Monday, November 28, 2011
Week 41 - EDD+5
We went for a check up 5 days ago on your EDD. I was supposed to be induced then as the doctor was afraid that you may get too big and make labour a little more difficult. There were no contractions still except for a lot of Braxton hicks tightening. We did an examination and found my cervix very soft and I was already 1.5cm dilated. The doctor allowed us to progress naturally since things are going well. He tried measuring your estimated birth weight and it went off the scales! He tried again and got a 4kg registered!! He then said it's probably not accurate as it has only been about a week and I had lost half a kilo myself. Anyway, he gave us another five days which is today before we think of what to do next. Baby, everyone is waiting for your grand arrival! Ah Gong has been here for two weeks now waiting. The confinement lady Ah Mei Che came over a week ago! Even though she agreed to come a week earlier, she now seemed bored of waiting too as she has nothing to do except to cook for us. My friends have been calling or texting to see if you are ready to meet us yet. So when do you think you want to, baby?? Anyway, I continue to pray that you will come naturally without being induced. At God's perfect time, I will start to contract and dilate and help you out. I pray for a fast and smooth delivery without any complications. See you soon, pumpkin!!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Week 39
Dr gave us another 10 days or so 10 days ago. You are still cozily
snuggled up in my womb as we went for another check-up today. I gained
another 1.5kg and you are about a whopping 3.5kg! Dr wanted to stretch
my cervix to help speed things up a little but we wanted to let it
happen naturally and pray that it will these few days as he said that we
will definitely have to do something if you still don't appear by next
week as you would have grown even more by then and labour might be a
little more.. well, labourious.
Ah Gong is already here on standby to watch your che-che should you decide to appear now.
We still have not decided on a name but thinking of naming you Evan as it begins with 'E' so then we will have L (me), O (che-che), V (Papa) and E (you) in the family. :-)
Gung-gung is not well and needs another operation under general anaesthesia back in Ipoh. It has been difficult for Po-po with no help and support but Kau-fu will be heading back tomorrow. It has been a tough time for me too not being able to be there but we just continue to pray that Gung-gung will pull through this surgery safely and recover completely so that he can come and see you, his first grandson!
We continue to pray for you to be safe and will arrive at God's perfect timing quickly and safely. We all can't wait to meet you! :-)
Ah Gong is already here on standby to watch your che-che should you decide to appear now.
We still have not decided on a name but thinking of naming you Evan as it begins with 'E' so then we will have L (me), O (che-che), V (Papa) and E (you) in the family. :-)
Gung-gung is not well and needs another operation under general anaesthesia back in Ipoh. It has been difficult for Po-po with no help and support but Kau-fu will be heading back tomorrow. It has been a tough time for me too not being able to be there but we just continue to pray that Gung-gung will pull through this surgery safely and recover completely so that he can come and see you, his first grandson!
We continue to pray for you to be safe and will arrive at God's perfect timing quickly and safely. We all can't wait to meet you! :-)
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Group B Strep (GBS)
I had the GBS bacteria during the last pregnancy. I had to be in
hospital after my water broke even though there was no signs of labour
yet so that they can insert a line in me to start the antibiotic drip.
It was horrible. First it was on my right hand. Then it got blocked and
my hand was all swollen as the drip went into the surrounding tissues
instead of the blood vessels. So they had to reinsert the line on my
left hand! It was agonising. I couldn't even go to the loo! Plus it was
lunch time when that happened and your Papa had just gone to grab lunch
or something and I was supposed to carry my own lunch tray! I still have
the scar on my hands till today.
You can imagine how hard I prayed this time that I am free from GBS. Two weeks ago, we did the test and when I got the phone call, I broke out in sweat. When the nurse said that the result was negative, I couldn't believe my ears!! Praise God!!! Am so, so, so, thankful! ;-)
You can imagine how hard I prayed this time that I am free from GBS. Two weeks ago, we did the test and when I got the phone call, I broke out in sweat. When the nurse said that the result was negative, I couldn't believe my ears!! Praise God!!! Am so, so, so, thankful! ;-)
11.11.11
Ok, you are officially not a 11.11.11 baby. Although you are expected to be due on the 24th, somehow, I have a feeling that you will pop earlier and often wonder if you will make it for 11.11.11... especially after the mucous plug incident! Guess not. Ah, well.. guess you are feeling very comfortable inside the womb still!
Feet-a-swollen
Generally my body seems to retain more water this time and they show especially on my feet. Was a little worried yesterday when I noticed that my feet were a little more numb and swollen than usual. So I had to prop them up during bedtime and they seemed better this morning though still puffy!
