Ant bite rashes

Just sharing my experience –

‘It is just an ant bite. It is ok!’ – we often say that (very much me!)

But this time – it is ‘no joke’ and I feel so guilty. Nikki got stung by an ant (most likely fire ant) last Wednesday. I noticed that she started scratching her tummy right after that (in the playground). She scratched more after returning home. The itch then turns pain (according to her). First, I applied zambuk and later her previous diaper rash cream. Then I remembered neem leaves – so desperately grabbed a bunch, blended it with tapioca starch and turmeric powder. It did affected her sleep – especially at night.

On the second night (meaning next day), she had trouble sleeping – either itch or pain or both. But she has been good enough to stay silent and not cranky. I told her not to scratch and I tapped her body to ease her.

The next morning we brought her to the clinic (just to ensure she is ok and doesn’t need any medication). I chose to go to a GP than our normal paed – as I was sure our paed will prescribe their ‘magic’ cream, which I am not comfortable using. BUT, I got ‘shot’ by the GP when I told him I didn’t want any steroid cream. ‘Do you know that our body also produce steroid? Don’t simply believe what you read from google!’ And he gave me a nasty face for that! I didn’t argue!

<But hey dr, aren’t you suppose to give an unbiased recommendations and leave it to patients to decide ? Sorry, you may be a professional and I may just be a ‘housewife’ – I don’t just believe in ONE hearsay, ONE google search – I have seen many cases since Noelle’s day of eczema (and she is still suffering) for using a ‘steroid’ based rash cream. I read more than google. Yes, our body produce steroid but Nikki’s case is NOT serious till she requires steroid cream – it is a temporary situation that need time to heal. Why do we want it to heal that FAST (short term) and worry about the possible long term effect (reliance on ‘processed steroid’? Why do we want to affect her skin eco-system with ‘processed’ steroid rather than ‘natural steroid’ from her body? I am not totally against steroid – as in certain cases, we definitely need it. In fact, to deliver the girls, I had ‘steroid‘ in some way! 😒> sorry, medical practitioner friends who don’t like my comments here; mummies indeed do better FBI 🙄

Anyway, at the end, he gave some anti-histamine (syrup) and calamine lotion.

After the doctor check up, Nikki never really scratch her rash anymore. I bathed her and asked her to soak with neem leaves water (on a daily basis till today). She only requested to apply some calamine lotion (saja la she). Hubby did try to feed her the anti-histamine syrup that night (third day night) so that she can sleep soundly- but she actually spitted it out!

Despite no anti histamine syrup, from that night, she didn’t scratch and able to sleep through the night. (So it seems the hardest night was the 2nd night!) She is definitely on her route to skin recovery! 🙏🏻 And I have been applying Cetaphil lotion on her now to smoothen her rough skin.

Pic: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rDRUqSCtW9mB85dU8

Keeping Chinese parsley or daun ketumbar fresh v2

I buy Chinese parsley or daun ketumbar in big ‘bulk’ at times (usually weekend) because I soak my eldest’s eczema feet with boiled parsley water (to reduce her itch).

But I have learnt the best way to keep them fresh all week is to cut its root off and half them, store them in a large container. (I used to wrap its root with wet towels and cover the leaves with plastic bag – it lasted only 3-4 days) This way is even more environmental friendly as I do away with plastics and tissues.

These leaves are day 6, just enough before I get to the market to get another batch! 😁😁

Baby Norrah’s episode of allergy rash

>> started with hives before rashes came

Norrah was down with rashes on Friday due to allergy (which we still don’t know what’s the cause). She had a 24 hour mild fever on Wednesday (not sure if it relates). We had a hard time handling her coupled with the ‘is it my fault’ feeling. More pressure when hubby panic and suggested to send her to the paed! 😓 (he panic liao)

**Actually we had bad experience with Noelle’s eczema and wish not repeat the same episode. Sending Norrah to the paed is only the last resort if it gets too serious.

