MÈRE INSPO - elizabeth chin
says, “I didn't dare to go to the gym and couldn't maintain my normal workout routine because I didn't want to risk anything, knowing that one of my twins wasn't doing very well.”
When Life Throws a Curveball: Elizabeth Chin's Startling Pregnancy Revelation, Transitioning from a Mum of One to a Mum of Three, Amidst Her Role as a Math Educator
Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by her 11-year-old dog, "MAN." We then made our way to her nursery room, where we discovered two baby cots. In hushed tones, we exchanged a quiet "hi," finding it difficult to differentiate between the older and younger twin.
Elizabeth Chin, an experienced educator from The Learning Lab with 11 years under her belt, has a strong focus on Math. Data and numbers are truly her domain. In addition to her role as an educator, she is also a mother to two-year-old Nathan and recently welcomed twins Aiden and Kaden.
Transitioning from being a mother of one to handling a family of five signifies a major shift in her caregiving dynamics.
At the time of our conversation, Elizabeth was 8 weeks postpartum, having given birth at week 35. Let us step into her journey on how she manages her emotions throughout her motherhood journey as an educator.
1. Hi Elizabeth, congratulations on the arrival of your twins! What's your current state of mind as a mum of three?
I’m still quite positive. Compared to my first pregnancy, I was very depressed because I didn't know what to do with a newborn. I had no idea how to take care of the baby. However, with some experience from my first child, at least I know what to expect, and I'm familiar with tasks like pumping milk, latching the baby, carrying, and showering.
I feel better now with a helper to assist me. I am also stressed as I wonder how I will manage three active toddlers as I get older, but that's a concern for the future.
Currently, I'm staying with my mum, so I receive a lot of support from her, including having my eldest son sleep with her at night. So far, everything seems to be going quite smoothly. My maternity leave has been extended, allowing me to spend more time with them.
Elizabeth was wearing Ellie Cruz Nursing Camisole.
2. What was your first thought when you realized you were pregnant with twins?
My husband and I had a severe traffic accident in December 2022, and that’s how I discovered I was pregnant with twins.
After realizing I was pregnant, I felt overwhelmed and emotional, not knowing if my husband would make it out alive. How am I going to take care of the twins with my injuries? How do I manage my toddler at home? There are a lot of emotions going on.
During my pregnancy, I was constantly worried because one twin was much smaller than the other. The gynaecologist told me he might need a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). That thought was haunting me every day. I didn't dare to go to the gym and couldn't maintain my normal workout routine because I didn't want to risk anything, knowing that one of my twins wasn't doing very well. It was very stressful.
In the last few months before I delivered, I couldn't even move or walk properly. That time was an overwhelmingly challenging period for me.
3. How did you realize you wanted to become an educator?
I started offering private tuition when I was in university, and I found that I enjoyed the interaction between students and myself more than the teaching itself. So I thought, since I enjoyed teaching more than my field of study, which is Computer Science, I should consider venturing into teaching instead.
After graduating, I stumbled upon a job posting at The Learning Lab. I decided to give it a shot. As I began, I quickly realized, 'Hey, this is what I enjoy.'
Time has flown by, and now it's been 11 years since I started. In the blink of an eye, I find myself a mother of three.
4. Having been an educator for 11 years, has that impacted how you are going to teach your kids?
My main takeaway is how important discipline is for kids.
Whether you excel in a subject or have huge potential for growth, none of these matters as much as having the discipline to listen, the discipline to try, and the discipline to complete your homework. That's what truly matters.
I have students that are very bright and catch everything very quickly. But, if you don't have the discipline to sit down and work through your homework, no matter how smart you are, when exam time comes around, you won't shine as brightly.
On the other hand, those who genuinely put in the effort with Math, have the discipline to give it their best, and make it a habit to ask teachers for help when needed – they end up stepping up and doing better in the long run.
So, that's a value I'm definitely going to pass on to my kids. Whether they're great in their subject or struggling with it, the message remains the same: put in the time, give it your all, and finish what you start. It's all about giving it a shot.
Keeping a consistent routine is important too. Especially for Math, it's all about practice and persistence.
Elizabeth was wearing Chloe Dream Love Organic Bra.
5. What's the most challenging aspect of being an educator, and what's the most rewarding thing of all?
One of the most challenging things is managing parents' expectations because it's quite tough in schools nowadays – the exam papers aren't easy. So, parents want their children to excel, to get into their ideal schools – you know, the common aspiration, right? Well, that's what I want too. Naturally, they end up expecting a lot from the tuition centres because they believe they are sending their child there for that extra edge, compared to students who don't have tuition. So, of course, if the child doesn't perform well in an exam, the first person they go to is the tuition teacher.
What I really enjoy about teaching is the connection between the teacher and the student. It's something truly meaningful, something you won't easily forget.
I have got students who have been with me since Kindergarten 2 (K2), and now they are in secondary school – we are still in touch. It's not just about the subjects you teach; it's more about what you build over the years. So, students sometimes send me a text on Instagram, saying they miss me and they want to see my kids. These are the things they remember, not the topics from today's lesson or those times I had to scold them. It's all about that bond we have built. They remember me as a person, and what I do for them, rather than just the grades they achieve.
6. What is your nighttime schedule like these days?
Every three hours, I pump, feed, and even change diapers. I have twins, so whoever wakes up first will get the milk first. If my helper is with me, for instance, if the older twin wakes up first, I feed him first. When the younger twin wakes up, I get the helper to feed him.
However, there are also times when I'm on my own because the helper needs rest too; I can't expect her to wake up every 3 hours. Usually, during the timings of 10 pm, 12 am, and 1 am, I'll be on my own and my husband will be sleeping. I'll use the twin pillows, put both twins there, and regardless of who cries first, I'll get the milk ready and feed both simultaneously for efficiency. After that, once they are done, I change their diapers and they go back to sleep. This is my current night routine.
7. How was breastfeeding with your twins?
They are pretty good latchers, they latch on quite fast and quite efficiently. So they drink quite well. But the thing is, they take a very long time to drink. I have to hold both of them while tandem latching. It's very hard to juggle both. So I choose to pump instead so my helper can feed one and I can feed one, and this saves time.
Tandem latch is fine too, but they take very long to drink. With a 3-hour schedule, I get only an hour to rest before they cry for feeding again. So, I opt to pump and feed.
8. Amidst the joy and responsibilities of motherhood and as an educator, how do you prioritize self-care to maintain a healthy balance in your life?
While my elder son goes to school, my husband works in the afternoon (he can take care of the babies in the morning). So, I get the morning off by maybe an hour or two, and that's when I go to the gym.
I'm still constantly thinking about the kids at home, but once I'm at the gym, things change. It's when I focus on myself, the way I live, and everything else. So, I get some quality 'me-time.' For example, when you go swimming, you concentrate on swimming; you won't think of anything else. But when you sit down and drink coffee, you'll start thinking about the kids again haha. I definitely need to find some peace of mind.
9. Any advice for mums?
Reflecting on my experience with my first baby, I would recommend taking it a bit easier. When I had my first baby, I was very uptight. Everything has to be on time, everything has to be perfect. But with my twins, I feel I can relax a bit more, and approach motherhood in a more laid-back manner, as my husband also advised. Don’t be overly uptight.