10 FACTS about Breast Feeding

Hello all my beautiful ladies

So mean while breast feeding is the best way to feed your baby there is nothing wrong if you choose to bottle feed your baby formula milk. Here are 10 facts about breast feeding.

1. your areola and your nipple is going to darken in colour which you will notice from being pregnant and NO it is not going to look all pretty and pink as it was before you were pregnant even after you give birth, the colour may go a bit lighter after birth. your areola is going to expand in size and apparently it does that so your baby can find it easier when they feed.

2. If you are wandering where does the milk come out from? It comes out of your nipple but not in one stream, it comes out from multiple streams like a fountain and NO it does not come out in drops, if you haven't feed your baby long enough it may even spray out like a hose. 

3. If you are a first time mom make sure you get some nipple shield, YES you heard right there is something called a nipple shield which you put over your breast to protect your nipple from cracking or hurt as you don't know how to feed your baby properly so the baby may hurt your nipple as they are not sucking correctly. I had to learn the hard way as within the first day my nipple already cracked open and trust me it hurts like Hell when you need to feed with cracked nipple. I bought the tommee tippee ones as i find the shape fits me the best and yes there are other brands and it does come in different sizes so choose the one best suited for you and when i say sizes i do mean your nipple size.

   

4. Make sure to get a breast pump, you need to pump out your milk after every feed because if you don't you are going to end up with rocks as boobs and it's going to hurt like a biatch. If it does happen that your boobs become like rocks there is ways to help. put hot towels on it for a few minute and then massage your boobs pushing from the outer towards your nipple that way milk will flow out again. It will hurt ALOT when you massage it but you have to do it. Manual breast pumps are a lot cheaper than electric ones but unless you have a lot of milk i suggest to go for a electric one because your hands are going to hurt from pumping every 2 hours. I got a Tommee tippee one which was on sale for R899.

5. Get your self A LOT of breast pads you are going to need them. Unless you got them on otherwise do not go near any babies especially crying babies and yes even if they are not your baby. Trust me once you hear any baby cry you will leak and by leak i actually mean spraying. So if you don't want to walk around with 2 patches of wetness that looks like you just came out of a wet t-shirt contest wear breast pads.

I use the Pigeon breast pads which is around R120 for 60 pcs as i find it most comfortable and absorbent. i also tried Tommee tippee ones but it made me very itchy.

6. When you breast feed it does not look like the movies all peaceful and warm. firstly you are going to sweat and so is your baby. secondly your baby will lose the nipple now and then which will cause milk to spray probably all over the baby's face and thirdly your baby will bite and pull as they like and you will probably be so shocked to know that your nipple can even be stretched so long.

7. If you are starting to have "sexytime" with your man tell him to stay away from your nipple trust me even if it's accidental brush over you will want to punch your guy in the face because it is that sensitive. 

8. Do breast feed as much as your baby needs as your baby will never be overfed if you breastfeed and it is very healthy for your baby's digest system as formula milk can make the baby constipated.

9. The more you feed the more milk you will produce so don't worry if you feel in the first few days you don't have a lot of milk. As the baby is born it is best to feed them in the first 30 minutes after they are born as that is the first bonding time and you will produce a clear or yellowish liquid that liquid is what is going to keep your baby from getting sick for the first few months. Then only after around 3 days your will start to produce milk. To help produce milk drink a lot of liquid like soups, water. Stay away from gassy and acid foods as what you eat will influence the baby. too much acid will cause nappy rash and gassy food will also make the baby gassy which can cause stomachaches.

10. You need to burp your baby after every feed for the first 3 month as they need help to digest you can either tap or rub up and down on the baby's back while holding the baby up otherwise your baby will vomit or spit milk out as you put the baby down and if you not careful the baby can suffocate from the vomit.

