Category: Pregnancy

oh yeah.. Baby is still in my tum-tum.
Had another Gynae appointment yesterday and Dr C told me “try going for long walks.. take the stairs.. eat spicy food”
So i went shopping at Jem after the appointment to look for nursing bras and some other necessity, like errr cute hairbands for me. Lol

The shopping trip had me in stitches though (and few hundreds poorer!). I had Braxton Hicks in the midst of all the shopping. I’ve been having frequent Braxton Hicks and probably some false labor contractions the other night. But nothing so painful that warrant a visit to the hospital. After all, the cramps kinda subside when i move around so i figured it’s not a real contraction. So yes, i’m still wondering how real contraction feels like.

I’m also nursing a fever, flu and a bad cough. So i’m kind glad labour has not started yet cos i prefer not to be sick during labour. I get really cranky when i’m sick and the thought of having to push a baby out seems like double the hard work. So i told Dr C to prescribe me meds so i can clear the flu & cough up asap and i was given some antibiotics safe for pregnancy.

Dr C also mentioned checking my waterbag levels and an internal check next week and if baby is still not out yet, we’ll set a date for a possible induction at 41 weeks cos my sugar levels seems to be on a higher side these days. Although to be honest i blame it on the honey i’ve been taking to soothe the cough (ok lah… to be fair, i also indulged in Ben & Jerry’s. Lots of it!) But of course i didn’t tell Dr C that! Some things, you just don’t tell your gynae lah ok. Kidding.

Friends & family have been msg-ing me regularly to ask if i’ve given birth. Even Rusly’s colleagues have been asking him “is the baby out yet?”. Looks like we’re not the only excited ones!

Me at 39 weeks. I love my new pyjamas. So cute! But Rusly told me i look like a Vietnamese maid. Boohoo.
Or maybe he meant Vietnamese Mail Order Bride. Hahahaha

It’s even harder to sleep now. I sleep for 3 hours interval most of the time and each time i toss & turn in bed, Rusly will wake up and ask “You ok? Sakit ke? Contractions eh?” Lol.
Somebody will be having sleepless night for a week or so.

I’ve been tempted to try other natural labour-inducing method and then i saw this hilarious video on Youtube.

So cute lah this woman! Hahaha.
I might just be tempted to do this if i still don’t have any labour signs by next week! But probably not when Rusly is at home.
Super embarrassing sak. Dah macam ni.

We’ve reached full term today, Alhamdulillah.
37 weeks checkup done today. Was slightly late as i was too sleepy. I could barely open my eyes. But i had a solid 6 hours undisrupted sleep last night which i’m thankful for because i was so tired from all the previous sleepless nights. I even took a nap while waiting for my appointment tadi.

Something funny happened earlier, i was slouched on the sofa and sitting in front of me is another pregnant lady and her son, who is probably about 4-5 years old? Baby was really active this morning. She kept moving and kicking and my tummy was all senget sebelah. At one point, the little boy saw the baby moving and he was so amazed he kept looking at my tummy and then at his mum and then he looked at me as if i’m keeping anak kucing dlm perut. Hahahaha. So cute lah the boy!

My Strep B test came out negative so we’ll do without the antibiotic drip when i go into labour nanti.
My BP is normal so far and i was telling Dr C that i feel increased pressure down below. It’s heavier and harder to walk.
So while doing some routine check, Dr C mentioned baby is engaged and i’m already going through the lightening process whereby the baby is moving towards the birth canal.

Continue reading “37 Weeks” →

and we’re at 36 weeks this week. tick tock tick tock.
Macam cepat gila and baby will be full term next week.

I had high hopes of finishing a lot of baby related stuff last week but the MIL was admitted to the hospital again last week and i’ve been busy going to and fro hospital and so it remained stagnant.

But early this week, i managed to wash some of baby’s clothes and swaddles. Next would be her bath towels, washcloths etc pulak, Can i just mention how divine baby detergent smells like? And how cute baby clothes are?! Hahaha

Continue reading “36 Weeks” →

This is how i feel these days. Macam stuffed turkey baru kluar oven. Baby is still quite high up so i have difficulty breathing most of the time. I try to walk around the house more, hoping it’ll provide me relief. Tapi kaki pulak sakit, because of the water retention. #pregnancyproblems.

I also have a huge appetite these days. You should peep in my bag. It’s filled with snacks.
Macam kedai mama bag tu sampai out of shape and all. I get hungry all the time. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night feeling peckish and i’ll start eating small bites. When i wake up in the morning, it’s full on hungry! Macam 3 hari tak makan punya hungry. Surprising cos i lost appetite during the 1st & 2nd trimester and then now it’s back with a vengeance!

Other than that, my nesting period has finally kicked in. We got the IKEA Drawer up last night. Major achievement i tell you. So proud of Rusly. LOL
I also managed to finish up some DIY project last week.

Like this Bolster & Pillow Set. From some scrap cloth i found from previous projects. Will try and sew crib sheets next when i have time to buy more cloth!

