Pregnancy, Second Trimester, Uncategorized

Big Tickets

Many times, i’m left wondering how can someone small require a lot of things once they’re born and i really mean a lot!
I was overwhelmed when i followed the Baby’s Market on FB and went thru the baby shopping list. I tried cutting down on things that i think the baby might not need but there’s just still so much to buy & prepare for.

But i’ve been striking off some big ticket items off the list now since i’ve been in a mood to research and all. I cannot imagine doing this in my last trimester if my last  trimester is a mirror to my 1st trimester. Lol

By big ticket items, i mean stuff that the baby would need to use for long, bulky and fairly important.

One that  i’ve striked off the list is the baby cot. Sleeping arrangements has always been at the back of my mind because i know there’s no way i would allow the baby to sleep on the bed with us because Rusly is not exactly someone who can keep still when he sleeps. Neither can  i. So i know there has to be a baby cot in the room. So when i found out about this 5-in 1 Convertible Cot, i knew it’s a God-Sent!

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I love that it can be converted into a bedside bed. So i’ll technically have the baby next to me when i sleep, but not on the same bed.
When the baby outgrows the cot, it can then be converted to a toddler bed next.

It was also going on offer at $159.00 because we pre-ordered it and will collect it at the October Baby Fair later. It’s usually going for $288.00 here. So a little savings there! Better than nothing, eh?

I also wanted to get a rocker / swing for the baby and decided on the Ingenuity ConvertMe Swing-2-Seat because they were having this awesome bundle that’s hard to resist.

Baby not included.
Baby not included.

The retail price is at $229.00 here but the Baby Market had a pre-order bundle where at $299.00, the Ingenuity Washable Playard worth $339.00 is also included! So technically i saved $269.00!

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Love that it comes with a changing table and the entire playard is machine-washable. I just think it’s much more hygienic to be able to wash the entire playard. We’ll probably only use the playard when the baby is bigger though since the baby should be sleeping in the baby cot most of the time.

They also have a lot of stroller deals but for strollers, i would rather see and test it for myself before buying, partly because the stroller is also one of the most expensive big ticket item in the baby list! I have a lot of strollers in  my maybe-lists although i’m really keen on one of them as it fits 90% of my criteria. I spent so much time researching on it because i have so many criteria for a stroller! Will do up a post on it next maybe!

The next big ticket item i’m still contemplating on is the Breast Pump (of all things!). I don’t know if i really need one since i’ll be a stay at home mum but what if i really need it and i don’t have it with me? Like if i have blocked ducts or engorgements etc. But what if i’m unable to breastfeed? You know, that kind of dilemma?

As for baby clothings and all, i think i’ll wait for Carter’s Black Friday Sale in November where everything will go for 50% off!
Think it’ll be a huge savings because even though clothings are pretty cheap, friends keep saying babies need lotsa clothes and they outgrow it so fast so i don’t see a need to buy clothes at full retail price especially for newborns! Lol
I think baby clothes are so much cheaper online! Have u seen the price tag at Mothercare and Kiddy Palace? Phew.

This is only a portion of the Baby List. If you’re keen to see, the Baby List is up here! Let me know if i’ve missed out anything!
Think i can clear half of it before the 2nd trimester ends. Hopefully i can clear everything by end of the year although i hope i don’t end up spending unnecessarily at the Baby Fair. I have a feeling i’ll be lost and get all sucked into buying useless baby stuff there! Lol

Pregnancy, Third Trimester

The Baby Shopping List

Baby Feeding: 
1. Feeding Bottles & Teats (Comotomo)
2. Burp Cloths
3. Bottle Drying Rack
4. Bottle Sterilizer
5. Breast Pump
6. Breast Milk Pouches
7. Breast Pads
8. Nipple Creams

Travelling System: 
1. Baby Carrier / Sling
2. Prams / Stroller (Babyzen Yoyo)
3. Stroller Fan
4. Car Seat (Hand-me-down)
5. Diaper Bag
6. Nursing Covers
7. Pillows & Bolster for Stroller
8 .Bottle Warmer Bag

Nursery: 
1. Baby Cot  
2. Mattress Pad
3. Beddings & Blankets
4. Pillows & Bolster 
5. Swing
6. Playard
7. Changing Table 
8. Baby Wardrobe
9. Latex Mattress
10. Wall Fan

Diapering / Bathing / Baby Soothers: 
1. Diapers (Goo.n)
2. Diaper Rash Cream
3. Minyak Telon
4. Wet Wipes
5. Baby Shampoo / Soap
6. Talcum Powder
7. Baby Towels
8. Pacifier
9. Thermometer
10. Fever Relief Pack
11. Baby Nail Trimmer

Apparels: 
1. Swaddles
2. Mittens
3. Beanies / Bonnetts
4. Socks
5. Short Sleeved Rompers
6. Long Sleeved Rompers
7. Short Sleeve Tshirts
8. Long Sleeved Tshirts
9. Long Pants
10. Shorts

Other Necessities: 
1. Pre-Natal Massage
2. Post-Natal Massage

Pregnancy, Second Trimester

20 Weeks

and we’re halfway through the pregnancy. I think the 2nd trimester is moving really fast as compared to the 1st trimester.
I feel the 1st trimester crawled really slowly, partly because of the fatigue.
My next appointment is this Thursday and this time, i think it’ll just be hearing heartbeats since the detailed scan is due in 2 weeks time.

