We went to Singapore last November to have the other embryo implanted. It went well and two weeks after the procedure, our test result was positive - we were pregnant. I had mixed feelings about the entire situation though, as I wasn't too fond of my last pregnancy despite it being uneventful.

And because we're now back in Manila, I had to look for a local doctor who was familiar with IVF. Turns out, there aren't that many IVF doctors here compared to Singapore. The level of care was also quite different - basically, I prefer Dr. Kelly Loi's version of doing things.

The baby though stopped growing after five weeks, and while I felt sad that we might have lost our last chance to have another child, I also felt relieved. I am aware how lucky we were that we even had the opportunity to do this again, but it is what it is.

Back on Home Turf

The one thing I miss about Singapore is our apartment. Malls, museums, and parks can all be visited again, but not the one place we called home for four years. In the past, whenever we would go on vacation, we could not wait to get back. Now, that is no longer an option.

Hannah is also missing the only home she's ever known. Since we arrived, she would sometimes wake up in the middle of her sleep and have crying bouts where neither Earl nor I could console her. The more we talk to her or touch her, the more upset she becomes and she starts pointing towards the door.

While I'm sad that we've left, I feel worse about how our baby seems to be heartbroken. There is nothing to do though, but to wait it out and let her get used to her new surroundings.

On a more positive note, I will be spending my time window shopping for our house and updating this blog with posts from our last month in Singapore.

A Bend in the Road

Things are still up in the air, but after four wonderful years in Singapore, we might be going home.

On the one hand, I am very excited at the thought of finally being able to fix up our house. We are now thankful that we weren't able to sell it or have it rented out because it means we get to be the first to live there. Another appealing prospect is having friends and family nearby (hooray for babysitters!!!).

On the other hand, I really like Singapore as there are so many advantages to living here. It's safe, so very easy to get around (no traffic), and we get to save more. Not to mention that it's an ideal place to raise children.

So which would I prefer? I'd honestly be happy with either one.

Five Seconds of Fame

Earl is in a magazine! Okay, it's a group picture and his name is not exactly mentioned, but as the Regional Head for Learning & Development and Talent Management, he's played a part in at least three of the five highlighted achievements.

Powered by Formula

I feel like a failure. First, I wasn't able to give birth naturally - I was deathly afraid of being operated on and I felt that my child missed out on all the benefits of a vaginal birth.

Next, I resorted to formula milk on the third day. I had been trying to breastfeed, but noticed that her diapers were clean (no poop or pee) and she also looked desperately hungry despite my efforts. I don't know how something that's supposed to be natural can be so difficult.

Hannah is now three months old, but I haven't made much progress as she still cries even after an hour of breastfeeding. She sometimes gets satisfied, though for most the of the day, I am just the human pacifier. I've kind of given up - anyway, my husband was completely formula fed and he turned out alright (my mother-in-law found the process too painful).

I really envy those who have so much milk that they store the excess in the freezer for other people to use. The most I've ever pumped was four ounces and that was just a one time event - usually, I'm lucky to even get two ounces.

Take note that I am still taking malunggay supplements and we even hired a lactation consultant, Nona Andaya-Castillo. Nanay Nona was extremely helpful and informative (we would definitely recommend her to anyone who needs help with breastfeeding), but there's not much that can be done if mother nature isn't cooperating.

Oh, well.

Thoughts to Ponder

It seems my doctor favors cesarean sections. I had a routine ultrasound to check the state of the baby and I was advised that she's too large. At 36 weeks and 3 days, our little girl is in frank breech position, weighing an estimated 7 pounds and 11 ounces with fetal biometry at 38 weeks and 5 days. The ultrasonologist (who also happens to be my doctor's husband), told me that it's quite rare for the baby to turn at this late stage.

When Dr. Aina Sales Diaz looked at the results of the scan, she advised that I should have myself checked again after a week and if the baby has not flipped over to the vertex position by February 18, then I can have the cesarean section done two days later. She did not suggest other options.

I decided to do a bit of research and came up with the following:

1. Ultrasounds are usually inaccurate and are off by 1 or 2 pounds. Many women who were told that they will have 9 to 12 pound babies found that the actual weight at the time of birth was around 6 to 8 pounds.

2. Those who were also measuring a few weeks in advance (fetal biometry), were able to deliver normally as their baby turned at 39 weeks or right before their scheduled operations.

3. Most were advised to try for vaginal delivery first as an emergency cesarean section can easily be done if the baby is too big or still in breech at the time of actual labour.

