Week 35 - Closer

My body:
* The thing about having to get up to the loo four or five times a night is that eventually you're awake. Which means that you spend the rest of the night tossing around trying to go back to sleep - not to mention that no position is comfortable enough when you're 8 months pregnant. I am fully aware that it is a wishful thinking that this would be over and I can sleep throughout the night when baby is born. Oh dear..
* Heartburn is slightly better (depending on what I eat that day but I am coping better than before) and although I still am short of breath from time to time when I eat, I actually can eat more now (maybe that explains the growth spurt on the scale *grin*) and still looove eating the ice cream and the cakes and all those sweet things....

My baby:
now weighs about 2.4 kilograms (but I have a feeling he's bigger than that!) and measures approximately 45 centimetres from head to toe. His elbow, foot or head protrudes from my stomach when he stretches and squirms about. Soon, as the wall of uterus and abdomen stretch thinner and let in more light, baby will begin to develop daily activity cycles. He is now sporting fingernails and has a fully developed pair of kidneys. His liver can also process some waste products.

I've started organising music in my ipod for the labour (since I accidentally deleted ALL the songs in it the other week) but the million dollar question is: what kind of music that I would prefer during labour? Would it be classical music so I can relax, or would it be some ambient music for the serenity - or maybe some hard rock songs to channel my pain?

Met up with Sharon in the city last Wednesday and the next day my body was all sore, the sciatic pain came back from walking all day. So much for staying active until the delivery! Since being active can actually trigger the labour faster (they said), I have been getting a mixed and contradicting advise from people (some said don't be too active, others said get on my feet). I haven't decided if I prefer to have labour earlier or more later yet but at the moment with my activity rate, chances are that I will have late labour (too lazy!! too heavy!! too hot!! Mm.. basically too many excuses).

Had the second prenatal crash course at the hospital in the weekend. Would you believe it, we got LOST on the way there. We had been there a few times but I still had to look at the street directory and navigate the way for Mr Husband. We got there 20 minutes late. I hope it won't happen again next time (as next time would be when I am in labour).
Less gross things this time in the class, learned about breastfeeding and bonding and baby's pattern etc etc. Definitely more enjoyable than last time.

Had barbeque at our place on saturday night with Sharon and Warren, Ade and Khrisna and Adia the little one. Ade brought a lot of baby stuff to lend me - excellent! and we had a good chat about labour and all the life changing things about having baby.
She said it would definitely change your relationship with your husband...

Looking back and even looking at it now, I am grateful that we have such a solid relationship. We don't try to change each other, we talk, we share and we laugh with each other (well.. sometimes at each other as well..)
The other day I was pondering about life and death (I hate thinking of losing the loved one and realise so much things could have be done for them and so much things need to be said but it would be too late) - he said if we have a good relationship, there won't be any need to regret or wish that you have said those things or done those things. Words of wisdom....

Week 34 - Long way around

My body:
* Sweet tooth, with me feeling like having milkshake or cheesecakes all the times - or maybe it's actually my body craving for calcium?
* My tummy is sooo heavy that I wish I could put it down for a few minutes! Scott's father asked if I had to carry my bump when I walk around - which indeed i do, put my both hands under my bump.I already hate being on my feet and walk about. I love sitting in my lounge, reading books and just doing nothing - lounge is once again my sanctuary (I have a slight preference to lay down on the old lounge which isn't very comfortable but accommodate my need to sit up straight)


My baby:
he's moving a lot and I can see my tummy changing shape from minute to minute. Sometimes he gets into a position that is uncomfortable and I can't get it to move. He is still piling up fat as he prepares himself to get out into this world!

"Let's try your fastest pace."
"Excuse me?" Sharon and I was walking down Brighton shops when she said that.
"Rrrr.. you're walking very slow", she said. I thought for a while and decided that this was - as matter of fact - the most comfortable pace that I can do at the moment. Her eyes rolled in disbelief.
"Really?"
"Really" - and I thought about what my 6-feet-tall husband thinks when he walks with me if even Sharon thinks I walk very slow.


Now from last week's antenatal class that I forgot to mention - the hospital that we are going to have the labour follows active labour approach. Which means that you need to keep active during contractions to allow the pressure of gravity to play a part in the opening of the cervix. Also in upright positions such as standing, kneeling, squatting, or on hands and knees, the women's body leans forward and the pelvic bones are free to open to their maximum (apparently squatting can increase the pelvic diameter by up to 30%).
Another thing is that when a woman lies on her back, the weight of the heavy baby on the blood vessels can slow down the flow of blood to and from the uterus and this reduces the oxygen available to the baby and can lead the baby becoming distressed. The uterus may not work as efficiently as possible and this may cause more pain.