So above are my experiences and suggestions with breast feeding. DO try to breastfeed as breastfeeding is one of the best way to bond with the baby. And if you need to breast feed your baby in public don't be shy and don't let other people make you feel shameful about breastfeeding in public. All i want to say to those people is : Damn you, don't tell me that i cannot feed my hungry baby when i need to like as if you never drank from your mothers boobs. 

Hope you enjoyed the post.

till next time

xoxo

My C-section Experience

Hello all my beautiful ladies

So it's been a while since my last post because i have been so busy with my baby.
This post is for all the ladies out there who are either pregnant or wanting to get pregnant. Just some info on the process of a C-section. But also remember our bodies are all different and this is just my personal experience.

Many of you know i always wanted to do natural birth since i found out i was pregnant but due to a few circumstances i had to end up getting a cesarean. Firstly i was at my 40 week due date and the baby had no intention of coming out. Secondly my cervix was not opening. Thirdly my baby grew a lot in the last 2 weeks, she was weighing 3.5Kg and her head was too big so my gyne told me even if she tried to induce me i would just end up in a lot of pain and probably end up having an emergency c-section. So in the end i decided to go for a c-section.

So i booked for my C-section for the 15th of August at 19:30 at Bedford gardens hospital. I had to go in at 17:00 and from 12:00 i did not eat or drink any fluid as you are not allowed to eat or drink 6 hours prior to the operation. So i packed my bags and showered and let me tell you take a nice long shower because you are probably not going to shower for the next 3 days.

I was really nervous as i am sure for any first time mothers are all very nervous as we have no idea what to expect when we go into labor. As i got in i asked for a private room it does cost you as medical aid only covers for general room but it's only like R1000 more per night and your husband will get a bed to sleep in as well. I had to fill in some forms and then the nurses will come and put some machines on to check your blood pressure, heart rate and also monitor the baby's heart rate and your contractions. Then they will put an IV drip in. From there all i could do was wait for 19:30 o'clock to come.

while we were still waiting to go into theater

The time was going so slow while waiting but as time was getting closer the more nervous i got. Eventually 19:00 o'clock my anesthetist came and she explained to me what she was going to do and asked me about my health and checked my blood pressure and vitals.

At 19:30 i was pushed to the theater where i saw my gyne was already there waiting for me and my husband was asked to go put on theater clothes. Once i was in the theater, it is freezing in there by the way. you will start shaking uncontrollably. First i had to sit on the bed and curl my back out for the anesthetist to give me the epidural, she first gives an injection to numb the area and then waits for a few minute for it to kick in before giving me the epidural which is a long ass needle that goes into the spine which numbs your lower half of your body.

The whole process was not painful for me as how so many articles and vblogs i watched on youtube describes it all i felt was like a sourness in the spine. after that i was asked to lay down and the anesthetist will ask you to lift your leg a few times to make sure you are completely numb as the first time i could still move my leg and lift it. Make sure you tell the doctor and anesthetist exactly how you feel, imagine the moment they cut you open and you can still feel pain. You will still be able to feel people touch and tugging but not pain. Then they will put a catheter in which you will not feel a thing as you are already numb.

Ready to be cut open

The whole process of them cutting me open to pulling the baby out only took like 20 minutes, i didn't feel a thing only felt pushing and tugging i guess that is when they were trying to get the baby out. The minute they pulled the baby out your stomach will feel so much lighter and so comfortable as my last month i could barely breath because the baby was taking up all the space inside. I totally cried when they pulled the baby out because you have been waiting for so long to meet this little human the moment you see the baby your emotions are just all over the place. 

After i got to hold the baby, i couldn't think or do anything i was like in another world, the doctor was sowing me up that took probably around 30 minutes. The nurses and the midwife will take the baby to clean, measure and back to the nursery first so don't freak out they are not stealing your baby. The funniest is when everything's done and they need to move me back to my hospital bed as i was  still completely numb i felt like a whale that was washed ashore and people had to help me get back into the water.  They had this thing which they put under you and as they pull the fabric on it you get into your bed it's like a pull belt system you use in the factory.

