Motherhood Feb 2015 Preview

LOVE– A VALENTINE’S

SPECIAL

FEEL THE

The No. 1 Choice for Mothers!February 2015

www.motherhood.com.sg

D I G I T A L E D I T I O N

HANDLING SECONDARY INFERTILITY

TACKLING THE TERRIBLE TWOS

LEARNING A SECOND

LANGUAGE

HOW

2DEAL DON’T

LEAVE, MUMMY!

WHEN SEPARATION

ANXIETY HITS

PLAN ME A ROOMWHAT’S YOUR BEST COLOUR FOR THE YEAR

LOVE ISIN THE

AIRWHY DATE

NIGHTSMATTER

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

14 37

CONTENTS February 2015

the zone■ Fab Finds ■ Watch This Space ■ Step Out

■ Know ■ The Shelf ■ Tech Mums

bump + beyond13 Diary

14 Get Into Position When it comes to baby-making, are some positions better than others?

18 Try and Try AgainIt can come as a shock when getting pregnant this time around is proving to be a bit more difficult but secondary infertility is more common than you think.

22 Babies After 40With more and more women completing higher education, climbing the corporate ladder or even waiting till they have their finances in order, many are waiting until later in life to have a child. And while many go on to have successful pregnancies into their early forties, it no doubt comes with increased risks.

26 An SG50 Special

new mum's buyers guide27 Feelin’ PumpedFinding the perfect breast pump is crucial whether you are a stay-at-home mum or a working mum. Let MH help you in choosing the perfect breast pump to milk out the most of your dollar.

early years34 Colour My Cosy HavenPlanning a nursery? Or looking to give your child’s room a complete makeover? MH shares some ideas to create that special space your child will be proud to call his own.

37 Tackling the Terrible TwosTantrums, cries and yells are dreaded by every parent whose child is experiencing the terrible twos. Find out what is going on with your child during this stage and learn how to tame the terrible twos.

40 Separation AnxietyMH explores what separation anxiety is, its causes, and how it can be resolved.

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

14 37

CONTENTS February 2015

the zone■ Fab Finds ■ Watch This Space ■ Step Out

■ Know ■ The Shelf ■ Tech Mums

bump + beyond13 Diary

14 Get Into Position When it comes to baby-making, are some positions better than others?

18 Try and Try AgainIt can come as a shock when getting pregnant this time around is proving to be a bit more difficult but secondary infertility is more common than you think.

22 Babies After 40With more and more women completing higher education, climbing the corporate ladder or even waiting till they have their finances in order, many are waiting until later in life to have a child. And while many go on to have successful pregnancies into their early forties, it no doubt comes with increased risks.

26 An SG50 Special

new mum's buyers guide27 Feelin’ PumpedFinding the perfect breast pump is crucial whether you are a stay-at-home mum or a working mum. Let MH help you in choosing the perfect breast pump to milk out the most of your dollar.

early years34 Colour My Cosy HavenPlanning a nursery? Or looking to give your child’s room a complete makeover? MH shares some ideas to create that special space your child will be proud to call his own.

37 Tackling the Terrible TwosTantrums, cries and yells are dreaded by every parent whose child is experiencing the terrible twos. Find out what is going on with your child during this stage and learn how to tame the terrible twos.

40 Separation AnxietyMH explores what separation anxiety is, its causes, and how it can be resolved.

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

66 Pretty Me Up for the Season of Love and Celebration Pretty yourself up this Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year with these pampering treatments.

70 Valentine’s Day Dining Guide

72 We Love…Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

experts say25 40 Weeks

44 Health Matters

45 Mind your Manners

49 First Classroom

in every issue6 Ed Says

74 Babes & Bubs

76 Subscription

juniors52 We Try, You Try: Come, Let’s Play On!

54 Valentine’s Crafts: Just for Mums and DadsMums, get your little ones to make these oh-so-sweet Valentine’s Day crafts for Dad, or dads, if you’re reading this, why not get messy making one for Mum. Don’t forget about Granny and Gramps too!

56 Learning a Second LanguageIs it important that you raise your child to be bilingual? And if you decide to, when do you begin and how should you do it?

modern mums60 Mums@Work: Best-Dressed MumMother of two, Alicia Cho, 31, tells MH all about setting up her first business and how her family keeps her going.

62 Mum and Dad Date Night Keeping a relationship strong can sometimes be pretty difficult. Throw kids into the mix and it can get all the more challenging. But a regular "date night" is always important in keeping the chemistry alive.

56

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

46special feature

BUMP+BEYOND

When it comes to baby-making, do positions matter and are some better than others? MH finds out.

WORDS SHERRY YONG

Get Into Position

T rying to conceive and

wondering if positions during

sex actually matter? Chances

are, you might have heard of stories

where keeping your hips raised or legs

up in the air can enhance your efforts

at baby making. After all, gravity might

just help ease the challenging journey

that the sperm embarks on to the egg.