Rrr.. We just have to wait and see if I can kneel down and pointing my ***** to the doctor/midwives in the labour.

Enough with the gross stuff. Hopefully we'll get the cot this week. Had some problems with the payment last week but it has been sorted out now. I have promised myself that I wouldn't do any impulsive buying for the nursery, but all the things out there are just too cute to ignore. I haven't really stuck with this promise and already bought some useless things (and still owing some essential stuff)

Long weekend this weekend - Australia day. We had a day trip to Geelong (Great Ocean Road) to get more mileage on the car but traffic was horrendous with people going up to the waterfront. There's a big Australia day celebration in Geelong which caused the traffic and roads blocked and we moved like snail parade. Not good when you're almost 8 months pregnant and got sore back even by sitting in the car for less than ten minutes.

Had dinner at Sharon's on the Saturday - Warren cooked beautifully as usual. We ended up talking about labour and birth and all the things that I really really wish can be avoided in the conversations (but the ones that I keep bringing up due to the freaking out nature of mine) and Sharon said, "if the baby's so small how come your tummy is so big?" grrrrrrh.....

Still no maternity hospital bag ready yet *grin*. Will organise it this week - that's a promise.

Week 33 - Last few weeks as a couple

My body:
* I think I am experiencing variety of aches and pains in my lower ribs and pelvis, pretty much all over the tummy. They are very mild, cramp-like, but I can imagine this is common as baby is growing bigger. Another 7 weeks to go (although my feeling says that he's going to come out early), another 7 weeks to grow!

Baby:
He measures around 40cm long and weighs just over 2.3 kg. Quite adept at inhaling amniotic fluid, which is a practice breathing to get ready for his birth. He continues to put down layers of fat that will keep him warm after birth.

Nursery in the making...
yesterday we had nothing. Today we had a cot (although still not being delivered), baby bath, baby rocker, some clothes, baby monitor, nappy wrapper and bottle sterilizer. I am quite happy with our progress yet still unable to decorate the nursery due to the cot arrival yet. I am thinking to decorate his room with the untraditional colour but hate to say that I might end up doing blue since it's the only thing that most of the shop provide for baby boys. What's happening here? What's with the stereotype - blue for boys and pink for girls?

Had a doctor's appointment which was uneventful - happy to say it.

Had a dentist's appointment which was as uneventful - also happy to say it. My gum stop bleeding ages ago, just after I made the appointment with the dentist so he didn't do anything today, except telling me to come back after baby is born.

As hubby said, my life is on hold until baby is born. Can't do anything until he's born - i's getting a bit boring to stay home though, especially with Scott busy with work. He was in Sydney for 3 days this week (where he climbed the Harbour Bridge with work - so unfair, I am the one who always wanted to do it and he got to do it for free!) and on Friday he spent all day and dinner and everything with his customers at the Australian Tennis Open.

We had our first prenatal class in the hospital on Saturday - the first of our two weekend classes. There were about 8 to 10 couples in the class (all mixed couples no same sex ones) and we went through the process of labour, drugs options, what to expect etc etc. Needless to say I was ready to go home before two hours had passed. At least we didn't watch any labour video, that would be the last thing I want to see a few weeks before I have to deliver baby myself!

We are enjoying our last few weeks as a couple. We go out see movies, eat junkfood and sleep in. Can't believe we're running out of time.

Week 32 - One contraction at a time (third trimester panic)

My body:
* Heartburn recovery - well, it is not fully recovered but the other night I was in constant pain all night with the burning sensation on my throat, only too realised that it might have been from the chili I had eaten earlier. From that night forward I HAVE not touch chili and poor hubby has to cope with my bland cooking - the less taste the better it is for my tummy.
* Is it just me or is it getting crowded here? Oh of course, there is a little junior growing in my tummy! Apart from frequent trips to the loo in the middle of the night ( I must have gone two hundred times last night , or so it felt like), the stuffiness (after big meal or some activities even like walking) keeps lingering. This has slowed me down a lot, since whenever I am out and about I always wish I was home half an hour later.

My baby:
Baby sleeps a lot of the time. He will gain weight more quickly now and will probably double in weight between now and his birth, fattening up for survival outside the womb. His skin is getting plumper and looking healthier.

