Abbott Mom Sharing Series – StrongLegal counsel Ng Sim Leng wants her daughter to enjoy a carefree childhood. But one thing she refuses to compromise on is a strong foundation for her baby's physical health. She tells us why. 
As a lawyer, Ng Sim Leng has dealt with her share of difficult and stressful moments. Yet she has had to dig deep to overcome one of life’s greatest challenges when her baby daughter, Lauren Kym Ho Jing Wen, was diagnosed with torticollis at four months. An infant suffering from this condition, also called wry neck, will hold her head to one side with the chin pointing to the opposite side. "Months of physiotherapy did not bear much result, so we started praying," Sim Leng, 32, recalls. "Our prayers were answered during an outing to the zoo, which was organised by my husband's company. His colleague, who did not know about Lauren’s condition, started praying for her. The following week, her neck started rotating freely without any signs of strain. She was healed miraculously!" Despite her tough introduction to parenthood, this resilient mum refuses to become another anxious Singaporean parent. Sim Leng, whose second child is due in March, says she prefers to let her children grow up carefree and happy, without the pressures of tuition and extra-curricular activities – unless they request it. This is a lesson she picked up from her own parents, who "never once bade me to study". Going StrongBut one thing Sim Leng firmly believes in is to provide Lauren, now 30 months, with a good foundation, health-wise. Indeed, she makes "no compromises" on her little girl's nutritional needs. For this reason, she chose a milk powder formula for Lauren with appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals to ensure that her daughter enjoys robust health and optimal development. Sim Leng, who stopped breastfeeding Lauren at 18 months, decided to try a sample of GAIN after reading about its nutritional content. She was impressed that Gain contains a unique patented vegetable fat blend, calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium to support Lauren’s bone development. This was important to her since she realises that a predominantly. Asian diet might not offer sufficient dairy. The bonus – Lauren not only loved its taste – she did not experience any bowel problems after switching to Gain. Still, Mummy makes sure that her toddler gets sufficient calcium intake from foods like yoghurt, tofu, wholemeal bread and cheese crackers. Her mini muncher has also developed a liking for kelp and black fungus, both high in calcium and folate, Sim Leng notes with delight. However, a balanced and nutritious diet is only one part of Sim Leng's two-pronged approach to successful parenting. She advocates learning through play to stimulate her child's mental development, especially since Lauren is a vivacious and thoughtful child who loves reading, dancing and going for excursions. Quick StudySim Leng believes that outings and play-time will stimulate her daughter's development as opposed to regimented mandatory sessions, which may put her child off learning completely. "At her age, learning and fun should be synonymous. So I encourage her to read and appreciate little things such as plants and animals. This is important to help her grow to be a healthy and engaging child," she notes. She shares this anecdote about her bright tot. "We were flipping through comics one day and Lauren pointed to some shadows and asked me, 'What's this?' I replied, 'Shadows'. She paused, dissatisfied, frowned, and corrected me, 'Shadow of dog!'" Sim Leng, who has quit private practice to spend more time with her daughter, believes this sacrifice is worth her while, "Whatever the circumstances, what is important is the happiness of the children and the precious time spent with them and cherishing every moment." A Doctor’s OpinionBabies have great potential for growth. Some babies who are born small can catch up by the time they are three years old. This is a good indication of their future growth, says Dr Low Kah Tzay, a consultant paediatrician and child development specialist. Help optimise your child’s general and bone development at this stage with a balanced diet. This should include sufficient amounts of vitamin D, calcium, fat, protein and carbohydrates. The main source of nutrients in her first six months will be from milk but following that, it should be from solid foods, including dairy products, meat and vegetables. Meanwhile, remember to schedule time for fun under the sun. Dr Low explains, "Exposure to the outdoors also helps improve calcium absorption and bone development." Help Him/Her Master Motor SkillsDeveloping gross and fine motor skills allows your child to improve hand-eye coordination and increase interaction with the physical environment. Try these fun activities:
Goodies For Baby's BonesCALCIUMFunction: For bone and
teeth development, helps
function of nerves,
muscles and heart VITAMIN D
Function: Necessary for
the optimal absorption of
calcium and phosphorus to
build bones and teeth Essential For Baby with |
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Look out for upcoming issues of March – April 2008 Abbott Family Ties, where more mothers will share their own experiences on having smart, healthy, strong and happy children.
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