So I started to get some recommendations from my mama gang on paeds (as the one we currently go – will use steroid cream and that was what happened to Noelle last time). Fortunately, mama HM 😁has a ‘not so good’ review (as in she only will use it as the last resort) on the nearest paed to us that opens on weekend (that slow down the pace of my hubby 🙄sending Norrah to a paed)! And then luckily again I spoke to my TSW (total steroid withdrawal) mama gang SL 😁 – ‘Go paed also no use, only give cream (probably steroid) and anti histamine (which can be bought from the pharmacy)!’ when I asked her about another paed. This one very reassuring- so I talked over my hubby! 🤣 I seriously hated to see his ‘very kek sum’ face when looking at Norrah because it makes me more guilty (but he responded by saying ‘you expect me to smile when I look at her condition like that meh?😒)

So, I continued with my usual ‘method’ (the one I used on Noelle and helped Nikki overcome her diaper rash when she was 8mo) – coriander bath and application of (blended) neem leaves + turmeric powder + tapioca starch (at first we did use cooling powder, but this works better – the itch stops a lot more faster). Thanks to mama QT for getting the neem leaves for us (and constant reassurance that I am doing the right thing). [The first batch of neem leaves could possibly made us waited longer for our bus ride! 🤭😆]

Handling a baby toddler with skin rashes is definitely heart aching and difficult. But, yeah again that we are towards the tail end of this episode! Rashes and itch doesn’t go off immediately – but it does improve in days!

Now the next thing to do is to identify the food that she is allergic to! 🙄

Rainbow vacuum service

We finally engaged the couple to provide rainbow vacuum cleaning service on our two queen sized mattress! Actually they overlooked their schedule, and have to come today instead of last Thursday.

Two queen sized mattress plus all the pillows for RM100 in less than an hour (This is including transportation fee – which was free). They even helped me with vacuuming the grills and sides of the dusty cupboard! Seeing me with a toddler and an infant, they even offered to put the bedsheets for me😊 – but I declined! I actually left the pillows that we use to put beside the beds to prevent kids from knocking on the floor, by the side of the cupboard – no thoughts that they will help me vacuum it – but they did!

Dirt from older mattress

Overall, love their friendliness and top of the notch service! They are full time into this from Monday to Sunday! No hard sell (that’s most important to me). But I did ask advice on how frequent such vacuuming to be done. With small babies, advisable 3 months once and if just adults, twice a year! (This is beside the normal vacuuming and frequent change of bed sheets!)

You can contact Gillian Wee at fb:

Also I am sticking to Michelle Tai’s (finally got mention her name 😂) suggestion on airing the room and putting the pillows under the sun!

Disclaimer: Not a paid advertisement; but I am so satisfied with their service!

Skin improvement with Cetaphil baby daily lotion

We haven’t really buy lotion since her eczema recovered plus I just put her on occasional Chinese parsley bath – eczema hasn’t return (cross fingers). Then came the chicken pox, her skin turned very rough and looks like ‘sign of eczema 😨😨😨’. We had this sample Cetaphil baby daily lotion from Norrah’s hospital welcome gift (the pic one was our recent purchase from AA pharmacy) – we tried it on Noelle! It works ‘amazingly’. Even peeling skin over her toes ‘healed’! Some marks are smoothing/fading away too! 😁😁😁

Good bye chicken pox!

I think we can officially bid goodbye to chicken pox! The pox on Noelle has all dried up and peeled off! 
Here, I would like to jot down some of the things we experience for the benefit of others (plus for our future reference 🙄 Norrah is the only one who hasn’t get chicken pox now)!
1. It started with flu/cough/fever! Well, accurately as read in the book titled ‘Germs’, all these germs get into human body via flu/cough/saliva. Both Nikki and Noelle had flu before the fever and the rash appearing! The rashes appears to be like pinkish bed bugs before turning into watery pops! 
2. Taking anti viral medication is not necessary if the patient is willing to take a lot of fluids and fruits! Well, Noelle did not take any medication but Nikki did – the recoveries, respectively, were at same level/days. Noelle was obediently taking all the fluids and fruits I prepared for her. On the other hand, knowing Nikki was tough with food and drink intake – she was on the medication (it was a 5 times a day for 5 days thingy)! 
3. The most difficult days are the first three days – start with first day fever and the first two days of itch/pain. Kids and crankiness make it worse!🙄
4. NEEM leaves – the ‘miracle’ leaves. Wash and boiled; then soak in it (add more water when soaking)! Agak-agak the amount! I took advice from a facebook friend to also wipe the girls with neem leaves water during diaper change or before nap or after being sweaty! 
5. We did applied a (vicide)cream that the paed prescribed/recommended (which is confirmed steroid free -paed says steroid will make situation worse)! And we think that bedak sejuk – after all didn’t really help! 
6. Life goes on as usual though we avoided getting in contact with people! We eat as usual and they were even given ice cream and cake treats! 
7. As the paed says, newborn has their own immunity plus the immunity from the mummy (who had chicken pox before) – Norrah has managed to ‘escape’ from getting chicken pox. She did get in contact with the two girls (how to quarantine?). We also sleep together (only the first two nights hubby and I routinely changed bed – we gave up altogether when hubby caught flu/cough); some more Nikki and Norrah tandem nurse! Plus breastfeeding Norrah helps some how(qua)! She did had some pinkish bed bug kinda rash on her face (few) but I quickly wipe her with neem leaves water and it disappeared! 
8. The caretaker (that’s me) needs to take a lot of fruits and liquids too – to maintain healthy. I only fell slightly ill towards the end. I quickly boiled some neem leaves (added some sugar) to drink! (I did google and read about it). It works miraculously – for the first time, mild sore throat didn’t turn into flu!  
9. I did change the sheets and blankets alternate days plus wipe here and there (But i don’t know how much that help)! 
Thanks for all the well wishes! 😘👍🏽✌🏻
**Getting chicken pox young seems ‘better’ – as the pox appears fewer than expected! And surprisingly none on their bodies (Nikki only has one on the body)! None of their faces – though the little bed bug rashes did appeared- they disappeared quite fast! 
Anyway, still not totally sure if we will give Norrah the chicken pox vaccine in the future! 🙄