After that you go to the recovery room where they monitor you for probably 40 minutes to an hour to make sure you are ok. Then you go back to your own room where you will get to see the baby and feed the baby. The first time you feed the baby your milk is like a yellowish or see through colour. Only after 3 days it will become a milky colour. 

The next morning around 6 the nurse came and removed my catheter and made me get out of bed to walk. trust me this is going to be painful as you have a cut on your tummy and you never think how much you use your abs to even get out of bed but it took me like 20 minutes to even get up. And if you wondering the cut is really low it's even lower than normal undies line. The cut is probably around 12cm wide.

This is my cut after 2 weeks and it is not that noticeable.

I was in hospital for 4 days and trust me no matter how much you want to hold your baby and spend time with baby as exciting as it is. Do rest as much as you can and use the nurses help as much as you can because when you go home you are not going to be able to rest or sleep much. 

And don't think that your tummy is going to go flat immediately after birth trust me you are still going to look pregnant. But if you breastfeed it will help you lose weight very fast i was 78kg before i gave birth and after baby was out i weighed 73kg after 2 weeks i was weighing 69 kg so with breast feeding you will lose weight even if you eat normally. Do use a waist belt i started wearing mine the 3rd day after birth as it keeps pressure on the wound so it does not hurt as much when you move around and it does help to flatten your tummy.

This is my tummy 2 weeks after birth.

Do bring a dummy and formula for the baby as it does not say on the what to bring list from the hospital as most likely your milk will not be enough for the first few days in the hospital and your baby will most likely want a dummy to suck on at night.

Hope this long post did give some insights on C-section for the ladies that do want to go for a C-section. No matter what kind of birth you do decide on do remember to listen to the doctors advice as they know if you will be able to do natural or not as it could be dangerous for the baby.

Baby Hannah weigh: 3.56kg

  height: 53cm  

born on 15 August 2017

Thank you for reading :)

till next time

xoxo

Lamour Spa

Hello my beautiful ladies

I can't believe how i totally forgot to blog about my spa.
I opened my own spa in February, We do massages and nails.

This shop use to be a Chinese massage place, i took over and revamped the whole place and added in the nail bar.

Let me tell you starting your own business is really not as easy as it seems. There are a lot of things to consider such as the place, the staff, the products.

It took me around 6 month to get everything sorted.
We use only the best quality products, all our Gels used for nails are all imported from Japan which is very little harm for your health, i am pregnant yet i can still do my nails using my product. It also helps to grow your own natural nails without damage or breakage.

Below is links to our Facebook page , instagram page and our website
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LamourSpaLTD/
website: https://angiechen1992.wixsite.com/lamourspa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamourspaltd/

Our Spa is situated at: Flat 1 Bedford Court, 55 Van Buuren street, Bedfordview.
For bookings please call or whatsapp: 0725116528

Below are some nail arts that we have done:

 

Our lounge area

our pedi and foot massage station

Our nail bar

Thank you for reading ^^

Till next time my beauties xoxo

Life of being a pregnant Asian

Hello all my beautiful ladies

So for some of you may know that YES! i am pregnant!
and i have been getting a lot of questions about pregnancy so i decided to write a post and answer some of your questions.

Firstly some back ground about me. I found out i was pregnant last year December and i am now 28 weeks and 6 days into my pregnancy. I am 1.7m tall and use to weigh 65KG now i weigh 72KG so i picked up 7KGs which is quite little.

This was me at gym when i was 4 month into pregnancy, can barely see that i am pregnant.

I always imagined i would be this huge whale when i get pregnant because of how much i loved food and i have big bone structure and i was never skinny even before i was pregnant.

But in my first 3 month of being pregnant i had the worst morning sickness, i was vomiting the whole time, could not eat anything meaty or oily so i practically lived on salad. I lost about 4KG within the first 3 month.

