By Louise Lock
Issue 88 - November 2009

In the early weeks following the birth of my first child (now a feisty two-year-old), I couldn’t have told you which end was up. It was a tumultuous time. Anxiety and sleep deprivation tend to crunch you, just when you’ve embarked upon the steepest learning curve of a woman’s life. Through a fog of weariness and cluelessness, we mothers muddle through somehow and (most) babies thrive because of love and good intentions.

If I’d lived in Singapore during that hazy time, I would have pounced upon a place like Mother & Child in Tanglin Mall. It’s a one-stop shop for new mothers, great for information, services, products and support. And they serve a mighty fine apple teacake – but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Australian expat Uma Thambidurai is a registered nurse and midwife, lactation consultant and infant massage instructor who took over the reins at Mother & Child four years ago. With two grown children now residing in Melbourne and a wealth of professional experience, it’s clear that Uma both walks the walk and talks the talk. On the day that I attend the final class of a four-week New Mothers’ Get Together course ($180 for the full course), Uma leads a discussion with ten new mums on topics like breastfeeding after returning to work, maintaining a good milk supply and the importance of pelvic floor exercises.

Each week the class covers new territory based on a loose format that can be tailored to meet the educational needs of the women who attend. Guest speakers include paediatricians, physiotherapists, counsellors, dieticians and osteopaths. The environment is welcoming (pretty cotton quilts on the floor for babies to lie on, comfortable chairs for mums, a change table for the inevitable) and the atmosphere is supportive.

Aside from the Get Together course, Mother & Child offers a comprehensive array of services for new and expecting parents. Other pre- and postnatal options include Childbirth Preparation classes (covering everything from labour and pain-relief strategies to a partner’s role and giving birth in the Singapore hospital system), Well Baby Clinics (where registered nurses weigh and measure your baby and answer questions), an Introduction to Solids class, lactation consultations for breastfeeding mums, sleep consultations, yoga with Pilates (bring your baby along!) and infant massage classes (for Mum or Dad).

Mother & Child plays an invaluable role in supporting the sometimes rocky transition to new parenthood. It bridges the divide between leaving hospital with a newborn in your arms and stepping over the threshold thinking “Now what?”, providing specialist support akin to the maternal and child health nurses in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, with some fabulous extras. And, if you’re lucky, you may be there on a day when Uma’s apple teacake is served. Could there be a more appreciative crowd for cake than a room full of breastfeeding mothers?

Mother & Child is at #03-11 Tanglin Mall. Visit www.motherandchild.com.sg
or call +65 6836 0063 for more information.