Survival of the FittestDarwinism states that humankind

is only where it is now after years of

evolution, where the weak is weeded

out and only the toughest survive. It is

then, perhaps unsurprising to note that

the fertilisation process bears a similar

resemblance, where only the fastest

and strongest sperm survives.

According to Dr Rajesh

Hemashree, consultant, Department of

Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Singapore

General Hospital, “A man normally

deposits around a 100 million sperm

into the vagina of a woman at the time

of ejaculation. Contractions of the

womb and the tube propel the sperm

up, but ultimately only 50 to 100 of

these sperm actually reach the broader

part of the tube called the ampulla,

where fertilisation normally occurs.”

And this is only the beginning.

As the sperm carries on its journey,

it undergoes a special reaction in the

womb that will accord it with greater

energy, maturity and mobility. However,

not all sperm are equal and only

some achieve this. Following this,

Dr Hemashree explains that the sperm

then has to penetrate through several

layers of the cells surrounding the egg

before they can reach it.

BUMP+BEYOND

14 • DIGITAL EDITION • FEBRUARY 2015

When a sperm has finally

succeeded in penetration, the egg

coat immediately hardens so that

no other sperm can penetrate it

further. Only then does the sperm

nucleus fuse with the nucleus of

the egg to create an embryo, which

eventually develops into a foetus and

is delivered as a baby. As she aptly

sums up: “Every child is a creation of

a victorious sperm.”

Going DeepWith the journey to the egg being

such an arduous affair, you might

wonder, are there specific positions

— in other words, shortcuts — that

you can engage in to give those

determined swimmers a headstart?

Well, the short answer is no.

“Positions have no influence on

the fertilisation of the eggs. Many

women think that remaining supine for

an interval after intercourse facilitates

sperm transport and prevents leakage

of semen from the vagina. However it

is the liquid component of the semen

that flows out and usually the motile

sperm swims forward into the female

genital tract,” says Dr Hermashree.

What this means is that if

you were planning to get into an

awkward position rivaling that of a

yoga pose to boost your chances of

conception, you might want to hold

that thought. Scientific evidence, or

the lack of it, says you don’t have to.

Rather than specific positions

per se, what matters more is the

level of depth achieved. Taking

it all the way could help sperm

migrate faster to the favourable

environement of the cervix. “The

vagina is quite acidic and we want

the sperm to be deposited quite

high up so that they can quickly

swim into the more favourable pH

of the womb,” she says.

This is because the vagina’s

acidic nature make it a generally

hostile place for sperm to exist in.

In Sperm Competition in Humans:

Classic and Contemporary

Readings, editors Todd Shackelford

and Nicholas Pound revealed that

the average pH level in the vagina

ranges from 5.8 to 3.5, but sperm

is immobilised at pH levels 6.5 and

below. Even at the neutral pH level of

7, the sperm’s ability to penetrate the

cervical mucus is minimal.

Instead, normal rates of

penetration occur at pH level 7.5,

and tend to improve considerably

at pH level 8.25 and beyond. This

is mostly made possible by the

presence of semen, which acts as a

buffer between sperm and the acidic

environment with its pH level of 7

to 7.8.

Bearing in mind that sperm

can only live for a maximum of

10 to 12 hours within the acidic

environment of the vagina, it is

therefore reasonable to surmise

that by reducing the exposure of

sperm to such acidity through full

penile penetration, sperm motility

will be maintained and chances of

conception will eventually be higher.

Hitting the Right SpotAt this point, you might be a little

overwhelmed by the amount of detail

that goes into successful baby-making.

But fret not, for the most important

part of the process is simply having

a good time.

Sperm is found in the female genital tract within a few minutes of ejaculation, regardless of the position adopted during intercourse.

Likewise, Dr Kelly Loi, obstetrician

and gynaecologist, and fertility and

IVF specialist at the Health & Fertility

Centre for Women, believes that

choice of position does not make a

significant difference, mainly because

healthy sperm should be motile and

be able to swim well through the

reproductive tract anyway.

“The most important thing

about sex is that it is not painful or

uncomfortable, that it is enjoyable, and

that it is done often – ideally two to

DIGITAL EDITION • FEBRUARY 2015 • 15

Rather than being overly conscious of whether you’re in the best position for baby making, Dr Hermashree recommends that you pick the position that brings you and your partner the most convenience and comfort.

BUMP+BEYOND

When it comes to baby-making, do positions matter and are some better than others? MH finds out.

WORDS SHERRY YONG

Get Into Position

T rying to conceive and

wondering if positions during

sex actually matter? Chances

are, you might have heard of stories

where keeping your hips raised or legs

up in the air can enhance your efforts

at baby making. After all, gravity might

just help ease the challenging journey

that the sperm embarks on to the egg.