Earl and I have agreed to wait it out for as long as possible before undergoing surgery, so now I'm trying to decide if I should still do the ultrasound or defer it to a later date?

Other things we need to consider:

We're almost done with shopping for the baby, but there are some items we can't seem to decide on. For example, where will the baby sleep? We plan to buy a crib in Singapore (the type that converts to a toddler bed), but for the few weeks we'll be in Manila, where will we place our newborn? I was thinking of the Graco Pack 'n Play® On The Go™ Playard. but it doesn't look too comfortable.

Another concern is should we buy a stroller? I can understand how it might not be needed here in Manila as there are a lot of people who can help with the baby - relatives, nanny, etc. But since we're based in Singapore where we don't have a car or household help, would a stroller be worth investing into? We'll need one that's suitable for a newborn and can easily be folded with just one hand. Also, which brand? We don't mind paying a bit more if it can last until our second child.

Maybe it's better to opt for a baby sling instead and buy the stroller when she's a little older? The problem is that I find them complicated and I'm not really sure how safe they are for newborns.

Are maternity binders necessary? I have yet to find a cheap one - though I've noticed that with anything baby-related, the price seems to skyrocket.

Decisions, decisions.

Coming Soon!

As of today, we have exactly five weeks left before the baby's estimated March 8 due date. But I'm hoping she'll be a little early and show up at least week 37 or 38. It's hard to sleep and move around - even walking has to be done very slowly and the slightest road incline feels like I've run a marathon. Oh, and my doctor has placed me on a diet (no dessert until after I give birth).

I've been pretty lucky though as my biggest complaint thus far has been the fact I can't have anything sweet. I'm currently in Manila and it's like I want to eat everything! There really is no place like home when it comes to food. I've also been able to drive around on my own except to areas that Earl has deemed far (my husband's version of "far" is any place that's at least 20 minutes away by car).

Another update is that we've settled on a local doctor, Dr. Aina Sales-Diaz, who was referred to us by my cousin (they were classmates in med school). One thing that did give me pause was that with the two doctors I consulted with, both automatically assumed I would be undergoing a cesarean section just because we went through IVF. It's a good thing I had checked with Dr. Kelly Loi before leaving Singapore and she said normal delivery is an option (provided the baby won't get too big - thus the diet).

Lastly, I'm almost done with shopping for both myself and the baby. Hopefully by this week, I will be able to start packing my hospital bag.

Life Happened

Arriving in 2015:

Maybe it's the nausea, but I barely have enough energy to turn on the computer these days and it doesn't help that I'm always sleepy. I've been pretty lucky though that I have yet to actually throw up.

Speaking of luck, the fact that we're even pregnant is a blessing. This baby was courtesy of a very long, painful, and expensive process called in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Though to be honest, I was initially resentful that we needed to go through all this trouble when so many people are dumping their offspring in garbage cans. I had to constantly remind myself to be thankful we're able to afford this procedure and that it resulted in a positive outcome on our first try.

Note: We've decided to skip the down syndrome test as we're having this baby no matter what happens.

Now that we're on our second trimester, I've started to become very excited! I'm already mentally planning the baptism and the first birthday party. I am aware that it's still too early to prepare for the baby, but first on the list will be to find a bigger apartment. Also, we plan to give birth in Manila as it will be way too costly to do it here in Singapore. It's a good thing Earl's boss has kindly allowed him to be based in the Philippines for three months so he doesn't have to shuttle back and forth too often.

Second on my list is to travel before the baby arrives. Of course, I have to be mindful of our budget and the baby (can't get too stressed), but so far we've arranged to go to Los Angeles this month and New Zealand in November. We used Earl's miles for both flights so the tickets were a bargain.

As for this blog, things will get a little quiet from time to time as currently, all I want to do is nap.

The Pros and Cons of Living in Singapore

PROS

1. Safe. Anyone can walk alone at midnight and not have to fear for their lives.

2. Clean. Hardly any trash and no graffiti (you could get caned AND jailed for what others would call public art).

3. Efficient public transportation. Cars are not a necessity in the Lion City.

4. There are no hurricanes, tornadoes or flooding. The monsoon season is something you only see on TV.

5. Airline hub. You can fly non-stop to over 120 cities from Singapore and with six budget carriers operating here (Jetstar, Scoot, Air Asia, Tiger Airways, Lion Air, and Cebu Pacific), the travel possibilities are nearly endless.