Noelle’s first ear drum infection

Crazy Monday morning to begin the week with 

I was expecting a crazy chicken poxy day but Noelle woke up with ‘ear pain’. I thought it was her usual ear wax removing thing and also as per advice from ear specialist to drop few drips of olive oil -it didn’t get any better. She was crying the whole morning. Following mama instinct, I think I should bring her to the paed if the pain doesn’t go off. I even tried ice pack as suggested by a Michelle Tai. It works initially but then the pain came back. 

I asked Noelle if she wants to see the dr. Yes was the answer but I got to get ready Norrah – nurse and bath (while Noelle was crying along the way). After I was done with Norrah, Nikki cried and said she wanted to poo! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ so, I have to ask Noelle to wait (crying continues). It took about 20 minutes to settle Nikki by which Noelle fell asleep – so thought of letting her sleep until she wakes and the pain might go off! Not even 5 minutes, she woke and screamed ‘I want to go to hospital!’


I have to admit I was a little skeptical of her. After several assurance by her (I questioned her), I decided to go! And hubby hasn’t place the new car seat into the myvi which he has just brought to wash and vacuum yesterday! 🤦🏻‍♀️ But I decided to go, asking Noelle to sit still (which she did). So we went to the paed (luckily not too far from our place).

Fortunately we went. She has ear drum infection (though no sore throat). Dr showed me the reddish ear drum which supposed to be white. The dr says her immune is down due to chicken pox and hence infection comes easily. She has to be on antibiotics for 4 days (this is her first antibiotic after more than 3 years!) 
I nursed Norrah before we left the clinic. We got home and fortunately my mum tapau for us her homecooked soup and fish yesterday – so we just ate them with mee suah (I haven’t have time to do anything this morning)! Noelle fed herself the medicine (macam so desperate eat medicine only 🙄)! 
Nikki slept while I was tandem nursing. So she just slept on the sofa and I waited for Norrah to sleep before putting her into the cot. Noelle saw Nikki sleeping on the sofa and put her blanket on Nikki (while I was having lunch). Noelle was feeling better with the ibuprofen which serves as ‘pain killer’ and started to request that I cut pear for her to eat. Thereafter she napped! 

What a morning! 
I didn’t bother to inform hubby when everything was happening as he did told me he was in the midst of conducting training. I think I handled everything calmly. I only informed him after seeing the paed! 
This morning Nicole Lee was asking about my girls condition when everything was happening- so she was aware of the happenings and even offered to come over during her lunch time to send us to the paed (thank you, I am very touched)! But it was like an immediate ‘do or die’ because of Noelle’s wailing 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️ macam I abuse her! 
Before we set off, I reminded them not to run about but follow carefully! Noelle even held Nikki’s hand. Putting three in the car – put Norrah into carrier without belt first. Then Nikki to her car seat (before she walks/runs away) with her belt (while asking Noelle to stand next to me). Next put Noelle to her seat and belt her. Finally belt Norrah before starting the car! 🙄
When I entered the paed’s room (fortunately no long wait), he immediately coined me ‘super woman’ 😂😂😂 for bringing all three alone!

