[Pregnancy] Week 37 : So close yet so far

Today I am week 37 + 7.

I've been feeling great except for a nightmare I had last night where I went into labour at home and I woke up to a back ache because a pillow was sitting right under me right back!

Went for a CTG at Pantai Hospital just yesterday (Saturday - cost us RM167 all up) on Kamaljit's instruction and everything was okay with lil sweetie. He's been such a good boy this whole pregnancy I swear, I have a strong feeling he's going to be a good boy when he's out too. :-)

Right after the CTG procedure (they strap 2 transducer things on your tummy; one is to monitor baby's heartbeat the other is to monitor uterine contractions), a chirpy nurse came in and told me that because I have a breeched baby, any time I feel any sort of pain or if my water breaks all of a sudden, I'll need to drop everything I'm going and rush to the hospital to undergo an emergency c section, because the labour risks involved with a breeched baby is much higher than a baby who is already head-down.

I've already conveyed this piece of vital information to John and he's given me 5 of his colleagues contacts just in case I can't reach him on time. He was so worried and told me that even if I can't on first try, keep ringing and ringing him. My poor hubs has been working afternoon shifts the past few weeks since the new store opened.. he's definitely lost weight and I can see how tired he looks these days (not to mention the anxiety of an impending birth of our baby).

Now that mums here hopefully we can take some weight of our shoulders!

4 more days till our scheduled C section - I went to see the anaesthetist at Pantai last week and she took one look at my X rays and said a spinal block shouldn't be an issue. I can't wait to hold lil sweetie in my arms and I'm even more eager to watch John as he holds him for the first time. Can't wait!!

[Tuesday Tips] 3 ways to raise your AFI (Amniotic Fluid Index)

At my last checkup/scan (35 weeks), Dr. Kamaljit raised the issue that I had a low amniotic fluid score and is was bordering on dangerously low levels..

So naturally, the moment I got home I searched it up on Google and this was what I found: -

Amniotic fluid index (AFI) is an estimate of the amount of amniotic fluid and is an index for the fetal well-being. It is a part of the biophysical profile. AFI is the score (expressed in cm) given to the amount of amniotic fluid seen on ultrasonography of a pregnant uterus.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid_index)

So if your fluid is between a 5 and 12, you're pretty good. Mine was a 7 and Kamaljit told me that it was bordering on dangerously low levels. Upon further reading, I've discovered that if you happen to reach a AFI of below 5, it basically means that you need to be induced right away because it is a big indication that your placenta is NOT functioning well enough to provide the necessary nutrients to your growing baby!

Your amniotic fluid is basically made up of 3 things: the placenta, the baby's urine (yes, they swallow and pee in utero), and some is excreted through the baby's skin.

Fellow low AFI pregnant mums, after much research, I've summarized below 3 of the easiest, and most natural ways to raise your Amniotic Fluid Index (levels) to prevent a pre-term birth:

1. Drinks LOTS of water

By lots, i'm talking about 4L a day. The best way I've found to make sure I was getting enough water each day was to buy a 500ml labelled water bottle. As long as I've drank 8 bottles worth of water every day, I was good. And I even split my water intake levels into morning, afternoon and evening. It was 3 bottles full by 12pm, another 3 bottles full by 6pm and the last 2 bottles full before bed (by 10pm).

Staying well-hydrated is a very important key factor to keeping your AFI at a safe level.

2. Eat fruits/veggies with a high water content

Go crazy on those watermelons, strawberries and cantaloupes. These fruits have the highest water content (more than 90%) and not only that, they are TASTY!

Personally, I love fruits so this it's not an issue for me to eat bowls of them at one time. Take today for instance, I've had half a rockmelon after lunch and 2 punnets of strawberries after dinner.

Other foods with high water content include vegetables such as Cucumber, Iceberg Lettuce, Celery, Carrots & Cauliflower (all above 90% water content too!). These are not only healthy for you, but for your baby as well. So essentially, you kill 2 birds with 1 stone - you stay hydrated as well as get the proper nutrients you need!

3. Do some light exercises 

If you're able-bodied and not been medically told to be on bedrest, then get those limbs up and about!
Light exercises promote an increase in blood flow to your uterus and placenta which in turn promotes an increase in your Amniotic fluid levels and fetal urine production rate. As your baby passes more urine in the sac, the volume of amniotic fluid increases.

Some light exercises include: walking, light hiking, swimming, yoga and even water aerobics.
Water-related activities are great during pregnancy as it helps to keep the weight off your joints and provides the temporary relief your body needs from carrying all that extra weight around.