Never, never did I imagine in my life that I'd enjoy a bowl of cereal with milk (I have always hated milk) - in the middle of the night!
The hunger attack is striking back. I've officially passed the 10kg mark (oh - my - god - !) and still have around 8 more weeks to gain. The book said I will gain about half a kilo a week now but roughly half of that goes straight into baby (mm.. what about the other half?)

I've read the whole chapter on 'labour and birth' in the book. The only thing it did was making me cringe. Honestly, as a rookie I was expecting the book to tell me what to do in the labour, for example how to 'push'. Apparently this should come naturally, but how do you push exactly? Birgit told me nothing can prepare anyone from the labour pain, so I have decided that my approach on this whole birthing business will be: donotpanicdonotpanicdonotpanic (I just have to repeat this mantra over and over again from now on). It's better than the book's approach: one contraction at a time. Rrrr.. that supposed to be reassuring?
The chapter on breastfeeding and what to do as soon as baby arrives is as clear (not!) as the labour part, but for this one I will learn from their labour's approach and adopt it for my own situation: just worry one breast at a time.

Week 31 - The New Year

My body:
*Borrowing a friend's term, my pregnancy seems to be just 'uneventful' (at least so far, fingers crossed it stays the same until the end of it). My body is fully in sync with the changes that I am not very aware of them anymore. The only complaint I can report is the heartburn and indigestion that are driving me mad. (My sciatica pain even seems to ease down a little).
* I feel the Braxton Hicks (fake contractions) more often now, especially after a long walk or if I have been on feet for a longer period of time. It feels weird and sometimes painful.
* Although I know I am not very very pregnant yet ( I still have 10 more weeks to grow and people said that I will feel MORE pregnant in my 9th months), I feel that I am truly deeply very pregnant. Being in one position for five minutes makes me uncomfortable and short of breath. Eating a few spoonfuls makes my tummy feels very stiff. I started to walk like I wearing diaper, big toes about a foot away, back bent as such that tummy moves forward as if I need more statement about the pregnancy. My new nickname from my beloved husband is now (simple enough): "fatty".

My bubba:
He has grown another couple of centimetres and is around 39cm long and is a hefty 2kg. His lungs are maturing and continuing to develop so that he will be able to breathe unassisted when born.
He is rapidly laying down layers of fat in preparation for birth and his skin is filling out and becoming smooth and plump. His eyes blink while he is awake, and react to harsh lights. He has developed tiny eyelashes and eyebrows that frame his face.
Doctor told us that he has already turn into the anterior position around now - head down with his spine facing outwards in the direction of my navel.


Happy new Year!!

Our last New Year's eve as a couple. As my beloved said, "There is a big mental change. Before the new year, we were going to have a baby next year. Suddenly it is going to be this year."
Yup, it's closer and closer for sure. To be precise, another 2 months and a bit and we will be new parents.

The closer it gets, the more I realised that this pregnancy is leading to only one thing to end it: pain. Probably accompanied with a lot of screaming, for hours. Or a major surgery. And then the pain afterward.
I am terrified.

But worse than that is the worry about something might be wrong with the baby. I am back into neurotic mother to be I was in the first trimester. I freak out over what I have eaten (rrr... was the egg fully cooked? rrr.. I really don't think the oyster I just ate was cooked thoroughly... rrr... was I not supposed to eat that?) - all because the scary fact that mother's immune system is somewhat suppressed in the last trimester, or about the fetal movement (why is it if I am laying on my left side, baby seems to move every limbs of his body that I can feel it all over at the same time?). Although Doctor reassured me baby is going fine, I will not be able to relax until he is born.

I am officially moving on from pregnancy books to baby books (although I still have to finish the pregnancy books and will eventually have to read the dreadful chapter about the labour and birth).

I will be in my 8th month next week (yikes!) and have started thinking about starting the nursery. So far baby already has oversized clothes that can't be worn until he is at least 3 months old, 4 pairs of shoes (won't be needed until he can walk), 2 Disneys books (Winnie the Pooh and The Jungle Book), some fluffy toys, but SANS the essentials such as clothes that he can actually wear the minute he is born, cot, mattress etc etc. This must be the panic attack described by Birgit when he was 7 months pregnant and the nursery wasn't ready. Learning from her experience, I will not let this unpreparedness get in my nerves.

PS. Warren cooked us 5 course meals of seafood including lobster for the New Year's eve. We took time enjoying them and were still eating when the clock stroke at midnight!