I have been feeling more numbness on my feet when I wake up. I also get numbness very easily on my hands especially during naps or bedtime.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Mucous Plug Off
Started to panic a little yesterday when I think I saw what seems like the mucous plug came off. Quickly packed che-che's bag in case we had to go in in the middle of the night. Then I read in the "what to expect" book that it means nothing. Once the plug is off, it can be a day or even a week or longer before anything happens. Hmm... Somehow psychologically every tinge of pain will jolt me up a little. You may still have a chance to be a 11.11.11 baby!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Useful tips for Pelvic Girdle Pain
I probably mentioned somwhere in this blog before that I have pretty bad pelvic girdle pain this time round even from the 1st trimester itself. I had it with the first pregnancy but I was still very much mobile till the end. This time round, every turn I made in bed is a nightmare. There were days especially after walking too much where I couldn't even get out of bed without help from your Papa or I just had to drag myself somewhere.
Anyway, I read this great tip shared by a mom at Babycentre.co.uk for people like me. She mentioned to wear satin or silk pajamas to bed. It helps to glide so much more easily without the friction.
Another tip that I would recommend is to have the whole double bed to yourself if you can. Then it is easier to move around without having to consider someone else who is sleeping soundly next to you. I had this luxury once in a while. Papa will be in the next room and your big che-che is obediently sleeping on her own mattress. Rare but it did happen now and then.
Although it is recommended to sleep on our sides and stuff pillows and what nots between the legs, I actually felt more relief lying on my back during the 2nd trimester (after consulting and getting approval from doc). It is not so comfortable anymore now that I am huge and off balance to lie on my back but the sides feels better though I need to rotate from side to side ever so often.
Those with pelvic girdle pain are also advised to keep their legs together as much as possible. There were times where I had my legs spread apart and I did feel more pressure but keeping my legs together seems so difficult now with a big, low lying belly! Well, whatever it is, it is just another 10 or so days to go. Hopefully the pain goes off soon after you arrive!!
Anyway, I read this great tip shared by a mom at Babycentre.co.uk for people like me. She mentioned to wear satin or silk pajamas to bed. It helps to glide so much more easily without the friction.
Another tip that I would recommend is to have the whole double bed to yourself if you can. Then it is easier to move around without having to consider someone else who is sleeping soundly next to you. I had this luxury once in a while. Papa will be in the next room and your big che-che is obediently sleeping on her own mattress. Rare but it did happen now and then.
Although it is recommended to sleep on our sides and stuff pillows and what nots between the legs, I actually felt more relief lying on my back during the 2nd trimester (after consulting and getting approval from doc). It is not so comfortable anymore now that I am huge and off balance to lie on my back but the sides feels better though I need to rotate from side to side ever so often.
Those with pelvic girdle pain are also advised to keep their legs together as much as possible. There were times where I had my legs spread apart and I did feel more pressure but keeping my legs together seems so difficult now with a big, low lying belly! Well, whatever it is, it is just another 10 or so days to go. Hopefully the pain goes off soon after you arrive!!
Almost 38 Weeks
Doc says you are now engaged at last night's check-up. He gave you another 10 days or so to meet us. I think that sort of woke your Papa up a bit and he is starting to feel the tension as he has been quite laid back with this pregnancy.
Since we had an early appointment yesterday, we also had an early dinner and decided to go for a hotel buffet (especially after since the doctor approved of me eating sashimi and fresh oysters!! Well, as long as they are fresh!) After dinner, I was totally stuffed!!! I have never felt so huge in my life! This is how I look like now. Gosh!
I am now 73.5kg. Gained another 1.5kg since our last check 2 weeks ago. Might have just gained another 1.5kg after last night's dinner! I was also so tired after the dinner that all I wanted to do was sleep.... I have actually just been a lot more tired lately. Wanting to sleep early but getting up early too after about 7 hours of sleep which is not bad. I had difficulty falling asleep last night though as my legs were just too restless! I found that twisting my foot around helped but last night I had to do so many times before I could settle myself down. I did read somewhere that restless leg syndrome is worse when the sufferer is tired.
With your name, I think we are quite there with the Chinese name but have not confirmed an English name as most of the names that we like have all been taken by someone we know! We may just choose one of the names anyway... Keep praying!
Since we had an early appointment yesterday, we also had an early dinner and decided to go for a hotel buffet (especially after since the doctor approved of me eating sashimi and fresh oysters!! Well, as long as they are fresh!) After dinner, I was totally stuffed!!! I have never felt so huge in my life! This is how I look like now. Gosh!
I am now 73.5kg. Gained another 1.5kg since our last check 2 weeks ago. Might have just gained another 1.5kg after last night's dinner! I was also so tired after the dinner that all I wanted to do was sleep.... I have actually just been a lot more tired lately. Wanting to sleep early but getting up early too after about 7 hours of sleep which is not bad. I had difficulty falling asleep last night though as my legs were just too restless! I found that twisting my foot around helped but last night I had to do so many times before I could settle myself down. I did read somewhere that restless leg syndrome is worse when the sufferer is tired.
With your name, I think we are quite there with the Chinese name but have not confirmed an English name as most of the names that we like have all been taken by someone we know! We may just choose one of the names anyway... Keep praying!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Week 37.5
Only 2 weeks or less to go! Still so unprepared. Still no name. But probably getting there.