This was me at 5 month, finally can see some bump but still quite small compare to normal

Q AND As

1. Does it matter if you smoked or drank alcohol in the first month of pregnancy?

The answer is No, many ladies don't even know that they are pregnant within the first month unless you have been planning to get pregnant, for me i had no idea that i was pregnant, me and my husband went to Asia for the December holiday and we still went clubbing and drinking and i smoked. When i came back to SA and had my first check the gynecologist said it will not affect the baby in any way mentally or physically, if it did within the first 3 month you would miscarry as the baby wouldn't survive in the womb. But if you are an abusive drinker or smoker and you don't stop during the whole pregnancy there are chances of deformation or mental issues.

2. Is it ok to dye your hair or cut your hair (as Chinese culture it is apparently not allowed)

It is totally fine to dye or cut your hair also dying is not suggested as it does contain chemicals, I asked my gyne as i bleached and dyed my hair before i knew i was pregnant and she said it's ok as the dye does not stay on your scalp long enough to affect the baby i dyed my hair when i was 4 month pregnant also, i just didn't dye to the roots. So it is ok if you really need to do it but otherwise i would suggest to stay away from hair dye.

3. Can i eat this? Can i eat that?

In Chinese culture there are many things that is said pregnant ladies cannot eat such as: watermelon, mango, crabs, lamb, ice cream etc. due to so and so old sayings. Honestly girls eat what ever you want to eat, it is already bad enough that we suffer through morning sickness and then there is still all these rules, just eat what ever you feel like. Non of these food have scientific proof that links to miscarriages. If something had to happen to the baby it's mostly because of the genes not because you ate too much mangoes or whatever. But do stay away from sushi and raw steak so anything too raw as it can carry parasites and bugs. 

4. Is it true to have bad memory and become stupid when pregnant?

There is a saying in Chinese one pregnancy can cause 3 years of dumbness. I do feel like my memory has gone worse and i can't concentrate very well since i have been pregnant but i don't think it is caused directly from pregnant, it's because you have so much to think and do now and due to age it is normal to have bad memory and the lack of concentration is probably due to my lack of sleep as the bigger you get the harder it is to sleep at night, So there are no scientific proof that pregnancy affects IQ or memory.

5. What cream am i using to prevent stretch marks?

I am using bio oil and a cream called Happy event, i mix the 2 together and rub it on all over after i shower every night. I have not grown any stretch marks. Do not forget your bum and your waist as those areas are commonly forgotten but trust me these places can grow stretch marks too and it's too late to use any cream if you already started growing so use the cream as early as the 2nd month of pregnancy.

6. Can you still apply make up and facial products.

This is me now at 28 weeks and 6 days. Still quite small as my womb is at the back so the baby is closer to my back than sticking out in the tummy.

Absolutely YES i don't know why some people say you can't apply make up or facial products when you pregnant. Just make sure you are using good quality makeup and moisturize because since i have been pregnant my skin has become extremely dry. Do let your skin breath now and then and if your skin is growing a lot of pimples due to pregnancy then i would suggest for that period do not use make up as in my first 3 month my skin was terrible i had pimples all over because of hormones so i did not use any makeup during that time.

This is when i went for my sonograph, which is super clear scans where they can tell you that the baby has no deformation or down syndrome, this is done at 6 month.

If you do not want to become a whale during your pregnancy, eating healthy is very important remember now you are eating for 2 and exercise if you want to do natural birth. I still gym 3-4 days a week now attending Yoga, pilate, zumba, aqua classes that is one of the reason why i have not gained too much weight, if i wore loose clothes people wouldn't even say i am pregnant.

Try staying positive ad happy during your pregnancy as your moods can affect the baby. It is easier said than done i know because i have become super emotional, i cry so easily now days and i am constantly worrying about the baby and especially now i'm close to due and i am totally freaking out about giving birth. But do try staying happy and positive.

That's all for now, if there is anymore questions please don't hesitate ask away you can leave a comment or email me angie.chen1992@gmail.com, or on FB:  https://www.facebook.com/angie.chen.7965

P.S Everything i say are all in my own opinion. 