Many things happened since the last update. I finally felt baby moved at 19 weeks. Although the 1st move was probably triggered by my unhappiness with Starhub. Lol

FB
My baby has a sense of humour. Now all i need you to do the next time i get all worked up, kick me ok. A gentle one will do. Tak mau over sangat.

Continue reading “20 Weeks”

Pregnancy, Second Trimester

18 weeks update

So i met Baby again yesterday! The last time i met baby on screen was 6 weeks ago and in pregnancy time, 6 weeks is very long. Lol.

So happy to see baby! It was yawning / had it’s mouth open wide when it first appeared on screen and i can’t help thinking “anak bapak!!” because ever since the pregnancy, i love seeing Rusly get into deep sleep and he always have his mouth open. Lol

Baby was also wiggling it’s fingers and it’s very obvious on screen.

I also managed to know the gender! Gynae was pretty sure of the gender cos Baby had it’s legs wideeeee open for us to see. But Gynae told me we’ll confirm it during the detailed scan in 3 weeks time. So i would probably announce it later when it’s confirmed!

Mummy is putting on weight, like finally! Although i really do think it’s the Raya “Be Merry and Eat Cookies All Day Long” kind of weight but oh well, as long as baby is growing well!

Appetite is slightly better and i’m craving for foods now. Pretty hilarious but that’s another story for another time!

I have yet to feel baby kicks but i have been feeling weird things happening inside. Like bubbles and butterflies just at my navel area. Gynae told me it’s the baby’s movement and soon i should be able to feel it’s kicks as soon as it gets stronger. I just hope i know it’s baby kicking and not cramps or something.

Continue reading “18 weeks update”

Pregnancy

firstborns

such a simple message but i cried upon watching this the first time. go and watch this!
There’s English subtitles for this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu3iM1azTj4

Can i also mention that crazy me watched one episode of One Born Every Minute on youtube earlier today, cringed at the thought of labor pains and then cried the moment the baby is out? LOL

Damn crazy pregnancy hormones.

Pregnancy, Second Trimester

bump-ed!

After many many conversations & discussions, we’ve finally decided to just go ahead to The Women’s Clinic  instead of going Clinic G with the EMMa Care. I’ve seeked so many opinions and many said the midwives at NUH are pleasant during labour so i’m gonna take it at face value and just believe it will just be alright. But i think the main reason for me to do the switch was because of a somewhat unpleasant trip to Clinic G at my last appointment. I guess it’s just me having a bad day that day cos everything went horribly wrong.

For Clinic G, most of the appointments are scheduled way early in the morning. So the previous appointment was scheduled at 9.45am. I don’t have trouble waking up. I’ll be zombified yes, but i CAN wake up in the morning. What i can’t seem to do in the morning is, to successfully get a cab. At 8.45am i was already calling for cabs, to no avail. At 9.00am, i gave up, i went downstairs hoping i could catch a passing cab. I was trying to get hold of the cab close to 10.00am before i managed to finally get one through the EasyTaxi App. 1 hour in the hot sun, with no breakfast, I felt faint. Reached NUH at 10.20am and i was prepared to wait very long because i missed my appointment by 30mins. So i asked the counter lady, roughly how long till my turn because i would like to get some breakfast. But she told me there’s only 1 patient before me. So not wanting to miss my turn, i wait. I was finally called in at 11.00am. 1 patient before me and i have to wait 40mins? Nampak sangat bedek.

Continue reading “bump-ed!”

IVF Journey, Le Familia, Pregnancy, Second Trimester, Special Events, The Husband & Wife

The Raya Announcement

Eid Mubarak!

On this special day, the husband and i’ve decided (at the very last minute) to just go ahead and announce our pregnancy on social media.

To be honest, we only decided to announce because we have friends and family who have been leaving baby-related comments on our social media posts and it’s pretty obvious already. LOL
and also because i’ll need to announce to The Card Maison future clients soon because i’ll have to close orders for April & May weddings soon as i’ll be on Maternity leave in from late December to February.

photo 2
So yes, we are finally pregnant! Yaaaaaayyyy!

With that, i have also un-privatised my posts on the The IVF Journey and The Pregnancy.

I first announced my pregnancy a few days after our positive blood test here. So you can now read how excited i was upon finding out.

I’ll be 4 months pregnant tomorrow . Almost halfway through the pregnancy. So fast!

Continue reading “The Raya Announcement”

First Trimester, Pregnancy

a week to go!

