Stretch Mark

Ah~ Stretch mark, one of the most dreadful thing that a pregnant woman feared the most. Though it is something cosmetic, it is unfortunately one of the most common "side effect" of pregnancy.

Mine did not appear until way after my half way mark if I remember correctly. In the beginning even way before my tummy started growing big, I had itch all over my tummy area - sign of stretching starting! So every day and night I would apply the Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil all over my tummy area - even my belly button! (Well not really me applying it, but Hubby did a good job)

As soon as I started to show, I changed the oil to Pigeon Stretch Mark cream - again Hubby would and is still applying for me, all over my tummy. Until one fine day after shower I realised that I'm getting some reddish bits at both side of my hip!!!! My first reaction was stretch mark, I thought it was some rashes or I scratched too much. I ignored them. BIG MISTAKE!!

After a couple of days, the red bits didn't go away. In fact, from the size/appearance of rashes, it got "longer." Oh no!!!!!!!!! They are Stretch Mark! Oh gosh... I never expect them to appear on my hip! I thought it's my tummy that had been and is still growing! Sigh. It was too late. I officially got stretch mark on both sides of my hip.

So reminder to all preggers out there, don't just apply your cream on your tummy. Remember your thigh, your hip, your buttock and some even around the boobs area! Though it is said that there is no 100% guarantee that the stretch mark prevention cream will work on you, but I find it helps. Because after shower when I apply then cream, I find that the redness subsides. Therefore, even if it's tiny bits of help, it's better than none right? So use stretch mark cream before it's too late!

Glucose Tolerance Test

Yesterday was the dreadful Glucose Tolerance Test which I dreaded because I had to fast from the night before - no supper then no breakfast!!

We were at the clinic before 8.30am, and I was feeling HUNGRY! Not long after, the nurse called me in to do the test. I saw the prick and machine all ready for me, but after a while the nurse said that Dr F ordered a blood test! I was like NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! (If you followed my blog, you will know I have a "vein" problem) I sat down waiting for nurse to do wonders and hopefully all is good.

She used the butterfly syringe at the back of my right palm. The insertion was painful but the result - instant blood flow! I am so happy to see blood flow to the syringe! Yaye! Success!

After that I thought that I can finally eat and drink! But the nurse say I need to drink up the Glucose water and still not eat/drink other things for another 2 hours! Oh gawd! Another 2 hours. My energy level is down to negative level by now. So I drank up the 300ml of super sweet water and went home to rest. I was just dead tired to do anything at that moment. Hubby suggested that we go home and rest for a while before going back to clinic 2 hours later. We went home and I went straight to bed to rest....

By 10.30am, we reached the clinic for round 2. AGAIN another blood test. I ordered my right hand, but the nurse said let's try left hand. Same thing, my blood flow so well that one poke is all the nurse needed. And I'm so happy and relieved that this is finally over! I can now go for early lunch. My energy level is beyond negative now. We had our lunch and on our way to back to office, I told Hubby I am just way too tired. So he sent me home and I slept like a baby through the afternoon.

By the time I woke up, I was feeling much better and decided to arrange the cupboard with baby's stuff, and I also unwrapped the towels and blankets putting them to wash. I just want to be ready early, in case the little one decided to come out to see the world earlier than 20.11.2011!

It's all happening

No false labor here... It's just that I'm finally feeling all the terrible pregnancy difficulties at this very last stage: backache, swollen feet, headache, even the stretch marks are coming out only at this last trimester!

The worst of all is the BACKACHE!!!! As I stood up from the chair, I got this piercing pain in my lower back. When I turn from side to my back when in bed, again I got the same pain. Because of the pain, I'm "slowing" down in my movement whenever I get out of bed or out of the chair. Even as I walk, I waddle around slowly because o the backache.

I tried to find ways to relieve the pain - the way I sit or the way I sleep or the way I walk... It seems to be just temporary relieve. I tried heat pack, it seems to work but the thing is I wish the heat would say on longer in the pack. The heat kinda dissipate too soon. I'm still searching for a longer term solution but as of now - the eye pillow made out of flax seed is my best friend. Until then, I'm still searching for a longer term relieve. I certainly hope that the backache will go away after birth.


A friend suggested that I should get a diaper changing table instead of just using my bed or his crib. I'm still contemplating if I should get it... Should I?

What's new in week 29

This week is week 29 and he is coming out in 10 weeks - 20th November 2011. I opted for a c-section because I have an old scar from a previous surgery that I need to get rid off! And though I applaud all mothers who went through with natural birth, I am totally not ready for one myself. The excuse of "getting rid the old scar" is just an excuse for me, really. I'm ready for the baby but I'm not ready for natural birth.

At week 29, he kicks and punches a lot. In fact, the kicks and punches are reaching my ribs and it can be quite painful at times - especially if my sitting/sleepy postures would not agree with the little one! It used to be just left side pain, since last night, even my right side is getting the excruciating pain when I was in bed! SO again back the topic of sleeping position... I cannot understand why all these readings suggesting that a pregnant woman to sleep on the side when it's IMPOSSIBLE for me to sleep on my either side. Advice to all you preggers out there: sleep whichever way you feel comfortable otherwise you will not have any sleep at all!

