Dental danger: How to keep holiday treats from damaging teeth and braces

(ARA) - Millions of Americans will not be smiling this holiday season - and not because they discovered coal in their stockings. They will be the teens and adults whose teeth and/or braces fall victim to the hard, sticky, chewy and gummy treats that make the holidays so yummy . . . and perilous to oral health.

"The week after Halloween is one of the busiest times of year for orthodontists," says Dr. Gib Snow, a Los Angeles-based orthodontist. "Emergency visits spike as we see children, teens and even adults who have suffered dental injury or damaged metal braces as a result of eating candy and other treats. In fact, many treats that we commonly enjoy throughout the holiday season can be harmful to our teeth."

If your overall dental health is good, and you practice good oral hygiene, you can probably safely indulge in some holiday treats as long as you do so in moderation. However, if you have a history of breaking or weak teeth, have a lot of fillings or crowns, or wear metal braces, you may want to take some precautions to protect your teeth this holiday season.

Dr. Snow offers some simple tips:

• Try to avoid treats that are sticky (like taffy), extremely hard (peanut brittle), chewy (caramel) or crunchy (mixed nuts). These can break teeth, pull out fillings and compromise crowns and other forms of dental work.
  
  
• Stick with soft treats that melt in your mouth, such as peanut butter cups, chocolate kisses or - better yet - thinly sliced fruit. As with all high-fat, sugary foods, be sure to practice moderation, and brush and floss teeth after indulging.
  
  
• When you finish your holiday cocktail, or your teen polishes off a soft drink, don't chew on the ice. It can damage tooth enamel and metal braces.
  
  
• After indulging in holiday treats, brush and floss thoroughly. Adults who will be enjoying lots of caffeinated beverages for the holidays may want to consider using a teeth-whitening toothpaste.
  
  
• Consider replacing metal braces with clear, removable braces like Invisalign and Invisalign Teen. These virtually invisible aligners gradually straighten teeth without metal braces, and can make the holidays a bit easier for teens (and adults) because the aligners can be removed to enjoy holiday treats. After eating, wearers brush and floss, then pop the clear aligners back in place.
  

Teens and adults who wear metal braces are particularly at risk during the holidays, Dr. Snow points out. Many of the treats they will enjoy during holiday parties - like caramel apples, popcorn and sticky toffee - don't mix well with metal braces. Parents should consider some additional precautions:

• Candy canes are a holiday tradition, but braces-wearers should really cross them off their holiday list altogether. Biting into this hard candy can spell disaster for metal braces.
  
  
• Replace high-risk treats with safer options, like soft or liquid treats, fresh fruit, smoothies or milkshakes.
  
  
• Be especially vigilant about dental hygiene. Food trapped in, under or behind metal braces can cause staining and tooth decay.
  

Teens and adults considering orthodontic treatment should weigh all the alternatives and look for options that will best suit their lifestyle, Dr. Snow advises. Alternatives to metal braces, like Invisalign and Invisalign Teen, replace traditional wire and brackets and are equally as effective for straightening teeth, according to Snow.

"When weighing treatment options, families need to consider the many impacts of orthodontic care over the entire course of treatment, which averages about a year," says Snow. "Because clear braces are removable, there are no food restrictions and no emergency appointments for broken brackets. These can be significant factors for many families whether it's the holiday season or not. "

For more tips on oral care during the holidays and alternatives to braces, visit invisalignteen.com.

Is There A Way To Get Rid Of Pink Eyes Fast?

I've been looking for a way to get rid of pink eyes (sore eyes or conjunctivitis) fast. And you know what? There is no quick cure. I looked online. Some people say wipe the eyes with honey water. Didn't work. Some said use breastmilk. Tried it and didn't work. Some even recommended lemon juice. Errr... I'm not that crazy. I would think lemon juice would hurt your eyes rather than heal it.

It's been one week since I got pink eyes . My girl got it first and she passed it to the rest of us (the other 3 kids and me). However, baby and me seem to have it really bad. The other 2 boys seem to be recovering already. Doctor said it'll probably be another week for me.

Conclusion: It is really tough to get rid of pink eyes caused by bacterial infection. Even the eye doctor said it is getting tougher to treat them.

Best solution: Go to the eye doctor early and get proper medication. Don't be like me and try to treat it yourself with home remedies and then let it get real bad.
The best thing is... Don't get them in the first place.

