baby's a belly drumming!

Yup! I finally felt her moving in my tummy! My suspicions are right - it is her who is making my tummy go "bump"! I thought it was my funny breathing (my lungs are starting to complain about the lack of space) but it shouldn't make my belly button go "bump" suddenly. I was too busy at work to really take note anyway, so last night I put my hands on my bulge and talked to her. She responded with 3 bumps and she sullenly refused to entertain my hubby who came into the room later.

Then in the middle of the night, I was awoken by my hubby who couldn't sleep. So I told him, "Ok you can put your hands on my tummy and see if she will entertain you." She did! She responded with a series of 7 rapid bumps then she stopped. She's probably wanting her sleep too! I just hope she won't be too active in the night during the last trimester! There's no pain involved, in fact I would say I didn't feel any sensation unless I put my hands on my tummy. I'll probably be more aware later on but right now, it's a really a undescribable feeling. I'll say it's making me feel more like a mum-to-be, something a lot more tangible and real ;)

Oh no! Is it PUPPP???

PUPPP stands for Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. It's basically a rash that only afflicts 1% of the pregnant women. While not harmful to mother and baby, it's aparently very annoying. Just read the description in She Said/ He Said - it's enough to scare me for every red dot that appears on my skin.

I have a patch of rashes on my right thigh, it's not the usual welts but raised bumps that look like pimples and my left thigh is starting to have some too. While I suspect it could be due to dry skin (but I've been rubbing it with some cream or oil every night!) but I'm monitoring it and see if it spreads. So far the itch is still controllable, so I don't really think it's PUPPP (which incidentally suppose to start sometime in the last trimester or so).

I'm just wringing my hands but it could well be brought on by stress as well - I remember my scalp breaking out in pimple like rashes everytime I am stressed over work or studies.

I thought I felt my tummy going "bump!" today when I was lying in bed this morning - I didn't really feel anything but since my hands were on my tummy, I felt the movement! Was baby trying to play with mummy? OoOoo coochi coochi!

Update on the leg cramps

For those fellow sufferers, the "stretching" exercise I do before sleep really helps! So whatever position I'm sleeping in, I really don't get cramps anymore.

So the best tip for how to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy, get your partner to help to push to feet down and up, about 10 sets and count to 5 for every up and every down. So far it works for me!

And if you are thinking about foot reflexology, do try this lady at Tranquility Cove (at Thomson Plaza). Ask for Lisa and tell her you are preggie and if you experiencing leg cramps or water retention. By the way, they only do it if you are over 5 months - so endure if you still have some way to go before hitting the 5th month mark. Pamper your feet!

Christmas Galore!

Christmas was well, Christmas. Only had 2 last minute gifts to buy but was promptly solved within 30 minutes. Not much wrapping to do as this year I opted to use gift bags instead. I had purchased or gathered my stock of Christmas gifts by late November, so we could afford not to panic last minute and wringe our hands in buying the "perfect gifts" at the 23rd hour. As usual, the "hard" choices are for the men - I mean how many pens, belts, wallets do they need? This year we "tried" to solve it by trying to buy useful gifts like namecard holders (Tangs has some pretty nice ones!) but in the end, we gave up and just grabbed whatever was available for "men" at body shop.

The rest, the kids were the easiest, just that I keep changing my mind what to give them (so end up I had excess presents which I could use for someone else' kids birthdays). I managed to get hold of this really nice looking jewellery box at a decent price and that was for my mum. Perfect in that sense she can keep all the pieces we had bought for her over the years! The rest, well, I'll just shop according to whatever insipration hits me. Afterall I'm preggie, and I really don't enjoy shopping as a past time.

As for the gifts we got, some were stuff I really wanted (like towels - don't ask me why I am 'craving' for new towels) and the 'super nanny' book which someone thoughtfully gave my hubby! We also got the "what to expect" book for the first year - I should just ask my hubby to memorise those 2 books! Usual items like chocolates, clothes, and unusual items LED ear digger (which had my hubby raving over and asking me to dig his ears in the midding of the night!).