A week to go till the end of my 1st trimester! Yaaaaay!
one more week to our doctor’s appointment + our Oscar Test to test for Down Syndrome etc.
Just doing it for assurance and because i’m already 30 and this is our 1st child. But to be honest, actually i cannot wait to see baby on the screen again and see how big it has grown so far. My last scan was at 8 weeks and that’s almost a month ago. I’m deprived of  seeing a tiny being on a black screen. Yes, i’m pathetic like that.

While i’m still in my 1st trimester, here’s an update of how it has been so far!

4 – 6 weeks: 
Generally just bloated but otherwise quite uneventful. I didn’t have any morning sickness but i remember having frequents headaches which will go away in an hour. Frequently happen in the morning though. Appetite was still good. Gained a kg but i think it was from the bloatedness.

7 – 8 weeks: 
Still no morning sickness although so many mummies in the Forum were complaining of morning sickness. Almost all of them and i was a bit paranoid why i wasn’t having any. My appetite was still good and i can still eat but the weight i gained was gone. I was slowly losing a bit of weight for some weird reason. Gynae told me it’s normal to lose weight in the 1st trimester and i’m surprised i could lose that weight because God knows how difficult it is for me to even shed one kg when i’m not pregnant! The headaches became more intense, especially if i accidentally skip breakfast. I will have fainting spells when i’m hungry and if it’s too hot. Most of the time, i’ll just drink soya bean or milk and it’ll stop.

9 – 11 weeks: 
I thought i might be one of those lucky ones who’s spared from Morning Sickness and then it came!
at 9 weeks it was pretty mild, i constantly had this “want to puke” feeling but i never did or maybe i psyched myself not to.
This usually happen after my meals. I’ll feel really queasy and u’ll see me all quiet after meals cos i was trying so hard not to puke.

At 10 weeks, i let it goooooooooo. Hahahaha
After meals, i’ll feel the queasiness again and straight to the toilet bowl i go and puke everything out. Thankfully this does not happen very often. It usually happen if i drink milk / eat chocolates etc or anything creamy in fact. I’ve started carrying sourplums with me.

I also have an aversion to smell of people cooking. Each time i smell my neighbour cooking or if i walk past Kopitiam, i puke.
Or everytime my food come and it’s piping hot and steamy, and i can smell it, i’ll feel like puking. My sense of smell has heightened to a whole new level.

Now,  i can’t even take the taxi and not want to puke. I had to ask taxi uncle if they are ok with me winding the window. I think i can’t stand sitting at the back of the car cos of the motion and all but i’m too paiseh to sit alone infront next to the taxi driver so i suck it up and sit behind. I’m ok when i sit in our own car though cos i sit at the passenger seat infront.

At 10 weeks, my appetite is slowly going away. I don’t feel like eating cos i fear i will throw up and i hate the smell of food.
While i do eat, because baby needs to eat anyway, i don’t finish up most of my food and i have this “can we get this done and over with” attitude towards food. Very sad one, because i love food seh.

My energy level has been really low at 10 weeks. I’m sleeping earlier than before, i take afternoon naps because i’m too tired and i have no mood to do work. Very tiring. I don’t know how people in their third trimester are coping.

My GP told me all these usually goes away around 14 weeks and i honestly cannot wait for the 2nd trimester because i want my energy back. Really feel very blah each time i’m too tired to do anything and i want to eat properly. I want to start cooking again and not feel like i wanna puke at the smell of food.

Met one of my girlfriend last week and she is in her last trimester, giving birth in 2 weeks time and she gave me this piece of advise.
“Do all your preparations for the baby in the 2nd trimester. That is when u have all the energy.”

She was busy with shifting house during her 2nd trimester and only got down to buying stuff for the baby in her last trimester and regretted it cos all she wanna do is get it done and over with. Hahaha

This should be really interesting. This few months down the road.
Looking forward to every milestones till the end!

First Trimester, IVF Journey, Pregnancy

IVF: Do’s & Don’ts

Quick update on my pregnancy! It’s 7th week tomorrow! So fast yet feels so slow.

We had our 1st Ultrasound scan last friday, in my 6th week. Was really nervous on that day.
You don’t know how paranoid i was the entire two weeks from my BFP to my 1st Ultrasound scan.
I didn’t have much symptoms. Got me quite worried and thinking if i’m really pregnant.
Even then, i was scared, what if it was a blighted ovum?

But all went well when we went for the Ultrasound Scan.
We did a trans vaginal scan and it was a bit painful. Doctor said the uterus area is very sensitive right now, which explains why it’s uncomfortable.
When i saw the flicker, i knew it was the heartbeat and i was overwhelmed with happiness.
I have a baby. A baby with a heartbeat. So so relieved.

Yes, we’re expecting a singleton! You know when we 1st did the transfer, i was hoping for twins. That would be really awesome. But nearer to the scan date, i think with all the jitters and all, i was hoping for a singleton.
I’m currently working from home and it would be really hard to take care of twins and work at home at the same time. If we indeed have twins, employing a domestic helper would be an option we have to take, reluctantly. But really, twins or singleton, i just hope the baby would grow up healthy.
Continue reading “IVF: Do’s & Don’ts”