Best practices:

• Wash your hands constantly. REALLY! Wash them every hour. Wash them before and after you administer medication. Make everybody in your household wash their hands too. If you're not making more than 10 trips to the sink, you're not washing your hands enough. I thought I was making an effort to wash my hands BUT obviously not enough coz' it spread to almost everyone. Put a timer if you must. March everyone to the bathroom to wash their hands every hour.
  
• Constantly wash the towels and pillow cases. Boo hoo. More laundry.
  
• DON'T TOUCH THE EYES. Wash hands if you do.
  

This is my poor baby with her swollen eyes. I was really worried yesterday when I saw blood dripping from her eyes. Well, it was more like red tears. My DH was calmly wiping it off her face telling me not to panic. DON'T PANIC? She's crying bloody tears. How is a mother not to panic?

This is me looking real good for Halloween.

This is the current medication. Please, please, please work. The ointment really stings my eye. The pain is really sharp like putting acid in my eye. 3 times a day folks.

Doctor said to watch the diet too. That means no eggs, no sea food, no fried and oily stuff. Many people just think about what medication to use to get rid of pink eyes fast, but don't give much thought to making diet adjustments too. Well, doctors orders.

So, today I cooked porridge. First I boiled some chicken breast. After it was cooked, I took it out to cool and shredded it later. The chicken stock I used to boil the rice. Also added ginger, "kiam chye" (preserved vege) for the salty taste, carrot and goji berries (good for eyes), tomato (antioxidant), and long beans .

To make it work, I chanted this magical chant as it cooked:

"Yummy porridge, boiling rice,

Help me heal my sore red eyes,

As I eat your nutritious brew,

Make my eyes as good as new."

Think it'll work?

How To Make Housecleaning Easier

I confess, I am not one who likes to do house cleaning. But yet I do my best coz' I know it is my responsibility. Plus, having a DH that is a clean freak makes it hard for me to ignore the dirt, dust and clutter.

Cleaning house is a never-ending job. I am so happy when I see my laundry basket empty, even if it is only for a few minutes. Getting laundry done is like trying to achieve an elusive dream. Let's not forget the kitchen sink. Somehow, an empty cup or dirty spoon will magically show up there. Oh, the pesky dust never stays away for long. Sometimes it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to keep the house clean and get everything else done too.

A friend of mine once shared with me her house cleaning routine. I was amazed. It is so true that if you want to stay on top of housecleaning, it is essential for you to have a routine. However, every situation is different, so the routine that works for your mother, sister, or friend may or may not work for you. But we can all create our own routines to make housecleaning easier.

Here are some housecleaning tips that may help:

• Tackle one room at a time. Many of us don't have an entire day to dedicate to house cleaning every week. Doing one room at a time allows us to break the work up into smaller chunks while still accomplishing something noticeable. One or two rooms each day should allow us to get the whole house clean in a week's time.
  
  
• Do one task at a time, but do it for the whole house. This is another effective way to break the work up. For example, you could dust the entire house from end to end and be done with it. Then you could move on to sweeping or vacuuming. Doing things this way will save time by eliminating a lot of the "stop and go" as well.
  
  
• Try grouping certain tasks together to multitask. Chores like doing the laundry do not require constant attention, so we can do other things while we're waiting for the clothes to be washed and dried. Associating another task with it that is more labor-intensive, like dusting or cleaning the kitchen, can increase our productivity. Once the first load is finished, we can fold or iron clothes while waiting for the next load.
  
  
• Break larger tasks up into smaller ones if they become too monotonous. Some of us have rooms that it seems to take forever to clean, or certain chores that we just hate to do. Breaking them up into smaller, more manageable parts might help us get them done. For example, if you despise cleaning the bathroom, you could clean the shower and then go work on something more enjoyable for a while. Then you can come back later and tackle something else, and repeat until the whole bathroom is clean.
  
  
• Put on some upbeat music to keep yourself motivated. Listening to music you love can make any task more pleasant, and something with a good beat will keep you moving. You might even find yourself dancing as you clean.
  
  
• Get your children involved in the routine. Don't pamper your children and exclude them from doing any house chores. Even a child as young as 3 years old can help around. I get my kids to take out the garbage, put away their folded clothes, wash and dry some of the dirty dishes, and sweep and mop the upstairs once a week. You don't have to bribe them. Teach them that keeping the house clean requires team work.
  

Having a routine is a great way to do anything more efficiently. This is especially true for housecleaning.

Do you have a housecleaning routine? What are some ways you make your housecleaning more efficient?

