Pregnancy Singapore | Articles | Conception to Birth

Jul 11, 2020
2 min

Breastfeeding is best for mother and baby

Over the years, many breastfeeding facts and myths have intrigued our minds. Most women did it willingly, some chose not to while some, unfortunately, could not due to medical reasons. If you are a soon-to-be or a new mother, congratulations to motherhood and breastfeeding! Here we bring you 5 benefits of breastfeeding for your consideration. #1 It’s a shield for your baby Your breast milk is as important for your baby as the shield is for Captain America. The health benefits

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Dr Liew Hui Min

Apr 22, 2020
2 min

Skin allergies in children

3 must-know common skin allergies in children Not sure what triggers your child’s skin condition? You may be looking for food triggers but get disappointed that your child still experiences rash after avoiding the "culprit" food. Read on to understand these common skin allergies. #1 Eczema Eczema is a recurrent itchy skin condition, predominantly on the face and skin folds. Skin barrier is broken, hence external factors like heat, sweat, saliva, dust, fragrant soaps or skin i

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5 Optional vaccines to consider for your child

Dr Wendy Sinnathamby

Mar 20, 2020
2 min

5 Optional vaccines to consider for your child

Wondering if you should vaccinate your child with Rotavirus or Chickenpox vaccine? Read on. Optional vaccinations for your child #1 Rotavirus Vaccine This is an oral vaccine that is given by 6 months of age. Rotavirus is a common viral infection of the gut, causing fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Many kids are also hospitalized from severe dehydration. #2 Chickenpox (CP) Vaccine CP vaccine can be injected after 1 year of age. 2 doses are advised for best protection. Do take not

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INFOGRAPHIC: Coronavirus can infect pregnant mothers

Ms Germac Shen Qiaoyue

Jan 11, 2020
2 min

6 must-know facts for febrile fits

Febrile fits can be scary and distressing, especially when it happens to your baby. You feel very helpless and frightened. Knowing what to expect when a fit happens, it alleviates your fear and anxiety. #1 Febrile fits are common Fits usually occur in a young child from 6 months to 6 years old, although they are most common in the toddler’s group of 12 - 18 months. A strong family history of fits also increases the chance. #2 Fever pattern is high The child usually develops a

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My newborn baby looks yellow, should I be worried?

Dr Irene Teo

Jul 29, 2019
2 min

My newborn baby looks yellow, should I be worried?

Understand physiological jaundice Fret not! Jaundice is common in newborns. 25-50% of them have jaundice during first 2-3 days of life, AKA physiological jaundice. This is harmless and resolves within 2 weeks. Why does jaundice occur in baby? Jaundice causes yellowing discoloration of a baby's skin and eyes, due elevated blood bilirubin level. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment from the breakdown of red blood cells. It is normally processed and removed by the liver. As newborn’s l

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5 Must-do things before your first antenatal visit

Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Apr 8, 2019
2 min

5 Must-do things before your first antenatal visit

Congratulations! You are now officially pregnant. The urine pregnancy test is positive very clearly and strongly. Read on for 5 must-do things before your visit. #1 Google for the "right" obstetrician Your handphone would probably be the first to know that you are pregnant. You will google the "most popular" obstetrician. But the most popular may not be best fit for you. Choose a doctor whom you will be most comfortable. Fix your long awaited first appointment! Remember to ch

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Dr Tan Yung Khan

Apr 1, 2019
1 min

Beware of kidney stones in pregnancy

Kidney stones are excruciating when you are pregnant. They are more difficult to be diagnosed and treated. During the third trimester, stones can cause preterm labour. What are kidney stones? Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits, which can occur in any part of the urinary tract, from kidneys to bladder. 4 reasons why kidney stones are more common in pregnancy #1 Excessive calcium intake: While pregnant women are encouraged to increase calcium intake, excessive calcium may

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 29, 2018
2 min

Debunking 5 myths on epidural

Epidural analgesia is said to have many side effects, how true are they? (Source: Pregnancy Singapore) Epidural analgesia (EA) is reliable and effective way to relieve labour pain. Pain relief is achieved by the injection of local anesthetic drugs through a small tube into the epidural space of the lower back. This is performed by an anaesthetist. Although epidural reduces labour pain substantially, some pain may still be felt, especially when pushing of the baby. Myths vs Tr

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 22, 2018
2 min

Episiotomy - the "cut" demystify

Once a routine part of childbirth, an episiotomy is now recommended only in selected deliveries. When you are at full dilatation (10 cm), you are ready to push and deliver your baby. You may wonder — will the doctor make the ‘cut’ at vagina? #1 What is an episiotomy? An episiotomy is also known as the ‘cut’. An episiotomy is a clean cut with scissors under local anaesthetic (so that it is painless!) by the doctor or midwife when the baby’s head is about to deliver known as

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 21, 2018
2 min

Cesarean section delivery

During labour, your doctor may decide for C-section right away. This can be a sudden decision if you or baby's health takes a turn for the worse and it’s too risky to continue labour. Remember that keeping you and baby safe is the priority! A Cesarean section, also called a C-section or LSCS (lower segment cesarean section), is an operation to deliver the baby through the tummy when it is not advisable to deliver the baby naturally. A C-section can be planned (elective) or em

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 19, 2018
3 min

Can I choose a boy or girl?