As for what I got from hubby? I purchased a pendant for myself (on his behalf) and at the same time, purchased a ring with an embedded diamond for him. He has been saying he wants a diamond ring ever since he got me the almost 1/2 carat diamond ring, so I thought what better excuse to buy myself another pendant I fancy (not expensive - less than $100!) and to keep him happy? After all he gets a diamond ring! But guess what, he was still raving non stop about the ear digger - so I asked him, "does that mean before I offered to clean your ears, you had been deprived of this pleasure for your entire life??"

Anyway baby had an early start to Christmas too! We now have 1 baby tee shirt courtesy of Dumex (I think) and a bib from Mamil (I think too) from the goodie bag they gave out during the TMC tour. My friend also bought a muslim receiving blanket for her!

My hubby was "nice enough" to agree to let me spend $100 on the Sharity food hampers. I didn't really get to go shopping so I had no chance to drop some money into the salvation army's can. But soon enough, when I can twist his arm to clear some of his old clothes (as in piece he cannot fit into but are BRAND NEW), hopefully they will go to someone who really needs them and not hoard them for the sake of hoarding ;P

Site visit for choice #1 completed

Made a trip to TMC on Saturday and I was quite disappointed. The nicely renovated 4th floor is not the maternity ward. The maternity wards are not scheduled to be renovated until sometime next year or so.

Apparently they had too many maternity patients hence they cannot afford to renovate the maternity wards yet. DUH! Whoever did the planning ought to be shot - because maternity patients make up the bulk of your patients, shouldn't you think of them first?!?!!?!? So we become lower priority so they can milk all the cash they can. The un-renovated floor is quite BAD ... the double room is dingy and dark, something I HATE. The tiolet? *sigh* Lousy is hardly the word to describe it. Anyway I asked, so could we request for the 4th floor rooms, not because it's only nicer, the rooms are MUCH brighter - something that is very important to me. They say they will try to accede to requests so I guess, that's depending on luck then. Can you imagine, being in pain and trying to deal with motherhood in a dark dingy room? As if we don't have to deal with enough factors to trigger off any post-partum depression. I may sound a bit extreme, but you are holding your bundle of your joy in your arms, but the room is not brightly lit enough for you to enjoy the imagined glow of sunray around her head. You are in pain and you have to use a run down tiolet. It's enough to make me want to consider other places with nicer tiolets and brighter rooms. I'll just pay more.

The nicest room with the nicest tiolets are of couse the VIP Suite - It's really very nice, like a hotel suite! Going at $700 plus a day and not being packaged in their delivery packages, the final bill can be quite substantial! Should I work my charms on my hubby? Or should I just hope I can strike some 4D or Toto prizes that are big enough to cover the bills?

Apart from the miserable unrenovated rooms, I do like the nurses at TMC and I like the fact their carpark offers valet services, in comparison to other hospitals I've come across. Ah well, I guess I still have TIME to decide right?

I'll sleep on for now and fret about signing up for the antenatal classes first.

Baby's 540 grams!

Went for the appointment with Dr Y yesterday and first thing he remarked, "Oh you look quite good! Not as tired as before!" Of course, with all the vomitting and frequent peeing in the night all behind me now, I am doing very well. The holiday I had was fantastic, with good food, good wine, my favourite - DisneySea and good company!

 

I am eating very well now, basically I can eat my usual stuff and no cravings for strange stuff or things I always dislike - other than Coke. I also like watermelon and watermelon juice A LOT (my TCM says it's ok to take watermelon!).

 

I told Dr Y about the leg cramps and he instructed my hubby to help me stretch my legs before I sleep every night *YIPEEE* Great excuse to request for a massage at the same time haha! He did remind me to take my calcium tablets or drink 2 full glasses of milk each day and he was almost pleading with me to take my iron supplements. He said my blood count is a bit on the low side and I would really need to take the iron supplement at least once a day or once every alternate day. Oh well, no escaping anymore I guess so my routine should be changed to:

 

Morning

2 cups of fresh milk

2 X fish oil capsules

2 X ginseng/ cordycep capsules

 

Night

1 X iron capsule

2 X fish oil capsules

2 X ginseng/ cordycep capsules

a swig of my multi vits syrup

 

I know it's not a lot of things to take but I keep forgetting and my hubby _doesn't_ bother to remind me either (you read this!?!?!?).

