Pregnancy tips from a Singapore mum

Breast milk is best for your baby

Breast milk is best for babies. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding or other food and drinks will have a negative impact on breastfeeding. At around six months of age (but not before 4 months), infants should receive nutritionally adequate and age-appropriate complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Consult your doctor before deciding to use infant formula or if you have difficulty breastfeeding.

Abbott Singapore fully recognises breast milk’s primacy, value and superiority and supports exclusive breastfeeding as recommended by the WHO.

The content on this website is intended as general information for Singaporean residents only and should not be used as a substitute for medical care and advice from your healthcare practitioner. The HPB recommends that infants start on age-appropriate complementary foods at around 6 months, whilst continuing breastfeeding for up to 2 years or beyond to meet their evolving nutritional requirements. If no longer breastfeeding, toddlers can switch to full cream milk after 12 months. This should be complemented by a good variety of solid foods from the four main food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and alternatives). For more information on the nutritional requirements of infants and young children, please visit www.healthhub.sg/earlynutrition.

Start planning early, to give your child a healthy start in life. If you’re unsure about how you should even begin, why not get tips from the women who have been through it all. One well-prepared mum shared what she did to ensure the best nutrition for her baby.

Watch your diet

Life begins in the womb and Dr Pauline Lee, a dentist in private practice, knows how to get a good head start. When she was five weeks into her pregnancy, one of the first things she did was to watch her diet.

Dr Lee, who was 15 kg heavier than her normal weight at the end of her pregnancy, gave birth to a 3.1kg baby, Jayden, in September 2009.

While she was concerned about putting on too much weight, Dr Lee was careful not to deprive her baby of the necessary nutrients by making sure that she had a balanced diet.

“I started myself on milk for pregnant mothers as soon as I realised that I was pregnant,” said Dr Lee, who is a dentist at a private practice.

Added Dr Lee: “I took folic acid and prenatal vitamins. I avoided raw food and food that was not fully cooked. This meant giving up my favourite Japanese sashimi and medium rare steaks. I also avoided coffee and alcoholic drinks, which was easy as I was never a fan of both.”

She also took prenatal vitamin supplements for lactating mothers during the period she was breastfeeding her son.

“I took DHA supplements and milk for lactating and pregnant mothers to ensure that I am well-nourished so as to provide adequate nutrients for my child in turn,” said Dr Lee.

Get help from your partner

Dr Lee, who chose to breastfeed her son from day one, sought help from her partner as breastfeeding can be tiring for the mother.

After her pregnancy, her husband Dr Chris Mak took over most of the household chores and made sure that her supply of supplements was always there. He made her a cup of milk every morning, before going to work.

“The nutritional and emotional benefits that breastfeeding offers is so immense that it seems like the natural thing to do,” explained Dr Lee. “I believe that breastfeeding benefits the mother and helps reduce chances of allergies in the baby.”