Fenugreek

This is what helped me to get my milk supply up again after having been hospitalized for almost a week and not being able to breastfeed Zoë.

I've tried papaya soup, fish soup, Mother's Milk tea, but as a galactagogue, nothing worked as well as fenugreek, for me anyway. I decided to give fenugreek a try upon recommendations from friends and also after reading about it at kellymom.com (a wonderful resource on breastfeeding!).

I tried several health stores before finding fenugreek capsules at CitySuper in Times Square (the little pharmacy next to the supermarket section, actually). At the time, I got it for HK$168 for a bottle of 90 capsules (500mg).

All I needed was a bottle (actually, less even!) and there was marked increase in my milk supply. I took a total of 9 caps per day --3 at each meal. I'd read that there are possible effects which include sweat and urine, breast milk and breastfed baby possibly smelling like maple syrup, but luckily I didn't experience any nasty side effect.

For more information about fenugreek as a galactagogue, please click here.

Badger Anti-Bug Balm

I am a bug magnet. Whenever I go to the beach at DB, I always end up coming back with over 20 no-see-um bites up and down my legs and arms. Ugly, disgusting, and oh-so-very-itchy!!!

Now, I always have a small tin of Badger Anti-Bug Balm with me and I smear on the balm whenever I go to places where I think there's even a remote chance of me being bug bait.

What I like about the Badger Anti-Bug Balm is that it's organic, made from all-natural ingredients (no DEET!), as with many other Badger products. It has a very pleasant citronella smell and is not greasy at all. If you're the type who would prefer to not have your hands touch the balm at all, you can get the the balm in a push-stick (like a deodorant stick) instead.

I got my Badger Anti-Bug Balm from Doubibou. It's only HK$49. You can order online; Doubibou ships to Hong Kong. Or you can also find out when Doubibou comes to Hong Kong (for various fairs, etc.) and arrange to meet up with her when she does.
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Active Ingredients: *Citronella Oil (5.0%), Cedar Oil (2.0%), *Lemongrass Oil (2.0%), *Rosemary Oil (1.0%), & *Geranium Oil (1.0%). Other Ingredients: *Extra Virgin Olive Oil, *Golden Yellow Beeswax, and *Castor Bean Oil.

Olbas for Children

I hate it when the kids get sick. I feel so helpless when they're so miserable.

Zoë has a runny nose now and poor thing, she has difficulty breathing when she sleeps. Now, we've been warned against Vicks, even Baby Vicks, about how it's not good for kids under 2. Good thing we have Olbas (for infants and children over 3 months).

Olbas Oil apparently originated from Basel, Switzerland over 100 years ago. It is a mixture of six essential pure plant oils that give off vapors to help clear nasal congestion.

For Zoë, I put 4-5 drops of Olbas on a piece of tissue paper and then put the tissue paper inside the pillowcase. For Josh, I use 8-10 drops. Alternatively, you can also add a few drops to a basin of hot water and leave in the bedroom overnight; that is, if you are sure that the children won't get to the basin of water and spill it, get themselves all wet or worse, scald themselves.

I use Olbas, too, for myself when I have a clogged nose and can't breathe. There is the regular Olbas and there is Olbas for Children. I got mine from Bumps to Babes in Central.

What's great about Olbas is that it is a completely natural essential oil formula and there are other uses to it besides being an nasal decongestant. Olbas is also good for massaging on your temples when you have a headache, on your feet and legs to soothe overtired and sore muscles.
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Olbas for Children Active Ingredients (%w/w): Cajuput Oil 4.625, Clove Oil 0.025, Eucalyptus Oil 8.8625, Juniperberry Oil 0.675, Levomenthol 1.025, Dementholised Mint Oil 8.8625, Methyl Salicylate 0.925.

Other ingredients: Isopropyl Myristate, Orange Fragrance.