Though I'm getting bigger by the seconds!!!! There are 2 things getting smaller by the seconds - my bladder and my food consumption. There are times when I had just pee-pee and had to go for second in a matter of minutes apart. This is especially rampant if he is sitting on my bladder, and he just loves doing it at night! And as he grows bigger, I have less space inside left for him to move about. So my stomach made way for the little one to grow. I could hardly finish the bowl of rice I used to be able to finish. Dr F said - smaller portion, more frequent meal then. Doing so will also help those with indigestion and heartburn problem I believe. 

And what else changed physically:
- Swollen feet (On and off my feet swell)
- Stubby fingers (I had to remove my wedding band before it gets stuck!)
- Thunderous thighs (Don't even wanna talk about this)
- Fugly stretchmarks (At least they are short, 1cm)
- Hairy legs/tummy (My legs weren't hairy before!!!)
- Freckly skin (Once I get any sun, there is no stopping the freckles before, and it's only worst now)
- Running nose (The flu is not helping with the blocked nose!!)
- Backache (I get this from sleeping sometimes)

 But I have happy results so far:
- No more pimples! (Yaye! I can't even remember when was the last one!)
- Luscious hair (I shed - yes SHED is the word hubby uses - less hair)
- Never mind the weight (Who cares about the scale when you are pregnant!)
- Preggers little perks!!!! This is the best thing so far!!!! Be it within the family, or strangers on the street, everyone gives you extra special treatments :)

I might have some discomfort but so far I'm happy with the so-far-so-good-and-easy pregnancy. Besides I'm grateful for the pregnancy to happen to us after years of waiting. And I thank God for that had happened and is to happen to the rest of this journey.

He's totally showing it off!

Today's appointment was rescheduled from yesterday because we were still babymooning :)

The moment we reached clinic, the nurse saw me coming in and handed me my pee-pee container. I told hubby I didn't pee in the office earlier because I had to conserve my pee for the test! Hahaha! By the time we reached the door step, timing was perfect! After which, the nurse will take my blood pressure and weigh me. And I put on a whopping 3kg!!!!! Oh gosh, no wonder I feel so heavy! But then again it could just be my "poo weight" because I didn't do any business in the morning! (Which was proven that my poo can weigh as much as 2kgs!!!)

My turn was up soon and it's always nice to see Dr F. During the ultrasound scan, Dr F said, "Oh he's active and just did a jump!" Hahaha. He must be so happy to see Dr F too. The scan showed that he is on his back, head on the left and buttock sitting right at my bladder, and legs facing upward. Dr F explained too that sometimes the pain/numbness on my left rib is due to him pressing against my rib/stomach. Is this gonna mean that he's got a big hard head?!?! :)

I asked Dr F about sleeping position. I can't help kept asking about this because I kept reading that I must sleep on my side, left side preferably. Dr F said doesn't matter as long as I'm comfortable- which is such a relief!!! Otherwise I had to endure a pain in my rib area every night!!! No way!!

Oh he also mentioned that I should avoid using medicated plaster or muscle/heat rub. If I had to, use Vicks or 100% Eucalyptus oil. For leg cramps and restlessness, try using heat pack or microwave beanie bags. Massaging is fine as long as it's not anywhere near the uterus. So fellow preggers, try foot spa! It's awesome!!!!!

I had to ask what to do it I'm having early labor or how will I know if I'm going into labor. Dr F said, if I have cramps around the tummy area, try a hot Milo drink, take a warm shower or even soak in the tub for a while, the pain should go away. There is no need to press the panic button every time there is a twitch. Unless the cramps continues on and on for a long period of time, then it's time. If during clinic hours, call the clinic for Dr F. If after clinic hours, just go straight to the hospital! But remember not to have a meal on the way to the hospital! Haha!

Everything is good and baby is growing fine. But for my next visit, I will have to do a glucose tolerance test. What I will have to do is fast the night before (Oh no!!!!!!) and come into the clinic first thing in the morning and have a "base level" test then they will give me a glass of sweet glucose to drink. Then an hour or 2 later, come back for another test to see how it goes. Gosh... I have to fast - no food & drink!!! That is going to be tough! If it's a 2 hour test means I can only eat at 10.30am!!! Oh no!!!!!!!!! Why do they have to make a pregger starve for a glucose test, why! Why!! Why!!! :(

Well, as long as it's good for the baby and me, I shall not fear!!!

Babymoon!

Yes! We planned for a little getaway for just the 2 of us, well, 3 technically speaking but he won't feel a thing throughout and he won't remember at all.

Next week is the mark of the next and final trimester! Yaye! We are on the home stretch now!! 20/11/2011 is gonna be the biggest day of our lives!

I know life will never be the same so it's time to celebrate just the two of us next week and enjoy the moment!

Happy Babymoon!!