Survival of the FittestDarwinism states that humankind

is only where it is now after years of

evolution, where the weak is weeded

out and only the toughest survive. It is

then, perhaps unsurprising to note that

the fertilisation process bears a similar

resemblance, where only the fastest

and strongest sperm survives.

According to Dr Rajesh

Hemashree, consultant, Department of

Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Singapore

General Hospital, “A man normally

deposits around a 100 million sperm

into the vagina of a woman at the time

of ejaculation. Contractions of the

womb and the tube propel the sperm

up, but ultimately only 50 to 100 of

these sperm actually reach the broader

part of the tube called the ampulla,

where fertilisation normally occurs.”

And this is only the beginning.

As the sperm carries on its journey,

it undergoes a special reaction in the

womb that will accord it with greater

energy, maturity and mobility. However,

not all sperm are equal and only

some achieve this. Following this,

Dr Hemashree explains that the sperm

then has to penetrate through several

layers of the cells surrounding the egg

before they can reach it.

BUMP+BEYOND

14 • DIGITAL EDITION • FEBRUARY 2015Click here to read more!

http://www.motherhood.com.sg/index.php/subs/digital-magazine

My Cosy HavenColour

EARLY YEARS


DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

Planning a nursery? Or looking to give your child’s room a complete makeover? MH shares some ideas to create that special space your child will be proud to call his own.

WORDS RACHEL KWEK

My Cosy HavenColour

EARLY YEARS


DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

Planning a nursery? Or looking to give your child’s room a complete makeover? MH shares some ideas to create that special space your child will be proud to call his own.

WORDS RACHEL KWEK

Besides spring cleaning the

house, have you always

wanted to give your child’s

bedroom a new look? Whether you

are going to embark on decorating the

nursery for your newborn or looking

to give your child’s current bedroom a

makeover, here are some ideas, with

a dash of Feng Shui philosophy, to get

you started.

The use of Feng Shui aims to

create the right balance of ‘yin’ and

‘yang’ energy in our spaces and to

balance our energy with that of our

spaces. This can be done in many

ways such as arranging furniture in

particular ways or using colours to

moderate energy and mood. For

bedroom walls, it is recommended that

soothing colours that are neither too

light nor too dark are used. Pastels

such as lilac, sky blue and cream

are excellent choices whereas bright

primary colours, especially red, should

be avoided as they are considered too

stimulating. It is hard for anyone to rest

in a space where there is too much

energy. Steer clear of neons for the

same reason.

Feng Shui Master Jet Lee from

Way OnNet Group shares that the

2015 Year of the Goat is represented

by the elements Wood (Yi) and Earth

(Wei), translating to an overwhelming

presence of Wood. He says this

confrontation between the Wood

and Earth element can be softened

by introducing the Fire element –

expressed by the colours red and

orange. This makes them 2015’s

auspicious colours, which can be

incorporated into our lives by ways

such as wearing them or using them in

our home décor.

Besides painting the walls, ways

to add splashes of auspicious colours

to your child’s bedroom décor are

aplenty. Take note of the auspicious

colours of 2015 for your child (and

yourself) shown in the little sheep

RATDRAGONSNAKE

RATDRAGONSNAKE

figures scattered amidst the article and what we’ve put together to incorporate

these colours into his bedroom! Have fun picking out new bedroom colours to create

a space your little one will be proud to call his own.

White White is the colour of all colours of the visible spectrum

combined. Synonymous with purity, innocence and

cleanliness, this colour is often used to make spaces

look bright, clean and spacious. Although not considered

a stimulating colour, white is said to encourage imagination

and creativity. White is also the colour of reflection and independence.

Being in a space with lots of white can encourage the purifying of one’s thoughts

and emotions and invigorate his spirits. If your child is prone to emotional upsets,

consider painting walls in shades of white, which promotes the feeling of security

and peace. It also brings about a sense of order and efficiency, so having white

furniture may just give your child the little push to keep his personal space organised.

The colour to use if you’re looking to declutter your space, it’s also easy-to-work-

with and goes well with any other colour you may want to have in the décor.

GoldGold evokes images of opulence, success and affluence;

think gold medals, gold cards and lavish interiors. A colour

that represents compassion, abundance and prosperity,

gold has long been associated with royalty. This optimistic

and warm colour can be used to introduce masculine

(“yang”) energy into your child’s bedroom. It is also said to be the colour of wisdom

& enlightenment. Gold can be used to create earthy or lavish looks with its range of

brilliant and muted shades. It goes particularly well with earthy shades of orange,

yellow, green and brown.

If you are keen to go bold with gold, choose a muted gold colour for the walls.

For a subtler approach, go for accents in brilliant shades of gold to illuminate the

bedroom. Muted shades of gold complement earthy oranges, greens and browns

for a cosy, rustic look. Whatever your choice, we say glow with gold!