How Often To Nurse a Newborn

The first time I held my baby to breastfeed, I was sooooo worried. The nurse just plopped her in my arms and reminded me to switch breast after 15-20 minutes. I stared at her blankly and asked "how do I do this?" She wasn't very helpful and didn't show me how to get baby to latch on properly. Anyway, I had tried to read as much as I could before baby popped and eventually figured it out.

Many new mothers have been told to breastfeed their baby every 2-3 hours. However, you'll soon find out that newborns have a schedule of their own -- which is no schedule. The first few weeks, you may feel like baby is almost attached to you the whole day because they are constantly crying to be fed.

A common question among new nursing mothers is "should I follow the clock or should I feed on demand?"

Here is some points to answer that question and also to resove some concerns you may have.

• Forget the clock. Feed on demand. During those first few weeks, you need to build up your milk supply.
  
  
  
• Don't worry about fitting into a 2-3 hour schedule those early days. Follow baby's needs and eventually, baby and you will naturally fall into a schedule. This will happen when baby is a couple of months old.
  
  
• Don't forget that baby will go through a growth spurt. So don't hold back on the milk.
  
  
• A newborn's stomach is very small...imagine a walnut. That means they get full quickly. Plus, breastmilk is easily digestable. Hence the reason why they are hungry again so fast.
  
  
• Not all babies are the same. Some will nurse more often than others.
  
  
• Don't worry too much about over-feeding baby (unless baby have GERD). Be more worried of not feeding enough.
  
  
• Don't assume that doctors and nurses know a lot about breastfeeding. You want expert advice, find a lactation consultant or your local La Leche League.
  
  
• They will tell you to count the number of wet diapers to determine if baby is getting enough milk. I never really bothered much with this advice because you can't really tell how many times baby has peed when using disposables. Me, I get my peace of mind when baby is gaining weight as should and there are no signs of dehydration.
  
  
• To wake the baby or not to wake the baby? I say let baby sleep. My friend told me this, "baby grows in 2 ways: drinking milk and sleeping". So don't think that sleep is bad for your baby. Take advantage of that time. Be thankful you have been given time to rest.
• If your baby sleeps pretty well at night, you may find they feed more often in the day. Some mothers do cluster feeding. Feeding time could be every hour and maybe even every 20 minutes (gosh).
  
  
• If baby sleeps after 5 minutes of nursing, tickle their cheek or under the chin. Do whatever to keep them awake. Initial sucking gets them colustrum. Further sucking will get them hind milk which is what they need to fill their hunger. If they don't get the hind milk, they'll remain hungry.
  
  
• I know it gets very tiring to sit down and nurse the whole day. Who said you had to sit down? The best thing I learned was to feed baby lying down. I did that with baby #2 onwards and got so much rest that way.

I hope you found these tips useful.
Happy breastfeeding!

Birthday Party Etiquette Tips

Image via WikipediaKids' birthday parties are lots of fun, but planning them can be somewhat stressful. There are decorations and favors to buy, refreshments to choose, and games to plan. For the guests, there are arrangements to make and gifts to buy. And throughout it all, there are lots of etiquette issues to consider on both sides. Here are some tips to help you get through it all.

When Your Child is the Host

• If you can invite some but not all of the children in your child's class at school, mail the invitations or deliver them to their homes if possible. Doing so will save hurt feelings. If that is not possible, have your child give them to friends as discretely as possible, and tell her to try to avoid talking with them about the party at school.
  
  
• Be as specific as possible on the invitations. If you want the parents to drop the child off, put the child's name on the invitation instead of just "you." If a parent or sibling is welcome to come as well, add the words "and parent" or "and guest."
  
  
• If guests do not RSVP, feel free to call and ask politely if they are coming. It is their responsibility to let you know, but some people just don't. Calling to find out one way or the other will make planning much easier.
  
  
• Talk to your child before the party about his responsibilities as the host. Reinforce his good manners, and encourage him to make sure that all of his guests are having a good time. If he forgets to thank guests for their gifts, a gentle reminder should suffice.
  
  
• Have extra food and favors on hand. An unexpected parent or sibling may show up, even if you were extremely clear about who was invited on the invitations. The best thing you can do is be prepared for this.
  
  
• When the party is over, have your child write thank you notes. If she is too young to write, she can help you by telling you which guest brought which gift or signing the cards herself. The idea is to show her that it's the right thing to do, even if she's not capable of doing it all on her own yet.