Thank you for reading ^^

Till next time my beauties xoxo

Make up Haul April: overseas trip

Hi all my beautiful ladies

So i just came back from a 2 week holiday, I went to Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

I will just be sharing with you some of the beauty products that i purchased while i was there. But before that just a few pics from the trip.

This was the view out of our hotel window in Hong Kong in Hung hom.

My husbands cousins wedding that we attended in Hong Kong.

Me at Shanghai Disney Land

OK so now to the beauty products:

No 1: Etude house

So i went to Etude house in Hong Kong, This brand is famous amongst the asian countries. This brand also shows up a lot in Pony's make up tutorials on Youtube.

I bought the 101 playsticks, the one is green and lilac which is used for redness and illumination and the other is orange and yellow which is for under the eyes if you have dark circles. The third one is for contouring and highlighting. These sticks are great for traveling as it doesn't take up much space in your bag and they are super easy to use. The brush is specially for these 101 playsticks. Then i bought these cute lip masks when i was at the counter to pay. Haven't tried them yet will do a review later on.

No 2: Laneige

This is also another popular brand in Asia especially Korea. I bought the BB cushion and the lip mask on the plane and i got the mini lip mask and sleep mask as a gift.

The BB cushion is one of the best i have used. The texture is extremely moist so definitely good buy for people who have dry skin. The coverage is not great it's more of a natural look so you would need to conceal any spots and pimples before using this if you want better coverage. The lip mask is also great, you apply it before sleeping and you wake up with extremely soft and juicy lips.

No 3: Jill Stuart

This is a Japanese Brand, i also bought these on the plane as it is limited edition for inflight purchase only. "Limited Edition" There is just something magic about these words, i just have to buy it. I am not familiar with this brand but the packaging is what caught my eyes. All the bling on the package is Swarovski crystals. The lipsticks lid has a tiny mirror which is super cute. I got the lip gloss as a gift. Then i also bought the Givenchy Pink Leather lip balm also because the packaging is just super pretty but i was surprised at how moist the product is and it also gives a soft pink tint on the lips.

No 4: Benefit and Perfect whip

Perfect whip is also another famous product from Japan. This is my all time favorite face wash, it is extremely foamy and creamy and it doesn't leave your face dry after wash. I buy tons of this every time i go to Hong Kong, you can buy this at any drugstore. Then i bought these highlighting bronzing products from benefit which i haven't tried yet so will do review on this later.

No 5: Face masks

Everytime i go to Asia Face masks are a must buy they come in various brands, fuctions, prices. I bought expensive ones from Korea and Taiwan and also cheap ones from China which had cute packagings. These are just great to use when your face is feeling dehydrated especially when traveling due to climate and air changes. The whitening masks also works if you use it for long time.

Thank you for reading till next time my beauties xoxo

P.S All opinions are of my own and not subjected to any brands.

Skin Prep Products for combination skin

Hi all my beautiful ladies 

I haven't wrote anything for an entire year but i will be quite active from now on.
So here are some skin prep products that i use before i apply my make up. Before i start i just need to say that my skin is quite dry with an oily T-Zone so these products i will be introducing are what i think has worked best on my skin.

1. Guerlain L'Or

So this product is a radiance concentrate which can also be used as a primer, you would put this on after your daily routine in the morning just before you apply any make up. This product has a very watery texture with a light fresh scent great to use for summer and it has real gold flakes who wouldn't love that. Now this product is quite pricy costs around R1840, but you only need one pump for the whole face so one bottle can last for very long. 

2. Clarins UV PLUS 

This is basically a sunscreen but specifically for your face, ladies please do not use normal body sunscreen for your face, it is way to oily for the face which can cause pimples. I suggest to use this because everyday we are exposed in all kinds of UV which can cause spots, freckles and sunburn. I would use this after i put the Guerlains L'Or on, this product is white in colour but very light and watery, has a very nice scent also great to use for summer. It also has SPF 50 and anti-pollution. For a 30ml is around R 460.