CONS

1. Shopping is a bit on the expensive side. Except for electronics, you can get the same item for less in other countries.

2. Watching a movie? Popcorn with extra butter does not exist here (*sniff sniff*). And while we're at it, pizzas that are overloaded with toppings and oozing with cheese are hard to come by.

3. No such thing as cool weather. Even the Philippines has areas where you will need a sweater from December to February. For example, Manila has had temperatures as low as 18°C (64°F) and Baguio even lower at 8°C (46°F).

4. Big hips, big feet, big problem. In a land where over 90% of the women are slim AND during a time when skinny jeans are in vogue, I have to go to other countries to find something that will fit me. Oh, and many shoe brands don't stock the larger half sizes as the average seems to be a size 5. My feet are 8 ½ (or 9).

5. Dessert is just mildly sweet. I have a huge sweet tooth and I find that most of the desserts here are low on the sugar content. In the mood for a rich and gooey chocolate cake? What you'll likely get is a cake that's a tad bittersweet without much icing.

Fortunately, there's not a lot to complain about around here. Despite its size, there are many things you can do in the Little Red Dot, which is why it's my favorite city in Asia.

What are the things you like (or are not so fond of) about the country you live in?

Singapore: Around Our Block

I'm taking a page out of Expat Living magazine for this post. They have have a section called Street Talk where people describe the area in which they live. Let's start, shall we?

THE SPECIFICS

What street do you live on? Petain Road.

What does it mean? It's named after World War I French hero, Henry Philippe Petain. But due to the questionable decisions he made as Prime Minister in World War II, the French community has been campaigning to change the name of the road.

What's the name of your neighbourhood? Little India.

How long have you lived here? Almost two years.

Why here? Out of the six apartments we looked at, this was the only one that had an oven aside from being an extremely short walk to the mall, MRT station, AND the bus stop. It's so nice to have a movie theater just a few steps away.

THE SCENE

When you walk out of your place, the first thing you see is: Somme Road Playground.

The closest store (of any type) to your front door is: A coffee shop.

When you’re in need of a dose of culture, you: Walk around the block or go to Tekka Market.

Petain Road Terrace Houses

Tekka Market

If you’re missing home, you: Call Mom!

A mandatory stop for out-of-town guests is: Chinatown which is just seven minutes away via the MRT.

You’d swap houses in a second with: Nah, we really like this place.

A common myth about your neighborhood is: That the entire area is chaotic. This is true of the nearby Serangoon Road, but our side is pretty quiet.

If you’re ever woken up at an ungodly hour, it’s almost always due to: The birds during mating season - they are so much louder and earlier than our alarm clock...

THE SUPERLATIVES

Your hands-down favourite neighbourhood joint is: City Square Mall

You won’t find better local food than at: Hmmm... There are quite a few places that have been written about extensively - Swee Choon Dim Sum, Kok Kee Wanton Mee, and Sungei Road Laksa. Sadly, I've only tried the wanton mee (and it was good) which is ironic considering they are all walking distance from the apartment. Then again, I think it's precisely because they are near that I have yet to get around to them. Am I making sense?

We love a good bargain. The best deals in your neighbourhood are: Mustafa - the 24 hour department store, supermarket, bakery, pharmacy, money changer, electronics - you name it, they have it.

The most convenient thing about your building is: Aside from the location, the shops on the ground floor. I like knowing that I can easily grab dessert downstairs (great for unexpected guests).

Room for Dessert & The Little Prince Cafe

One thing you’d never change is: The park in front of our building.

But one thing you wouldn’t mind seeing go is: The construction site two doors down.

Why should your neighbourhood be featured in a guidebook? It already is =) Also, there are tons of interesting cafés in the area and the Hindu festival Thaipusam starts here.

The Tiramisu Hero & Windowsill Pies

Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

What's your neighbourhood like?

About This Blog

This is going to sound like I've been living in a cave, but I recently joined Bloglovin (which in turn lead me to Expats Blog) and belatedly discovered so many interesting sites!

Many of the ones I'm currently following have situations similar to mine in that they live in a foreign country. I am aware this is not earth-shattering news, but I've found comfort in reading their posts and wish that I had known about them when we first moved to Singapore.

To be quite honest, I haven't really paid much attention to this blog. It functions as a repository for our monthly activities and that's about it. But thanks to my new reading lists, I now have a lot more ideas on what I can do with Motley Blend.

Well, better late than never, right?