When Your Child Is a Guest

• Read the party invitation carefully to see whether the parents should stay or the child should be dropped off, and whether the child is invited to bring a guest. If it is unclear, don't be afraid to call the parents and ask.
  
  
• Get your child to the party on time. If you're dropping him off, be back to pick him up on time too.
  
  
• Refresh you child's memory on the subject of good manners. Even the best mannered child in the world has a lapse every now and then. It doesn't hurt to remind her of the finer points.

You can get more birthday planning tips here. It is a free PDF download:
Mom’s Guide To Fun Easy Kids Birthday Parties

The Top Halloween Costumes for Babies

A Look at the Most Popular Halloween Costumes for 2010

So Halloween is just around the corner! It’s nearly time to have your little ones all dressed up and ready to search for candy. Halloween can be a fun time for children because they can dress up as their favorite characters from TV and the movies; however there is always the question of how to dress your baby for Halloween.

As babies are very small and are obviously unable to support themselves in terms of deciding on a Halloween costume, it is your responsibility as a parent to choose the right baby gear this Halloween. Let’s take a look at some of the top Halloween costumes for babies this year to give you a reference point for your own costume search.

1. Pea in the Pod
A classic costume for your babies is the pea in a pod outfit. Designed to allow the baby to sit inside the costume with only their face and arms exposed, this is an ideal costume for babies living in colder climates as it will work to keep them warm and toasty. As this costume essentially places your baby in a pouch, you will find that your child is much easier to carry as a result of using this costume.

2. Baby Lobster Halloween Costume
Boasting a similar design to the pea in the pod costume, the baby lobster Halloween costume will allow your child to have their hands and face free. Once again your baby will be warm and snug in this cute outfit, but rest assured you’ll never find a cuter lobster! This costume is very festive if you live in a tropical climate or you are having a tropical themed Halloween party.

3. Horton the Elephant from Dr. Seuss
This costume will allow your child more freedom in their limbs, as their legs and arms are able to move freely. This Halloween costume also comes with a hat which is shaped into the head of Horton the Elephant, so as a parent you do not have to worry about your baby suffocating in a mask.

4. Chili Pepper Baby Costume
Similar in design to the pea in the pod and the baby lobster costume, this outfit presents your baby as a delicious vegetable. If you are a chef, vegetarian or simply want to add a splash of red to your Halloween this costume is for your baby!

Well there you go; you now have great costumes ideas for your baby. Hopefully you are able to find the costume you want before the big night! Trick or Treat!

Note: Article courtesy of Suzy from SureBaby.com

p.s. Want to make Halloween fun for your kids? Get your free copy of Mom's Guide To Making Halloween Fun For Kids today.

What To Do With Pink Eye

My daughter K have missed school for about 2 weeks now because of pink eye (also known as sore eyes or conjunctivitis). Actually, the problem with her eyes started more than 2 weeks ago.

Out of the blue one afternoon, she said she felt a pain on her right eye. What I saw gave me a shock of my life. Not only was the eye red, but there was like a bubble on the outer side of her eye. Mind you, not on the eyelids but on her eyeball. The only way I can describe it is like having a blister on your eye. Anyway, DH quickly took her to the Tun Hussein Onn eye hospital. Apparently it was an allergic reaction. As they washed her eye, they found an eyelash. Don't know if that was the culprit. They gave her some drops and ointment. Her eye was looking much better when she came back from the hospital. Anyway, they told her to go back to the hospital 5 days later. By then, her eyes were ok.

4 days after that 2nd hospital appointment, both eyes became red. I wasn't sure if the redness had any connection with what happened to her eyes earlier on. I didn't want to go back to the hospital to wait another 2-3 hours. It looked like pink eye so I told her to keep washing her eyes with cotton. Asked her to put some cool sliced cucumber to relieve the discomfort. I was hoping her eyes would get better in a few days. WRONG!

MAMAS PARENTING TIP: If you suspect your child is having sore eyes, take him/her to a doctor straightaway to get proper medication.

Her eyes were swollen top and bottom. It was such a scary red especially underneath the eyelids, it looked like it was bleeding. When she closed her eyes, you could see like a bruised mark. After 4 days of having sore eyes, I took her to our family GP. He confirmed it was conjunctivitis cause by bacteria. He gave some antibacterial drops and ointment. Said it should clear within 24 - 48 hours. If not, go back to see him.