Hope these 3 important tips help you as it has helped me. My next gynae appointment is in a weeks time and I'm definitely hoping it stays a 7 at least!

[Pregnancy] Week 35 + 6 : Hip pain gone!

By some miracle, my pelvic girdle pain has miraculously disappeared and I can move around like a normal human being again. 

I told John this but he told me to take it back so as not to jinx it!

Haven't experienced any other pain this pregnancy thus far.. and we are so near the end! I'm thankful and have been extremely grateful up to now. I pray it will continue this way right up to delivery.

[Tuesday Tips] Dealing with a Bicornuate Uterus

As I was trudging through a pile of old documents, I came across a doctor's MRI report from 2013 stating that I have a "Bicornuate Uterus" with 2 uterine horns.

For those who have no knowledge about what this means, a bicornuate uterus is basically a uterine abnormality that affects only a small portion of the female population whereby your uterus doesn't develop as it should when you're a foetus in your mother's womb. Instead of the normal inverted per-shaped uterus that most females carry, mine is heart-shaped with 2 horns and a septum dividing both horns.

One thing I am unsure of though is how deep the septum is & something I would love to find out once I deliver AJ. I'll keep in mind to ask Kamaljit this in the next appointment. Anyway, this explains several things as below.

1. Higher occurrence of a breeched position

Because your little one literally only occupies half the space in the womb, there is a higher chance that he/she will be and will stay in a breeched position. This is especially true if he/she is still breeched after 30 weeks because there is little chance that they will turn given the reduced amount of space and amniotic fluid as he/she grows bigger by the week.

Hence, because of this, and because I am already 2 days away from my 36th week of pregnancy, I will be going to UMSC to schedule my C-section date next week. Kamaljit recommends a C-section at UMSC as it is half the price (8-10k) of having a C-section at Pantai Hospital (15-20k). In addition to that, the doctors at UMSC are more specialised for this type of delivery/surgical procedure.

2. A lopsided belly

Again, your baby is most likely going to occupy only one of the horns, hence your belly will be lopsided for most of your pregnancy. For me, this only got more obvious with time as he grew bigger you could see a more distinct difference between the two sides of my belly.

My more "dominant" horn is the left one, where AJ constantly resides in.

I know he's been trying to turn the past week or so (because his heads sinks downwards) but he never gets past the transverse position and this is most likely because of limited space. My poor lil sweetie - at least he tried.

There are several ways to attempt to turn a breeched baby which I will go into detail in my next post and I will attempt to use one of the more well-known, natural methods (i.e going on all fours every night for 15-20 minutes) in these last few weeks and cling on to the very little hope that he will finally turn before the 37th week.

[Pregnancy] Week 35 : Hips don't lie! + Insurance

Today (just today) I woke up with hips that were less painful! After 1.5 whole weeks the pain has subsided a little bit. Not sure if it's for the longer term or if it's just for today though. Sure hope it's the former!

Anyway have to apply for maternity leave real soon - visiting Kamaljit for an appointment in 2 days' time (Wednesday) and will have to get her to write up a maternity leave report for me to hand in with my application. Now I'm not sure if it's 90 working days, or 90 days including weekends? It should really be 90 working days I feel, because after all we are already entitled to weekends off during a regular week, no?

Anywho I've asked HR to look into this and confirm with me again via email before I submit my application.

Also just managed to lock down insurance for little sweetie. We decided to go with Prumychild with the Infant care plan 2, for now. Might add on the PruValue Med premium once he's out but shall see how it goes with his health etc. Although I'm sure he will be a healthy, happy & bouncy baby!

[Pregnancy] Week 34 + 5 : Sick... Again + Things to be grateful for!

I think the recent spate of events as I mentioned in my last post has taken a toll on my already compromised immune system/body. Plus add the fact that John has been sick the last 1 week..

I've gotten a terrible sore throat, chesty cough and a slight fever. And it doesn't help that every time I cough, my already-sore hips hurt even more! It's been quite a miserable week to be honest, and I can't wait for my next appointment with Kamaljit next Wed to get a Physiotherapist recommendation.

My biggest issue now is dealing with these hips - our legs are so important for us to be able to be mobile, sometimes we take it for granted. It's only when you lose part of/all of the ability to walk that you realise how important this bodily function is. The days of being able to power walk, gym and jump seem to be long gone..

On a brighter note, things I could be grateful for this week include (but is not limited to!)  the following :

- New IKEA Cheras store opened yesterday! I can feel John's relief.. after a whole year of hard work.
- Despite the hips and sickness, my mood hasn't been crushed. I still smile, joke, laugh.. and I have a feeling that we have a happy baby baking in the oven :-)
- Received more baby shower gifts - can't be any more grateful for the people surrounding me
- 2 more weeks till mum gets here - i'm half excited, half nervous
- We won 2 pieces of furniture in the IKEA auction.. both for AJ and we got them at bargain prices!