Yellow Yellow is the colour of happiness. It embodies hope, optimism and liveliness. Also

associated with the intellect, yellow is thought to enhance mental processing

and stimulate creativity. However, the high-energy nature of this primary colour

can induce anxiety if used excessively. Painting walls in lighter shades of yellow

instantly gives the bedroom an uplifting vibe without creating an overly stimulating

environment for rest. Yellow goes well with shades of

brown, white and green. Yellow is the most visible

colour in the colour spectrum, which is why it is often

used in cautionary signs. You can make use of brighter

shades of this attention grabber to highlight focal points

in the bedroom interior.

BrownThe colour of earth, brown, denotes stability and structure. While many consider

this to be an uninteresting colour, brown is actually a versatile neutral that goes well

DIGITAL EDITION • FEBRUARY 2015 • 35

RATMONKEYROOSTER

Click here to read more!


JUNIORS

Mums, get your little ones to make these oh-so-sweet Valentine’s Day crafts for Dad, or dads, if you’re reading this, why not get messy making one for Mum. Don’t forget about Granny and Gramps too!

Just forMum and Dad

T his Valentine’s Day let your kiddies get crafty and show those close to them just

how important they are. Get inspired by these ideas (just as we did) or give it

your special touch, it’s all up to you! Here are two of our favourite crafts that

we came across, which are simple enough for the little one but mums; Junior might

need your help along the way.

Message in a Bottle

What you’ll need:Glass bottles

Drawing equipment

Paper in different colours

Heart Shaped Hole Puncher

Craft glue

Ribbons

String

Getting started:1. With the coloured paper, punch a whole bunch of hearts.

2. Get junior to draw or paint a picture for their Valentine, just like Javan and Jalen

Tan did for their Mummy and Daddy, or write a secret message. Tie it up with a

ribbon and place it into the bottle.

3. Pour in the hearts.

4. Decorate the bottle as you please. That’s it!


DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE



Understated GlamourWear it in two ways: simple and

elegant with a single heart, or attached to three other hearts

to form a lucky four-leaf clover.Carol Pendant $255 Swarovski

Express your love for that special someone in your life with these sexy pieces.

Exclusively YoursFeaturing a majestic rose meticulously sculpted into the white mother-of-pearl dial, this limited edition timepiece comes in a collection of only 14 pieces. How can it not melt your heart?Saint Valentin’s Day 2015 piece $69,890 Blancpain


MODERNMUMS

Paint the Town Red and GoldSteal the limelight with this striking timepiece that is bold and elegant. Henry Skeleton $350 Marc by Marc Jacobs

Love BirdsThis unique bangle has cute and classy all rolled into one.

Lovebirds $2,288 Goldheart

Whispers of Sweet NothingsConvey your infinite love with these earrings- featuring diamonds set in the elegant symbol of infinity - from the Perfect Love diamond collection.Eternal Love Earrings From $348 Citigems


JUNIORS

Mums, get your little ones to make these oh-so-sweet Valentine’s Day crafts for Dad, or dads, if you’re reading this, why not get messy making one for Mum. Don’t forget about Granny and Gramps too!

Just forMum and Dad

T his Valentine’s Day let your kiddies get crafty and show those close to them just

how important they are. Get inspired by these ideas (just as we did) or give it

your special touch, it’s all up to you! Here are two of our favourite crafts that

we came across, which are simple enough for the little one but mums; Junior might

need your help along the way.

Message in a Bottle

What you’ll need:Glass bottles

Drawing equipment

Paper in different colours

Heart Shaped Hole Puncher

Craft glue

Ribbons

String

Getting started:1. With the coloured paper, punch a whole bunch of hearts.

2. Get junior to draw or paint a picture for their Valentine, just like Javan and Jalen

Tan did for their Mummy and Daddy, or write a secret message. Tie it up with a

ribbon and place it into the bottle.

3. Pour in the hearts.

4. Decorate the bottle as you please. That’s it!


DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE


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LOVE– A VALENTINE’S

SPECIAL

FEEL THE

The No. 1 Choice for Mothers!February 2015

www.motherhood.com.sg

D I G I T A L E D I T I O N

HANDLING SECONDARY INFERTILITY

TACKLING THE TERRIBLE TWOS

LEARNING A SECOND

LANGUAGE

HOW

2DEAL DON’T

LEAVE, MUMMY!

WHEN SEPARATION

ANXIETY HITS

PLAN ME A ROOMWHAT’S YOUR BEST COLOUR FOR THE YEAR

LOVE ISIN THE

AIRWHY DATE

NIGHTSMATTER

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

READ OUR EXCLUSIVE STORIES WRITTEN JUST FOR YOU!

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Motherhood Feb 2015 Preview