Is Natural Gender selection feasible? There is now a great deal of interest generated over this topic. Proponents of gender selection believe that it gives the couple a choice in choosing their child's gender. Opponents question the morality of such a practice. Gender selection is not allowed in Assisted Reproductive Techniques in many countries. Let's look at some natural techniques that have been suggested. However, it must be noted that these methods are not scientifically

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I want VBAC (Vaginal Birth after C- section)

Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 18, 2018
1 min

I want VBAC (Vaginal Birth after C- section)

Women who had a previous C-section may be still be suitable for VBAC. Consult your doctor. What is VBAC? VBAC is an acronym for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean section. #1 What is my chance of VBAC? The chance of a successful VBAC resulting in a natural delivery is 50-60%. This may be higher if you previously had natural deliveries. #2 Why should I consider VBAC? As natural delivery is still feasible in properly selected cases, you can avoid a repeat C-section and the surgical

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 17, 2018
1 min

The mystique of induction & labour

Is induction of labour natural? Do I need one? You have heard this term many times, but what does it mean? Induction of labour (IOL) is any medical intervention that stimulates the onset of labour contractions. We still hope for a natural delivery. Do I need an IOL? Yes, if you have hypertension, small baby or diabetes. This may necessitate an early delivery before due date. Only when there is no immediate danger to you or baby, IOL is safe. What are my risks of IOL? Hyper-s

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What to expect at Vacuum or Forceps Delivery

Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 16, 2018
3 min

What to expect at Vacuum or Forceps Delivery

Imagine you are in labour and you’ve been pushing for hours. The doctor brings up the idea of using forceps or a vacuum to deliver your baby. What should you expect? #1 What is an instrumental delivery? Instrumental delivery refers to Vacuum or Forceps assisted delivery of your baby. Instrumental delivery is an aid to facilitate natural birth. Your doctor will decide which instrument is more suitable for the delivery. #2 Forceps Delivery Your doctor will gently apply 2 forcep

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 16, 2018
1 min

Explaining vacuum & forceps delivery

Did you imagine horror music and picture metal instruments attached to your baby’s head? If so, take a deep breath. It’s not that scary. Ideally, during natural childbirth, your little one comes into the world with some pushing only. But sometimes babies don’t arrive according to plan and need some assistance before they are welcomed into your arms. When this is the case, your doctor may use either forceps or a vacuum to expedite the delivery. This is known as assisted or ins

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 15, 2018
2 min

I want a painless labour

Every woman experiences and tolerates pain differently. Sometimes, focussed breathing is all that's needed to get through labour, while others may need pain relief. They don't call it labour for nothing. Having a baby is hard work, and part of that work is getting through the delivery process. But don't worry. There are many ways to manage the pain, and you can choose more than one. Childbirth is absolutely not a test of endurance. There are many effective ways to manage labo

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Dr Tan Thiam Chye

Dec 9, 2018
2 min

Flu and whooping cough vaccine

Getting flu can be serious when you’re expecting as your immunity is at all-time low. Unfortunately, it’s harder for your immune system to fight off infections during pregnancy, which means you’re at risk of coming down with serious flu complication like pneumonia (chest infection) or encephalitis (brain infection). Flu is safe for baby but high fever isn't The influenza virus does not harm or cause birth defects of baby. However, high fever (> 39 degrees) is harmful during

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TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) in Confinement - Lochiorrhea (恶露不止)

Physician Edmund Pang

Jun 28, 2018
2 min

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) in Confinement - Lochiorrhea (恶露不止)

You've heard about the miracles of TCM during this period. How does it work? Confinement is a critical time for new mothers to adapt and recuperate their health. As this may be a totally new experience for some mothers, breastfeeding and looking after a newborn are exhausting. Thus, many new mothers may find little time to look after themselves and hence conditions such as insomnia, fatigue or depression may be easily triggered. In TCM, the confinement period is crucial for t

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Pregnancy

SINGAPORE

Importance of Counting Kicks

Breastfeeding is best for mother and baby

Skin allergies in children

5 Optional vaccines to consider for your child

INFOGRAPHIC: Coronavirus can infect pregnant mothers

6 must-know facts for febrile fits

My newborn baby looks yellow, should I be worried?

5 Must-do things before your first antenatal visit

Beware of kidney stones in pregnancy

Debunking 5 myths on epidural

Episiotomy - the "cut" demystify

Cesarean section delivery

Can I choose a boy or girl?

I want VBAC (Vaginal Birth after C- section)

The mystique of induction & labour

What to expect at Vacuum or Forceps Delivery

Explaining vacuum & forceps delivery

I want a painless labour

Flu and whooping cough vaccine

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) in Confinement - Lochiorrhea (恶露不止)