After 48 hours, I see more white in her eyes but still lots of red underneath the eyelids. Took her back to GP who recommended we see an eye specialist to check it out further.

MAMAS PARENTING TIP: You can see a general doctor for pink eye. But it is better to see an eye specialist.

When I took K to see the eye specialist, he mentioned that sore eyes these days are becoming more difficult to treat as the virus or bacteria is becoming more resistant to medication. That's why the medication given by the GP didn't really work. He gave K another kind of antibacterial drops and ointment PLUS antibiotics to take orally.

Pink eye due to bacterial infection is contagious. I know it can be worrying that your child is missing so many days of school. Try to make it up with some home schooling.

Also, make sure there is no sharing of towels, pillows etc.... Ask the other siblings to stay away as much as possible. Very likely they won't. Hahaha. That's the case with my kids. They just can't stay away from each other. Now my son D1 has one eye that is slightly red. Sigh! Attack of the evil red eye.

Baby Is 13 Months Old

Finally, baby is walking! Well, kinda walking. She is still very wobbly and is still crawling a lot. Anyway, she so very badly wants to go out of the house like her brothers. So, I quickly went over to Econsave to get her a pair of shoes. Not the best baby walking shoes, but good enough to let her venture out.

Koko, I want to follow you

Yay! Independence. Well, semi-independence.

Now we need to go out there, into the big wide world.

Speech update:
Everything is "papa". Papa means daddy, mommy, koko, jie-jie, pick me up, give me that, give me a drink etc.... Once in a while, there is something other than "papa". Sometimes it is "peh peh". Recently I think she says "what's this" and "give". Maybe it's just my imagination interpreting her babble as such. One thing is for sure, she's got a loud voice. Can't really blame her. Her siblings all shout at home. I'm also shouting a lot at home (guilty face). Guess she thinks that's how she's suppose to talk.

Her favorite objects:

• Pencil. Yea, I know you're probably saying that it is unsafe to give baby a pencil. It'll poke her eye out and poke everybody else's eye out too. But she is really a fiesty one. If she gets hold of something she wants, she will have an iron grip on it. But you know what? She wants a pencil because she wants to make marks on a paper. Again, the power of example. She does it because she is following what her siblings do - writing and drawing on paper.
• Books. She likes to turn the pages.
  
• Paper. Yup, she still likes to tear and eat paper.
• Straw and spoon. The best way to keep her occupied when we go out to eat.
• Handphone. Please don't call me. SMS me. Every time the phone rings, she wants it. Hence the reason why I can't hear you coz' there's a screaming baby next to me.

Mamas Parenting Tip

• Don't snatch things away from baby. Instead, gently ask her to give it to you. And use the word "please". Now every time baby picks up some rubbish on the floor, she will give it to us. Once in a while it goes into her mouth but more often than not, she will give it to us. Recently, we saw her pick up stuff and put it in the waste paper basket too. Thumbs up for baby!
• Label the things you are doing e.g. open, close, kick, put back etc.... Talk to your baby all the time. It will help build their language skills.
• No, it's not time for Barney, Maisy Mouse, or whatever TV character to be their babysitter yet.
  

How Much Do You Spend On Meals?

There was a really interesting conversation going on in a mothers' forum I belong to. It was about how much we spend on our daily meals, how many dishes per meal and what sort of meals we prepare.

My Meal Plans
As for me, I prepare at least 3 dishes when I serve rice. Meat dishes are either chicken or pork. I will either make a stew, braise, stir fry or curry that can be eaten for both lunch and dinner. That way my meal preparation in the evening is less work. I hardly cook seafood because DH and daughter are not fans of seafood. DH cannot stand the smell of fish. The only fish dish I cook now is the "assam stingray" (ikan pari).

Vegetables are usually french beans, long beans, 4-angled beans, ladies finger (okra), spinach, bok choi, taugeh (beansprouts), "pucuk kacang" (tau miu), broccoli and cauliflower. These are the vegetables available near my area. I have stopped cooking "kangkung" (water spinach) because of a story I once read about how there were leaches in the hollow stem of the vegetable and how the person ingested it (apparently it didn't die even after cooking) and got stomach problems. I don't know if it's true or not but the image I have of it in my mind is enough for me to say "NO" to kangkung.

My third dish is either tofu, eggs or another vegetable.

To avoid burnout, I don't cook "lavish" meals everyday. Some days are easy days. That means maybe sandwich for lunch or very simple meals, for example vege, vege, egg. I also have to use my food storage once in a while. That would be baked beans or pasta.