It's Friyay! And I can't wait till the weekend. Another baby shower to attend tomorrow and I think Sunday will be a reading day for me. I can't wait till I get some time to myself to just sit at home and do nothing but sleep all day - something I haven't had the opportunity to do in a while. I'm also thinking of going downstairs to the pool just to waddle in and take some pressure off the sore hip and leg joints.

In other pregnancy-related news, little AJ is still in a breeched position and we (John, Dr. Kamaljit & I) are all hoping he will turn within the next 2 weeks otherwise we'd have to schedule the much-dreaded C section!

[Tuesday Tips] 6 Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy

After what seemed like eons (2 weeks actually) I finally had the time to go to the gym before work.. and boy do I feel good! (& sore too but in a good way)

I've been doing regular walks on the treadmill alternating with cycling on the stationery bike followed by 2 sets of 20 squats daily throughout my pregnancy however 2 weeks ago, due to work reasons, I wavered.

But this morning as I was walking on the treadmill I suddenly remembered how good exercising makes me feel. It's not just about the discipline of waking up earlier to drag yourself and your bump to get some physical exercise in right before work, it's more about the combined mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of exercising that lifts my spirits and help me face my day. And definitely also the fact little AJ benefits from it!

Here are 6 benefits of exercising during pregnancy :

1. Energy Booster

Because exercising increases blood flow throughout your body and strengthens your cardiovascular system, you gain an overall boost in energy that can keep you on your feet for longer throughout the day. Not only that, with an increased level of energy, you can achieve more!

2. Reduce Stress

Getting into the daily grind of life can be challenging for some, but add on a 9-month pregnancy project to that can take a massive toll on you and your wellbeing. 

Exercise has been proven to release a hormone, serotonin, that positively affects your mood and helps lift your spirits up. 

3. Easier Labour/Delivery Process

Keeping active throughout the 9 months has been shown (via various studies) to aid in an easier labour/delivery process. The reason behind this is because labour and delivery is an energy sapping, tiring process that requires muscle utilisation and strength. Thus, the maintenance of your body tone in the 9 months will contribute to making this process an easier and smoother one. 

4. Getting Back Your Pre-Pregnancy Body Quicker

It's also been said, via various case studies, that staying fit during your pregnancy term will help you get back your pre-pregnancy body faster. Exercising will help keep off the surplus unnecessary weight and will help your body bounce back faster after giving birth. This reason alone is sometimes the sole motivation for ladies to maintain their exercise regime!

5. Reduce Pregnancy Discomforts

Getting regular exercise throughout your pregnancy helps to strengthen your muscles. Simple exercises like walking, swimming and even stretching improves your blood circulation and strengthens your abdominal muscles to help your body cope with the ongoing aches and pains of pregnancy. 

6. Sleep Better at Night

If you're pregnant and well past the halfway mark of your second trimester (like me), then you will know that finding a comfortable sleeping position is one of the most challenging tasks. Getting exercise in the day will help release some of the extra energy you may have, tiring you out by the end of the day and so you have a more restful sleep. 

I hope these are more than enough reasons for you to keep active, or if you aren't already - then to get off the couch, away from the bowl of chips and into your sports gear!

[Pregnancy] Week 30

We are one digit up and have hit the big 30s now. Not long to go until we see little AJ!

Went to see Kamaljit over the weekend and she's happy with how everything is - baby is growing at a good size, is very active and seems healthy!

He loves car rides and adventure - I already know that he will be a cheeky little one when he's born. He'll be great at sports - just like daddy. :-)

I got another round of 1 day Canesten to treat a possible yeast infection. My swab test results will come back in a few days. I love Mondays these days - when I get the chance to work from the comfort of my own home. It is also a time where I can reflect and have the space to be able to rest as well as stroke my belly and talk to AJ. I already love him so much - and more often than not I find my thoughts drifting to when he's here - the amount of kisses I will plant on his face and body, his newborn smell, his first smile etc - and most of the time I shed a tear or two of happiness, excitement and nervousness combined.

John and I still cannot believe we are going to be parents - I think it hasn't really sunk in yet. But with time quickly ticking by, I'm sure it won't be long till we fully realize just where we're headed!

Leg Cramps

Oh dear.

I've had 3 leg Cramps so far in this pregnancy and they are excruciatingly painful! They all happened when I wake up in the morning and decide to flex my feet downwards to stretch the legs out and before I know it I'm feeling this extremely tight and painful "knot" in my calf.
And it's always my left calf. So what are some ways to reduce or relieve the pain? Here are my tips.