 

So how's my baby girl doing? She's good, very active, although I still _cannot_ really feel her kicking (I take it positively because otherwise I'll be yelping away in public), and she has shifted her position - her head is now at the lower part of my uterus. If that is really the case, this girl is a head banger based on the minor pangs I felt!

 

She now weighs in at 540grams, a middle weight. Her size is normal (yes still normal, I forgot to ask what would then be the expected size at delivery) and her tummy is a really cute round thingy - like a ball! I actually laughed when I saw her tummy. Dr Y was saying, the rounder, the bigger/ heavier the baby. Anyway at this stage, how we know her weight? They measure the size of her tummy (cross section) as well as the length of her thigh bone, and viola, they arrive at the weight.

 

Then I brought up the subject of Caesarian birth and Dr Y was asking "Are you really sure? Don't you even want to try?" So I told him all the horror stories I've heard and read: 1) about the cervix not being able to dilate - have to go for caesarian eventually 2) even if the cervix can dilate but not enough, there will be cervix tear and they need to sew me up. He went, "Yeah, that's true, but are you sure you really don't want to try? Anyway we still have 3.5 months to decide the delivery method so we can always discuss later!"

 

If I really want to try for natural birth (if I even have the guts for it!) then I should be starting on the yoga plus pelvic floor exercises real soon *sigh*

 

And oh, we forgot to ask for the baby's picture and Dr Y forgot to print out for us =( To date we still have no pictures of baby at all!

 

 

 

 

And the cramps are on!

Not exactly the most pleasant feeling - I wake up in the middle of the night trying to grab my hubby's arms to squeeze while trying not to scream in pain - Yes the leg cramps have started!

 

It would typically start from the left leg for about 20 to 30 seconds then move on to the right leg for another 20 to 30 seconds - meanwhile I'll be grabbing my hubby's arms and going " Cramps! Cramps! OWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

 

Last night was particularly bad: 3 times. Twice with both legs and once only the left leg but doubling the time and intensity of pain. So much so that my left leg's calf muscles are still sore and achy.

 

Medically speaking, cramps occur due to lack of body salt - but it doesn't explain why pregnant ladies have leg cramps.

 

Among the sites I've surfed and the "facts" gleaned from them, the typical reasons are 1) due to additional body weight the legs have to carry around 2) sleeping position affects the bloodflow to the legs (so it's a very rude sort of wake-up call to adjust sleeping position?) 3) no idea why.

 

The best solution for the above? Sleep on the sides, not the back, and the best position really is on the left because it allows the maximum/ optimal blood circulation for the body. Oh why on sides, you ask? Apparently, by sleeping on the back, the uterus (with the baby and water bag and the lot) may compress some major veins for blood circulation, hence it is NOT good to do so. Strangely though, as much as I try to sleep on my sides now, I usually find myself sleeping on my back (most comfortable position for now even though I am usually a side sleeper).

 

So I guess I will have to spend money on the foot reflexology - not that I mind, really, it's really a good excuse to help relieve my swollen legs and it lets me have a really good night worth of sleep!

Ok - EDD reminder

Got around to create a baby ticker from a site that has pretty nifty checklists for various events - hospital bag and nursery room were 2 specific ones I was looking at.

Anyway, here's the ticker



Hopefully nearer to the expected date that I SHOULD be ready, I can start panicky in a slightly more timely and organised way.

List of Things to do

1) Go on site visit of the hospitals - decide which one to do delivery in

2) Start looking for a stroller and baby car seat - as a set if possible

3) Comfortable nightgowns in case the hospital don't provide them

4) Stock up on diapers, diaper cream, diaper wipes and if possible, diaper changing table

5) BOTTLES! TEATS! Breast pump possibly and nursing pads

6) Hospital bag for delivery - search for items to put inside

 

Ready! Get Set! .... er so soon?