I’ve also finished up the Name Blocks! Will take a picture of it soon!
Now in the midst of spray painting some rattan ‘treasure box” and the existing IKEA Shelvings in the room and pasting some design strips on the IKEA Drawers.

I’m still thinking if i should buy the Wall stickers from Etsy but the thought of fixing it up macam lemau sikit. Although actually Rusly will be the one fixing it up because he won’t allow me to climb up a ladder. But OCD me would want to pasang sendiri.

As of now, i’ve sorted out baby clothes, removed tags and arranged them nicely in the drawer. Till i have time to go and do the 1st wash and then next would be to find out what to put in the hospital bag and print out a labour cheat sheet for Rusly. Like where to go when i’m in labour, Delivery Suite Hotline, where to do the Birth Cert & Baby Bonus Registration etc..

34 weeks this week! 6 weeks to meeting my babe, InshaAllah.
I know 6 weeks will pass by really fast. But when you’re in your last trimester, 6 weeks pass by so slowly!

Help! I can barely see my feet now!
And i swear by my FitFlops! I use to think they are overpriced slippers but ohmaigod they are so comfortable, i’m not kidding you! if you’re pregnant and you think all your flats / sandals are damn kurangajar to you, go and buy FitFlops!

Ok dah. This entry is getting too random already. Lol

So i finally attended the Natural Birth Talk with the husband yesterday morning. I went ahead with Birth Maia by Kak Fadillah Yusope. It was really by chance, cos i PM-ed her on FB, asking if she might be opening a class soon and she said yes! Anyway, i got to know her from the FB Group The Gentle Birthing Ummi Support Group. You guys can join that group if you wish to read up on other local muslim mummies attempt on Natural Birth.

So we started the day early yesterday and head over to Yishun for the class. Class was supposed to start at 10.00am but the other couples came late so we only started at about 10.30am. It was a small group, only 4 couples in the group so it was definitely an intimate session. I enjoyed the session and was quite worried Rusly might not enjoy the class but he was quite participative in the class and enjoyed the sharing session.

We basically covered on how to achieve natural birth. The cons of episiotomy, induction, epidural and c-sections. Our rights as a birthing mother, what to do when we are having contractions / when our waterbag burst etc. One of burning question – when is the right time to go to the hospital because as much as i can, i would prefer to go through my initial labour pains at home instead of at the hospital. Thankfully, Kak Fadillah kept saying NUH is very pro-natural birth and mentioned how she and her clients have worked numerous times with Dr Citra and she is a pro-natural doctor who will try hard to adhere to your birth plans and not just throw it out of the window. So yes, i’m slightly relieved at that because i feel it’s useless to do up a Birth Plan if your gynae is gonna dismiss it and just go ahead with the template birth procedure.

Sidetrack a bit, during my last appointment with Dr Citra, she mentioned she usually let her patients wait till 42 weeks if they can and i was pleased to hear that because honestly i don’t think many hospitals do that. Usually, they’ll try to induce you at 40 weeks and get the baby out asap. However, she mentioned because i have GD, if my sugar levels rise too high closer to labour or if they think baby is getting way too big, she might have to induce me latest by 41 weeks if baby show no signs of making an appearance. But i did tell her we’ll play it by ear cos i really do not wish to be induced / have a failed induction which might result in a C-sect. But we shall see!

As of now, my birth plan consists of;

– Natural Birth with no unnecessary medical interventions eg Induction unless Labour has not started at 41 weeks.
– Epidural to be made available only if i request for it.
– I prefer not to have episiotomy.
– Able to walk around & move freely at the hospital and not be strapped constantly on the bed.
– Able to eat & drink.
– Delayed cord clamping within 5-10 minutes after birth
– Give birth in upright position. (via Birth Stool / Squatting position and i was told Dr Citra is ok with that)
– No other males present in the room
– Quiet & Peaceful environment. I don’t want to hear nurses shouting at me to push macam National Day Parade because it’ll just make me tensed.

I think as of now, it’s achieveable, except the part for no C-sect because i wouldn’t really know the dangers me & the baby will have to go through during labour until the day itself so yes, while i’m not inclined to have C-Sect, i’m not against it if that is the only way for me to get the baby out.

While i rejoice over other mummies positive birth stories, i also have to be realistic with mine because we all manage pain differently and we can all plan everything to a T but ultimately, i leave everything to Allah SWT. I also hope Rusly remembers what he learn from this session because he have the potential to be a good support system for me. Currently, he’s very encouraging and accommodating and i’m glad to share this journey with him. I’ll probably print out a cheat sheet for him soon and paste it on the fridge so he’ll know what to do when the time comes.

If you ask me, it was definitely worth sacrificing our sunday morning for this session. I’ve learnt so much and also know of the options i have with regards to birth. There is no right or wrong timing to attend these classes. Two other mummies in the class is in their 5th month. The other one is in her 3rd month. So naturally they were excited to hear i’m already in my 8th month.