It's getting harder by the day for me to move around. I'm getting clumsier dropping things all the time and having difficulty to pick them up. Dressing up is a chore. I wake up with every turn I make in bed so that I can do it comfortably without triggering any pain on the pelvic area. I am not eating a lot as you are probably taking up my stomach space but I have more frequent meals and snacks.
We have decided to stay with Dr Ng in Tanjung Medical Centre after our last visit about two weeks ago (which reminds me that we have an appointment later today!!!) We loved the labour rooms and nursery at Island Hospital and the midwives are probably much more experienced. However, we were told that babies are not allowed to room together with mommies and to nurse, we have to bring our babies to the nursing room! Imagine having to do that every 2 hours or so! Tanjung Medical Centre allows rooming in to encourage breastfeeding though babies will be wheeled back to the nursery if mommy needs rest. We also talked to a very nice ward sister who was very calm, experienced and assuring so I guessed that gave us the peace to stay there even though I still love the labour rooms in Island Hospital compared to the very clinical and basic ones in Tanjung Medical Centre!
I realised that delivering a baby here in Malaysia (or maybe even Asia) is very doctor-oriented. Doctors decide when to induce you and what to do sometimes without even confiding in you. In the UK previously, everything is about the mother. Is mommy comfortable, she decides if she wants pain relief and when, what sort of labour etc.. (provided that it is not a high risk pregnancy). Then in the UK, you basically are on your own postnatal most of the time but here in Malaysia, mommies can be so pampered if you can afford it and choose to have it. Most mommies are encouraged to not get their hands wet and just put their legs up and rest while either their parents or relatives or a confinement lady will do most of the work cooking for mommy and taking care of the baby. I now get to experience both! Quite looking forward to the being pampered part this time round!
Anyway, I finally got some washing done last week - clothes, mittens and booties, blankets and bedsheets. We received lots of other clothes that needs to be washed for you. People have been blessing us with some of theirs which is great as you will be growing so fast that clothes for the first few months are often worn just a few times. However, it has just been raining cats and dogs everyday that it is just impossible to do enough laundry so the rest might just have to wait. Friends are also lending us a Moses Basket and playpen and a sling, saving us a lot! We are so blessed!
Ok, time to get that hospital bag packed! You might just be a 11.11.11 baby?!?!?!
It's getting harder by the day for me to move around. I'm getting clumsier dropping things all the time and having difficulty to pick them up. Dressing up is a chore. I wake up with every turn I make in bed so that I can do it comfortably without triggering any pain on the pelvic area. I am not eating a lot as you are probably taking up my stomach space but I have more frequent meals and snacks.
We have decided to stay with Dr Ng in Tanjung Medical Centre after our last visit about two weeks ago (which reminds me that we have an appointment later today!!!) We loved the labour rooms and nursery at Island Hospital and the midwives are probably much more experienced. However, we were told that babies are not allowed to room together with mommies and to nurse, we have to bring our babies to the nursing room! Imagine having to do that every 2 hours or so! Tanjung Medical Centre allows rooming in to encourage breastfeeding though babies will be wheeled back to the nursery if mommy needs rest. We also talked to a very nice ward sister who was very calm, experienced and assuring so I guessed that gave us the peace to stay there even though I still love the labour rooms in Island Hospital compared to the very clinical and basic ones in Tanjung Medical Centre!
I realised that delivering a baby here in Malaysia (or maybe even Asia) is very doctor-oriented. Doctors decide when to induce you and what to do sometimes without even confiding in you. In the UK previously, everything is about the mother. Is mommy comfortable, she decides if she wants pain relief and when, what sort of labour etc.. (provided that it is not a high risk pregnancy). Then in the UK, you basically are on your own postnatal most of the time but here in Malaysia, mommies can be so pampered if you can afford it and choose to have it. Most mommies are encouraged to not get their hands wet and just put their legs up and rest while either their parents or relatives or a confinement lady will do most of the work cooking for mommy and taking care of the baby. I now get to experience both! Quite looking forward to the being pampered part this time round!
Anyway, I finally got some washing done last week - clothes, mittens and booties, blankets and bedsheets. We received lots of other clothes that needs to be washed for you. People have been blessing us with some of theirs which is great as you will be growing so fast that clothes for the first few months are often worn just a few times. However, it has just been raining cats and dogs everyday that it is just impossible to do enough laundry so the rest might just have to wait. Friends are also lending us a Moses Basket and playpen and a sling, saving us a lot! We are so blessed!
Ok, time to get that hospital bag packed! You might just be a 11.11.11 baby?!?!?!
Bersih 2.0 Rally
9 July 2011 was
A pretty clear representation of what happened on 9 July 2011 on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The people gathered in peace to ask the government for a clean and fair election. The government replied with tear gases and water canons.
To be continued...
To be continued...