3. Givenchy Doctor White

This is also another option for UV protection. This has SPF 50 and also is used for brightening the skin. This product is a pinkish lavender colour and the texture is quite thick so this product is better to use in winter as it is much richer than the Clarins one. 

The lavender colour also gives the skin glow. This product is pricier than the Clarin's one but i cannot remember the price exactly.

4. Nivea Men post shave balm

I know this says for men and it's for shaving but this product is really great to use as a primer. My make up always lasts for the whole day when i use this. The product is a white liquid quite runny and it smells divine if you are a person who likes the fresh smell of men after they shave. It also does not contain any alcohol so it's suitable for people that has sensitive skin. This 100 ml only costs R100 and i have put mine into a pump bottle all i need is one or two pumps. So this is great for someone who does not want to spend a lot of money on primers.

5. MAC mineralize concealer

This concealer is great coverage for pimples or redness as i have been getting quite a lot of pimples lately and i love to pop them so when i do apply make up i definitely need a good concealer for coverage. This bottle comes with a brush which makes application super easy and you can control how covered do you want your blemishes by applying multiple layers. I normally apply with the brush and then use my fingers in a tapping motion to spread it out evenly. This concealer is great for dry skin as i find most concealers too dry for my skin it would start flaking after a hour or so. But i haven't had any problems with this concealer. This costs R350 for 5ml.

6. MAC Prep+Prime

This product is great as a highlighter for under the eyes, bridge of the nose, chin and forehead. I am using the lightboost which is the yellow one. There is not much coverage so if you have dark bags under the eye i would suggest using a better coverage product to cover the darkness first before using this. For 3.6 ml this costs R360.

7. Urban Decay Naked Skin color correcting fluid

I have the lavender color one which is used for optical blurring, illuminating and color neutralizing. It is great for brighting up the skin where it seems dull, The lipgloss brush head makes it easy for application but i also using the same finger tapping motion to blend out the product and don't worry if you feel like after applying it your skin colour seems unnatural, after you apply your foundation your skin will look normal and radiant. Cannot remember the price for this product either.

So above are the products that i find great to use before applying make up. 
P.S All opinions are of my own and not subjected to any brands.

Thank you for reading till next time my beauties xoxo

Nail Art Tutorial

To all my beautiful ladies

Sorry i have been so quiet lately due to slow internet but here is some of the recent nail art i have done. I have been quite into leopard print lately so i did quite a few with it.

This is the tutorial i am going to show you guys today...

So first this is what you will need:

I am using Revlon Nail Care smoothing base coat, Tiptop protein base 937, Tiptop Cream puff 901,Tiptop my own mix of cream puff and coral candy for the pink and essence colour and go in black also you will need a nail art brush any thin brush will do.

First step is to do your regular trim, file, buff to the shape of nail you desire. I have short nails so i generally just keep it round. Then apply your base coat which i used the Revlon smoothing nail base coat which gives it a nice milky look.

Step 2 is to paint your nails in any order you like with the white and pink i choose to do my middle finger and ring finger in white and the rest in pink. I always apply 2 coats for better colour but you don't have to if you think one layer is enough.

Step 3 paint on the leopard print by using the paint brush and just dip it into the black nail polish. Don't drown your brush you just need a nice amount on the tip. To create the leopard print simply draw small brackets()but not even and can be messy you don't really want brackets()and now and then just add a dot in between. 

Step 4 after everything is dry apply your topcoat to make it shine and last longer and TA DA there you have it.

You can use any colour of your choice and do the print on any finger. From my previous post of nail art http://4theloveoffashionandbeauty.blogspot.com/ you will see that i love pink nail polish and i love doing nail art on the ring finger.

P.S Everything i say about the products are all in my own opinion. 

Thank you for reading ^^

Till next time my beauties xoxo