Kak Fadillah initially thought i was in my 5th month pregnancy too and was shocked when i told her i’m in my 8th month. In her words, “You hide your pregnancy well, macam teenager.” Hahaha. Now, if only i look like one as well. Lol

Oh yes, we’re in the 30th weeks now!
That means i have 10 weeks to go. That’s 2.5 months before i pop.
I don’t know why but everytime i tell myself 10 weeks to go, it seems so near.
But when i tell myself 2.5mths to go i’ll be like “alaaaah lama lagi lah!”

I just hope that baby will stay snug in there for 10 weeks. Kalau tak sabar pun, stay for at least 7 weeks more ok.
Cos u’ll be full term by then and after that you wanna come out, keluar je lah. I ok je.

Nursery: 
You know, i thought i would be very excited about the Nursery. Actually i am lah. Just that i’m too lazy to think about decorating it. I’m waiting for the nesting period to kick in and then start worrying about the nursery. The baby cot has arrived though. It’s all assembled cos they did it all for us so it’s sitting all pretty at one corner.

I don’t think we’ll be repainting the room. It’s currently mostly white with a grey wall on one side and i kind of like it grey because it’s a neutral colour so i think i’ll keep it grey with mostly white furniture and some pink decoration stuff. Like pillows lah and apa2 je lah.

I have plans to DIY some deco stuff like the name blocks and posters. Actually i’ve done the artworks but i’ve not send them for prints yet because i’m just lazy. To think i print invitation cards for a living.

All we need to buy now is the wooden blocks, photo frames & curtains from Taobao. Everything is in the shopping cart. Tengah tunggu nak checkout aje.

We’ll be getting the MALM 6 Drawers from IKEA as her wardrobe because i wanna save space and baby clothes are so tiny i don’t think i really need a full wardrobe. That’s if i can control my spending on baby clothes lah. As it is, she has more clothes than Rusly already. Kesian laki aku.

This is the colour scheme i’m looking at but looking at how unmotivated i am right now, i’ll be lucky if that room has a curtain. Tak kisah lah colour apa curtain tu. Janji tak pakai kain batik tutup tingkap.

Continue reading “30 down. 10 to go.” →

Not sure if it’s the pregnancy hormones at work again. Sod it. Really, it is the pregnancy hormones at work again.
This morning, the mother called me to ask if i have kain batik at home for postpartum. I found it weird she’s asking me this so early. Afterall, we have another 2 months to go before i deliver.

and then i realized, no.. she doesn’t want to know the no of kain batik i have at home (which stands at zero actually because i hate kain batik). She just wanted to hear my voice and see if i’m ok because in between our conversation, she asked “kakak sihat?”

I cried when i put down the phone because i felt so overwhelmed with love. You know how mums always tell you “You’ll never know how your mom feels until u become one”

Well, technically i already am a mother? Just that my baby has not made an appearance. Yet.

I don’t know why i got so emotional this time round because she does call me time to time to ask how i’m doing and all but lately i’ve been pretty exhausted. Lack of sleep, a heavy tummy and an Energizer baby kicking all day long (does she not sleep?) It’s been pretty sucky with all these pain but an exciting period for me, each time i feel her move inside me knowing that we’ll be meeting soon. Each day, i wonder how she’ll look like, what’s her personality like and stuff like that.

I’m the first child in the family and i couldn’t help wondering, was this how my mum felt when she carried me many years ago? Uncertainty, excitement all rolled into one.

Did my mom wake up with hands on her tummy, just like me?
Did she spend her nights stroking her tummy to sleep, like me?

Only thing i’m sure, just like me, my mom is also counting down to the day we see this little girl and if anything, this pregnancy made me appreciate my mother a whole lot more.

and so we say Hello to the last trimester and hopefully it’ll be as smooth-sailing as the entire pregnancy. Admittedly, the 1st trimester is not exactly a bed of roses but kira ok lah kan.. Tak cerewet.. All the nausea and the morning sickness that came with it is quite normal & bearable actually. I know some people had it reaaalllly bad. Think Kate Middleton, sampai masuk hospital semua for morning sickness. Or maybe not ah.. she’s part of the Royal Family so obviously she’s given the royal treatment kan? But u get what i mean? Some people really had it bad, going in and out of the toilet from morning to night, so i shall not complain excessively about the 1st trimester because #inisemuanormal.

I had my 28 weeks Growth scan yesterday. It was an additional scan requested by my gynae cos of my low amniotic fluid detected previously so naturally i was pretty nervous. I didn’t read too much into it though cos i didn’t wanna scare myself unnecessarily. But for the last 2 months, i drank so much water, you cannot imagine! Cos that is the only way to counter the problem and Alhamdulilah, my amniotic fluid is back up in the healthy range.

This time round, the waiting time was pretty fast, by that, i mean max 30-40mins wait.
I managed to see baby on screen again.. She’s so big now, she’s filling up the entire womb space already. She’s now 1.1kg. No wonder i feel heavier. Went to see Dr Citra for the scan review after that, asked for the travel note and then she dropped a not so good news. I have borderline Gestational Diabetes.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…

Told you i was scared of GD cos my mom had it during her pregnancies and actually i thought i’m safe from GD cos i didn’t hear any news from them.
Continue reading “Home Stretch…..Baby!” →