed life-and-death ok).

Postpartum Recovery Preparation
1) DIY Padsicles
Cost: Free! Provided you already have the ready ingredients listed below.

Ingredients required:

• Aloe Vera
• Witch Hazel
• Lavender Essential Oil

As I'm opting for natural delivery, my "meimei" is going to be sore for quite awhile. These padsicles are meant to relieve the soreness and provide some comforts to my wounds if I have stitches after natural delivery. Got this awesome idea from Youtube mummy gurus haha. How creative isn't it?! I prepared 10 padsicles and pop these lovelies in my freezer about 1 week before EDD.

As currently I'm still staying with my hubby's family before our BTO arrival, it can be pretty awkward to put pads in the fridge. So to avoid any unnecessary awkwardness, suggest you wrap and label them properly. I wouldn't want my papa or mama-in-law opening it up and receive a weird surprise!

2) Earth Mama Angel Baby, New Mama Bottom Spray
Cost: Bought mine from iHerb for SGD$16.48. Can also be easily found in various e-commerce platform (pupsikstudio, qoo10) and mortar shops (Tom & Stephanie, Kiddy Palace, Mothercare).

This is meant to be sprayed on our sore "meimei" after toilet business for quick relief. What I like about this is that even if there are still leftovers after your postpartum recovery, you can still use it as a facial toner! This means no wastages!=)

3) Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cold Pressed)
Cost: SGD$25 from Qoo10.

As I plan to breastfeed, I want the nipple cream I applied on my nehneh to stay as organic as possible. Moreover, there are so many other uses for coconut oil! Can use for baby's cradle cap, diaper cream, lip balm, cooking, hair treatment etc.

4) Donut
Cost: SGD$14 from Thomson Medical Centre pharmacy
Not to satisfy my taste bud but again, this is for my sore "meimei" after natural delivery. I simply can't imagine sitting on any hard surfaces after natural delivery so an inflatable donut is going to be a great life saver!


5) Big Overnight Pads
Be prepared to bleed for around 1 month girl.

6) Disposable Cotton Underwear
Trust me, you will be glad to have one less chore to do during postpartum period. I bought 30 days worth of cotton disposable underwear from Taobao for around SGD$12plus I think. Cheap and comfy. *Thumbs up*

7) Breast Pads
For leaking boobies. Just make sure you got at least a dozen in handy. Didn't thought of preparing them initially but my mummy friend said it's a must if you don't want to wake up soaking in your own milk and staining your PJs and bed with milk. 0_0


Confinement Preparation
Based on Chinese's context, the number 1 most important thing in confinement is to avoid getting any "wind" into our body system so we will not suffer from the excruciating body aches when we get old. Reason why postpartum women get "wind" easily into our body is due to our "open pores" after delivery. I know this sounds like some Chinese old wives' tale but as the old saying goes, "better be safe than sorry" haha. Shall experience it myself first and give an honest update here on how I feel physically after delivery!

1) Long Sleeve Tops / Pants (Nursing Friendly) - Around 3 to 4 sets
I'm going to be an obedient girl and has prepared to cover myself up entirely during the 1 month confinement. I got my confinement PJs from Taobao for less than SGD$20 per set. 100% cotton and they are really soft and comfortable!

2) Home Footwear
- Shower Slippers - Less than SGD$5 from Taobao
- Lounge Shoes - FOC from TMC. Super soft and comfy!
- Socks - Bought from Taiwan. I will be wearing socks every night during confinement period.

3) Lemongrass Showergel (Made in Taiwan)
I've planned to have early morning shower every 2 to 3 days during confinement as I don't think I can skip showering entirely for 1 month! Somemore our aircon will only be installed on the 3rd week of my confinement. #FML I've been using this showergel since I enter 3rd trimester pregnancy. The shower gel has a very strong lemongrass smell. Hubz always comment I smell like a walking insect repellant after stepping out of the shower, which is kind of a good thing I guess due to the recent Zika Outbreak in Singapore? I like how the gel gives me this hot sensation on my skin, especially around my neck and joints!

I also used it to wash my hair too. However, it does dry up my hair though so I always spam conditioner and apply leave-in hair serum. Other good things I also like about the gel is it foams up really well, hassle-free and affordable! Got a 700ML bottle from mamaonline store for a SGD$16.80. They carry 2000ML big bottle as well!

4) Pure Ginger Cream (Body Cream)
I super heart this ginger cream! It works amazingly well for my aching back and leg muscles during pregnancy as I'm working all the way til delivery to maximize my ML. >.< #superpreggie

As ginger is known to "expel cold" in Chinese medicine, I will be using this cream to apply on my joints area to remove the excess "wind" in my body during postpartum period. Got it from mamaonline store as well for SGD$11.80.


5) Food related stuff for Confinement
- Ingredients to make daily confinement drink

• Red Dates (红枣)
• Dried Longan (桂圆)
• Dried Pilose Asiabell Roots (Dang Shen 黨參)
• Black Dates (黑枣)

- So Hup Pills (苏合丸) - Bought it from Eu Yan Seng. Bought one box (6 sachets) for daily usage straight after delivery to get rid of "wind".


- Bak Foong Pills (白凤丸) - Bought it from EYS too. To be consumed only after lochia and normal bleeding stops. This helps to recuperate and regulate menses after delivery.


- Benedictine D.O.M. Liqueur - 2 bottles. Both my mom and MIL said they will drink 1 spoonful of it every night in the past after delivery omg. I doubt I can finish even 1 bottle as I HATE ALCOHOL. Somemore I will be BF-ing.

- Wolfberries (枸杞)

- Red Rice Wine - Homemade by my aunt.

- Chinese Angelica (Dang Gui 當歸), 杜仲, 四物, 八珍, 十全. Chinese herbs for confinement nourishing soups. Can be easily bought from any Chinese Herbal Shops

- Ginger

- Mee Sua

- Milo/Plain Crackers

- Black Vinegar - to cook the mandatory confinement food; Pig trotters with sweet vinegar and ginger(猪脚醋). The brand I used is the famous bull dog sweet vinegar.


- Sesame Oil - for cooking. The brand I used is Chee Seng 100% Pure White Sesame Oil.

6) Lotsa Facial Masks / Eye Masks / Entertainments - books, drama series, etc 
I kind of treat the postpartum period like the best time to pamper yourself with DIY beauty treatments and use up all that facial masks in my fridge (cos I'm just too lazy to apply them during normal days lol). Since I know I will be losing sleeps after lilmisspoh pops out, I think my face will look like crap then. Hopefully these masks can minimise the damages on my skin haha.

And that's all my MIL had prepared for me together with my aunt, who will be my CL. I really feel extremely blessed to have loved ones who are available to help out Alvis and I for the arrival of lilmisspoh. >.< Can't wait to see her in 1 week's time!

Meanwhile, happy sharing mummies!~