I've been fending off queries by well meaning friends - are you ready? have you bought the stuff? have you decided where to deliver? have you????

It's more stressful than anything else, because at this stage 1) I'm still coming to terms that I'm going to give birth to a baby sometime next year 2) my EDD still SEEMS so far off 3) besides I still have 1 more month than the rest to gather my thoughts and plan.

Anyhow, I've started sms-ing with my swollen digits (yes, water retention) to relatives and friends and ask them if they have anything to lend to me for the coming arrival. Very often, they will ask what I need? My reply is always the same, "What do I need?" Really, I think they should have guidebooks on these things - "How to prepare for the arrival of a baby for new parents and surviving the ordeal."

I been asking my hubby to ask his friend, but in the end, I asked him myself and thankfully his wife agreed to help me out. I told him I really have no idea what I need - I only know I can get 1 baby cot, some baby clothes and that's about it? I have a baby sling coming courtesy of a free gift and I am supposed to buy a stroller with a deatchable car seat.

The only thing I'm certain of, I am opting for a Caesarian birth. Why? Pain has a few effects on me - 1) I just go limp 2) I throw up 3)I won't cooperate so the best thing is just to knock me out with GA so that the docs and nurses just do whatever they need to do with my FULL cooperation and I wake up in pain but all the blood and gore is over.

Anyhow, I still have TIME, lots of it at this current moment, to think about it all the preparation and birth plan stuff. Just let me enjoy my festive meals and holidays without killing my grey matter for now.

Nap attack!

As popularised by Garfield, nap attacks are an very convenient way to describe the sudden wave of yawns and the urge to sleep.

I hadn't had the nap attacks for quite a while but it has recently returned again. For example, we had a mini party for my hubby's colleagues on Friday evening - was to be a BBQ but well you know the weather, so it's frantic cooking - microwave, oven and the stovetop. By the time I gave up, I was so HOT and I was quite worried about baby geting overheated. It was maybe 9plus? then I started yawning. By 11pm I was quite dead to the world - just leave my hubby to do the minimal cleanup and thankful that my part-time maid requested to switch to come on Saturday morning instead of Sunday morning.

Then Saturday evening, we had another gathering for my hubby, this time his ex classmates. Wasn't so bad since it's pot luck and all I made was potato salad. So we were chatting and eating around the table. We were fussing over his classmate baby, a very adorable 3 month old girl. Then by 10pm I told my hubby I wanted to rest (started to yawn my head off) and I snuck into the bedroom. Before long, I was snoring (I knew because I woke myself up with my snores) and I slept throughout till this morning 9am.

And now? It's going to be 10pm and I'm starting to yawn my head off. Ok it's really bedtime for me. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I just hope I don't get the nap attacks during work tomorrow! Otherwise I'll be a zombie starting blankly at the piles of papers on my desk.

Oh oh! I almost forgot. I went to see my TCM and she declared my baby was growing well and all the vital signs are healthy. How do I feel? Great! I also bought bird nests to cook and my first attempt is pretty decent. Just not as good as what I used to eat at my mum's place. Practise practise practise (good excuse eh)!

Green eye monster rearing its ugly head

I'm not particularly a possessive person, not an insecure one.

 

However, with the hormones raging and the bloating of the bump and feet starts, insecurity and emotionally neediness starts to creep in. My hubby may be changing boss and it's going to be a female one. I've seen her picture and she's quite pretty - I would say a few years older than us both at most. So i asked him, "Aren't you worried I may get jealous?" He looked surprised and asked "Why? She's married and she even remembers who you are?" "Well, you know, they always show on TV and movies, happily married people can have affairs with colleagues and superiors too!" HE LAUGHED and exclaimed," You watch too much TV!" *GRRRRR*

 

*sigh* But I'm growing bigger by the day, my feet and ankles look like pig trotters and I look haggard most of the times - would he get sick of me and look to some greener pastures? I guess the temptation is always out there and I should be trusting him - but like I said, with the hormones raging and the percieved ugliness factor of pregnancy sets in (I'm definitely not some glam mum to be), it's hard to feel on top of the world and confident.