Nikki’s day 7 and Noelle’s day 3 chicken pox

Nikki’s chickenpox is starting to dry up; the first one which we spotted actually peeled off midday! 

Neem leaves water really works miraculously! Yesterday before sleep, I wiped Noelle’s affected area with it and apply the cream. Compared to the previous nights, she actually slept through without crying/wailing (but then woke with an ear infection🙄). Hers appear very reddish today. I didn’t spot any new ones! Anyway, she is back to her usual self after her nap! 
Actually this was told by the paed during our first visit for Nikki’s chicken pox – it didn’t make sense at first until a friend related the same incident; plus the paed again repeated the same thing today – so sharing here: apparently newborn has their own immunity plus the immunity from their mummies (who already had chicken pox before) and thus more likely to be immune from chicken pox! So far no reaction from Norrah (cross fingers) and we will see how it goes! Anyway, she has a little cough ‘spread around’ by papa and Noelle! 😒

Nikki’s day 6 and Noelle’s day 2 chicken pox

Nikki is more or less back to herself- the most active and talkative one! Only occasionally telling us that it is ‘ciiii’ (itchy); still wailing when we want to apply cream.

Noelle is back to her big baby mode! 🤦🏻‍♀️ She didn’t really sleep well last night and woke up close to 6 am (the more she needs to rest, the more active she is) – whining and crying ‘pain’! 😔 A lot of her pox turns blister – still focus on her eczema area. None on her back or body but I spotted few on her butt! Towards evening, she says they are itchy! She is also in between battling cough too. Hence, she is on her very cranky and clingy mode. 

She took everything I made for her from steam onion juice, orange juice, watermelon to blueberries! Finally she took the longest nap in this week – about 3 hours!

No.1 gets chicken pox

Nikki’s Day 5 and Noelle gets her chicken ‘pork’ 🤦🏻‍♀️(day 1)
I guess Nikki is recovering and thus Noelle gets it now! 🙄 and most likely, the virus gets through the flu/cough and then fever. It starts with the pink dotes (which looks like bed bugs bites). 

For Noelle, mostly spotted at her eczema spots – toes and feet🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ ( we suspected it yesterday night)! She turns a big baby now🙄🙄- cranky 😪 I decide not to put her on anti viral medication as she is willing to take whatever I do for her (as she trust it help soothes herself)!

Day 4 – Nikki’s chicken pox

No new pox. But she is in ‘pain’ – doesn’t want us to apply cream/bedak sejuk on the areas (crying when we do so). Neem leaves bath continues. Appetite improving – still rejects breakfast but she has her mid morning snacks – honeydew, blueberries (just like Jeh Jeh)!

Nikki’s 3rd day chicken pox –

 after 4 times neem leaves bath; and some wiping with neem leaves water during diaper change
We still continue her with anti viral medication – since it isn’t easy for us to make her eat anything that can improve/contain her situation 
Don’t see any new pox; most pox concentrated at her feet, leg, palm and hand still. There are few tiny ones on her face. The pox are turning reddish. Hasn’t spotted any on her back body. In fact, the one on her front body not there anymore! 🤔
She is active as usual!

Water kefir and milk kefir class by Mandy Leong

Today I took the opportunity of my first official time off from my babies (since the arrival of baby no.2) to attend this water kefir and milk kefir class –  something that I wanted to learn since I know about kefir’s healing for eczema

It was a four hours class and I would say never a moment I ‘fell bored/asleep’ (this is despite the hourly wakes last night since my baby wasn’t too well!) 

Besides the detailed explanation given, the bubbly Mandy has made the class lively and interesting by giving her real life examples – on the benefits of both water kefir and milk kefir towards herself (and some of her students). We actually went in with (maybe) only 10% knowledge about water kefir and milk kefir but have so much to bring home – in fact, I guess we will need time to digest the information. Mandy is so informative and her knowledge on kefir is at her finger tips! 
Not only notes were given, we were also provided with the ingredients (which include the ‘babies’ or kefir grains) and some tools to get started. This is because Mandy wants to ensure that our ‘getting started’ journey is easy. She also provides whatsapp support group after signing up for her class! 
I can’t wait for my first harvest in 24 hours time! 😂 I think I ‘crave’ the natural water kefir taste now! The first taste was totally ‘awesome’! 
For more information on her class, contact Mandy via fb messenger at https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=547466597