1. Flex your feet towards your shin.

This works to stretch out the cramped muscle because leg Cramps happen as a result of a "knotted" muscle so stretching it will straighten it out over time.

2. Massage the cramped area.

While flexing your feet you may want to massage the cramped area too. This provides some relief and slowly releases the tension in the muscle.

3. Stand up on your legs.

If you're looking for a quick fix but are game enough to withstand more pain, then standing straight up on your cramped leg will provide instant relief.  Not too sure about the science behind it (I'm assuming it's due to your gravitational position coupled with the muscle stretching out as you rise) but this works a treat.

With that being said, I'm usually crying out in so much pain I don't even want to move, let alone stand up. So if you're a brave soul and tried tip #3 before, I take my hat off to you! 

[Pregnancy] Week 25 : Oh the kicks!

Bubs is growing bigger everyday and he is making sure we know that!

His kicks are becoming more prominent and frequent - he even kicks me awake some nights. As much as it breaks my sleep I wouldn't trade it for the world.. I love the feeling of his tumbles and somersaults, it's a constant reminder that he's there. :-)

Complaints this week? so far none other than infrequent dull aches near my lower abdomen due to his stronger movements/kicks and also the fact that I'm still suffering from a cold (runny nose, phlegm, sore throat and mild fever).
No backaches (or any aches for that matter), swollen hands or feet, vomiting, nausea etc.

My parents were here for 2 days and I took them on an office tour, to our fav jap place (senya) and to antipodean. Will be seeing mum again on 4th Dec!

First breakdown :'(

24+6 weeks

Yesterday at 24 +6 weeks I had my first meltdown. I've been sick since Monday (7 days ago) and I was looking forward to getting better so AJ could feel better.
Yesterday I woke up to a bad throat and congested nose, and I started berating myself. I felt horrible; like the worst mother on planet Earth.
Is it because I didn't rest enough in the week? Is it because I was pushing myself too much? I was given an extra day off by my manager but instead, I went back to work.
I felt an immense amount of guilt towards little sweetie, and for the first time in almost 25 weeks, I broke down into tears.

I was lying in bed, my back towards John. I tried to stifle my sobs so he wouldnt notice I was crying - but the more i tried the worst it got. He noticed something was wrong when i got all quiet and didnt answer his questions. He got up and gave me the biggest hug and reassurance and i immediately felt better. Whether my breakdown was hormonal or otherwise, I've also come to realize that having a supportive and loving partner by your side on the same life journey as you is a true blessing. And last night as we lay in bed, falling asleep, he turned around and told me how blessed he was to have me in his life. And for that, I cannot be any more grateful. It means at least I'm doing something right in this relationship.

Today I strive to fully recover from this bugging illness, whatever it may be. Eating healthy, sleeping right and staying positive. I want to conquer the world for our little boy.

Womanhood

They say that a woman becomes a mother when she is pregnant and a man becomes a father the moment he holds his baby.

I couldn't agree more. The past few years I've been praying to God for more courage, strength and confidence to face the world so I can grow into who I really am, and I have come to the realization that this beautiful precious gift from God growing inside my belly for the past 23 weeks is the answer to my prayers.

I've never felt more like a woman in my life than at this point in time. Being wholly responsible for an entire life other than yours, making sacrifices & putting your foot down on decisions that will directly (or indirectly) affect the health & wellbeing of your growing baby is probably the most difficult tasks in life - one that only mothers can really & truly understand.

I also find it amazing the way a physical life is created - the intricacies of DNA splitting, chromosomal separation all the way to limb buds formation and organ development. It takes 9 months to form a beautiful life made out of the perfect love of 2 adults. I've studied the ins and outs of how life is formed when I undertook a unit of human anatomy and fertilization at Uni but I never fully understood its implications and the reality of it until I experienced it myself at this present moment. Every day, I'm in awe of how life forms from a single cell. 

Anyway, I truly feel like im growing into this pregnancy, I feel more matured and confident and I've never felt so happy about putting on weight! People around me are commenting on how much I'm glowing and every moment and each day I wake up & feel his kicks, I praise God for this miracle inside me. I know I am blessed in so many ways and that this is meant to be. 

From the initial feelings of anxiety, worry and fear to the present waves of happiness & excitement riddled with tears & laughter, I can only be grateful to those around me who have supported and loved me for the past 23 weeks - Especially especially especially John who has been MORE than what any word can correctly describe. He's my constant pillar of strength - a God-sent presence in my life I will always be grateful for.