 

Well I must say I'm not totally at fault - he's not giving me enough attention or TLC. Like I was telling someone, the baby will probably be closer to my dogs than him!

Big Foot and other what nots

As the bump grows bigger and my feet increase in shoe size (just went up by 2 sizes to 38), the reality begins to sink in. A few months later I'll be having to feed, burp, bath and change diapers a screaming baby *cringe* and I'll still be waddling around in my maternity clothes. It's kinda scary actually - what did I get myself into?!?!

 

I just went to get new bras, now I'm 38/ 85B - still B cup just that my girth has expanded quite a bit and it's quite a pain to wear my usual ones. Underwear er, no change, since the bikini strings one still fits quite ok and accomodates my bump.

 

The other day, I got 5 pairs of new shoes/ slippers - 2 pairs of slip on flats with RUBBER SOLES, 1 pair of semi sporty looking one with RUBBER SOLES, 1 pair of low heels (1.5 inches) of slip on shoes for dinners (wedding dinners a ringing) (I can't fit inot my usual ones, tight and I can't walk on 3 inches anymore) and 1 pair of slippers with nice thick soles. Why slippers? Er the last pair i have to flip flop around in is partially chewed up, so I'm not sure how long the straps will hold. Your Tevas asked my hubby? Already long incinerated - shows how much he remembers about me asking to buy a new pair of Tevas as replacement.

 

In addition I went shopping for more tops! Actually just 4 tops which I can use for working since most of the others that I have is strappy or strapeless - I don't have that many strapless bras I can use! Then I got my first maternity dress! I may get more because this morning I had difficulty in putting on my maternity pants - though very unlikely because pants are a lot more comfortable to move around in.

 

So how many weeks is the baby in now? I've kinda lost count - I'm not really keeping count anymore. I just know the EDD and I'm still trying to swallow all my supplements - fish oil (the burps stink), calcium (yucks), iron (keep forgetting), folic acid (er missing?), multi vitamin syrup (easy, just take a swig from the bottle every morning) and the ginseng/ cordyceps pills (prescribed by the TCM for the first trimester but I only got around to taking it now because I simply cannot swallow any pills/ tablets then). I'm supposed to cut down on my Coke/ Pepsi with salt cravings, and similarly my lust for watermelon fruit or watermelon juice - I guess in everything, moderation is the key.

 

My mum is worried though - I can't seem to feel the baby kicking or moving but I did read that fat people (me, that is) usually have a harder time feeling it. So the guessing game is still on, is it the baby or is it not. Let see how big the baby has grown on my Japanese food binge for 1.5 weeks - I think I'm due for an appointment with Dr Y next week. 

Did I mention that I seem to be missing some part of my brains too? Starting to be super forgetful.

So the baby has a mind of its own ...

OK the baby wins ... during breakfast i felt very lethargic and very tired ... so we decided to stay in the hotel room to rest today ... didn't venture out except to get lunch and to get my fav dessert ... ah well ... I guess if baby needs me to rest and take it easy, I have to ... afterall we are kinda sharing 1 body now ...

The growing bump

Week: 20

 

It's scary that the bump (hat is the entire tummy area including the baby) is growing so rapidly and so HUGE ... my hubby keeps scaring me that it's because the baby is a huge one ... so far the doctor has said that the baby is growing at the normal rate normal size (remind me to ask him what he means by NORMAL).

 

It could be also water retention but localised at the tummy area is that possible? Everything else seems normal, just that I've been eating quite a quite bit over the last few days andthe double chin seems to be filling out a little bit more *sigh* Still I'm glad to be enjoying my food ... and not suffering from indigestion or whatever.

 

Anyway, it's time to go out soon and enjoy the sights (yes, I'm on a well deserved holiday!) with the baby in tow (or rather inside me). I hope baby shares the same taste in food as me!