I also have noodle days. I would do "char kuey teow" like the hawker stalls. I'll cook each plate individually. Fried beehoon with stew pork is also one of my "noodle-day" dish. If they are enough prawn shells in the freezer (collected over time), I'll ask my FIL to cook prawn noodle (har mee or hokkien mee).

Then there are also "pasar malam" days. If I need a break from cooking, I'll just go and "tapau" some food from there. It gives the kids a break from eating home cooked food too. Once in a while they like to eat "outside" food.

Anyway, this is how I avoid cooking burnout - balance simple days with "lavish" days. Take a break if needed.

Of course, family members need to give 100% support too. No individual ordering of food. Don't tell me you don't like what's been cooked and then ask me to cook something else special for you. I do not run a restaurant. The rule in my home is you eat whatever is on the table. If you don't like it, either learn to like it or go hungry. My kids understand this rule very well.

How Much Do You Spend?
Today I spent RM35.05 at the wet market. I would say that's not bad for 2 meals - 3 adults and 3 children. Usually I spend less than RM30. So for me, cooking is definitely more economical than eating out.
Menu for today: (Moderately easy cooking)
Lunch - Egg taufu with fan mushroom and prawns, 4-angled beans and fried eggs.
Dinner - Ginger chicken, long beans, bok choi.

While preparing the chicken, I separated the chicken's dark meat from the white meat. I've kept the white meat in the freezer for another meal. This is my new practice. I used to cook the whole chicken for stew and such and then find everyone avoiding the white meat. Not wanting to waste, I'll try to finish it and despise everyone for it. Why practice something that doesn't work, right? So from today onwards, I'll find some other use for white meat, one where everyone will eat it. I think I'll save some money this way too.

Do share how you handle your family's meals. What do you do to cut down meal expenditure?

Online Garage Sale!

I'm moving and I need to let some things go. I've created a webpage where you can view the stuff for your convenience. Not everything has a price. Some things are free. What might you find?
Baby slings, carseat/baby carrier, bicycle, microwave oven, cake mixer, fisher-price baby gym and books (parenting, children and business). I'll add on as I pack stuff up. So do give it a look and see if you want anything. Oh, and spread the word for me among your friends. Thanks.

http://valuebookshop.com/moving-house-sale.htm

Snail Racing

I was cooking in the kitchen day before yesterday when I heard D1 telling D2 to cheer "my one, my one, my one". So I got curious and went to see what all that was about. Apparently they were having a snail race.

Here are the participants of the race. As you can see, these are not the big brown snails you find in the garden. These are "water" snails. That's probably not what they are called but that's what I call them. We usually put them with the fishes.

The race has started. These snails are not as slow as you think.

Going in opposite directions. How to race lah like that?

Mamas Parenting Tip

• Nature is a fun playground for kids; full of things to explore and play with.
• Give kids time to play. It's good for their mind and soul.
• There is joy in the simple things of life.
  

Baby Rabbits

This was my surprise this morning...

Yeah, a baby rabbit. I didn't even know "Fei Poh" (that's what we call her coz' she was the bigger of the 2 rabbits that we found) was pregnant. I looked over at the cage and wondered why she had shed so much fur. Looking more closely, I found a baby rabbit. But it was already dead :( I saw a pile of fur moving and found another baby rabbit underneath. Yay, 1 survivor!

Here is the mother and baby. I kept checking up on the baby throughout the day. It looked like the mother didn't care for it. She didn't give baby a chance to drink milk. Poor baby can't even find the mother. I tried to help by pushing the baby towards the mother.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I just read that newborn babies only need to feed once a day. And it is very common for people to think that the mothers are not taking care of the babies, but in reality they are. Also, it is ok to handle the babies. I thought they were like hamsters that would eat up the baby if you touched them coz' they would smell like you. So thank you Mr. Google, I am now enlightened. I'm going to take another sneak peak now (it's almost midnight) to see what's going on :)

UPDATE (7 Oct 2010)
The baby rabbit is gone. I'm totally bummed. I checked last night and it was still there. Woke up this morning and no baby rabbit in sight. I went to see Mr. Google again and apparently, rabbits do eat their young and it's quite common for inexperience mother rabbits to eat their first litter. Here's something I found about mother rabbits eating their young. However, I do not see a body. It could well be the cat. Or the other female rabbit we have. Sigh! Whatever the reason, I'm totally bummed. No more baby rabbits :(