Pain stays

As of 6am, the back pain is here to stay!!! And at approximately 1am, I saw that my mucous plug (brownish in color) had appeared...

I managed to get some much needed sleep for about 3 hours with the help of
the heat pack! I think heat pack is such God-sent!!!! Greatest invention by mankind!!!!! The moment the heat is gone, I woke up from pain. I was sleeping on my favourite "throne" for the 3 hours. So I tried to get back to sleep on the bed, it was not good! I got onto my back and the back pain is terrible!!! And so I turn toy left. I actually felt ok on my left for 5 minutes then I turned to my back- biggest mistake EVER!!! The pain went on not only toy back but my nether region as well - sucks to the max. I got up and decided to go back to my throne and I felt much better sitting in a reclining position.

So is it imminent that the baby is coming today or tomorrow?

Coming Soon

We went for our Wednesday doctor appointment - started with the EKG again to check in baby's heartbeat. He was sleeping in the beginning of the test but after a while we can tell that he is awake. Which is pretty cool to see his calm heartbeat of 140s jumping to about 160s, and there is so much noise whenever he made his moves!

Then when it's time to see Dr F, I told him about the lingering backache that I have been suffering from since the night before. He showed some concern!!! Hmmm... During the ultrasound scan everything about the baby looks good and in fact he put on a whooping 500gm from last week. He now weighs 3.3kg!

After that Dr F had to do a vaginal exam, which I have no idea how or what way it is to be done. A bit o TMI here, turn away if you don't wanna know!!! He stuck his hands into my vee-jay-jay and by stuck I mean putting his hand into me!!!! OUCH!!!! The pain was pretty intense!!!!! All I can feel was PAIN!!!!! I knew doc was poking and feeling something in there but no idea what it was all about. It was really really painful and it's no joke!!!!

After which Dr F explained that I dilated for about 1cm already and that my cervix felt soft. Hmmm... he called it the early stage of labour- Latent phase. He said it might last from 14-24 hours, it all depends on how my body works. He said even with the show - where the mucous plug is released, there is not certain timing how long the labour is going to be.

So for now, go home and monitor. Oh wow!!! So this is it!! The time has come!

Dr F sent us home and told us to call the clinic the next day to update my status and that I might need to drop by the clinic again if the pain lingers or any other labour signs happen.

So let's wait!!! But yes looks like that he will be here before 20th November!

It's almost coming to 6 hours now

Yes I am still sobbing about it after almost 6 hours. I have been very good at controlling my emotion but today... today, I am such a failure. I thought I managed to overcome being emotional about things during pregnancy, alas I was overpowered. I never thought I would.

At week 38, the hormone won

Today is the first day I let my hormone and feeling overpower me. I have been sobbing non-stop for more than 40 minutes. I tried stopping but I just can't. Each time I thought I'm gonna run out of tears, they will come streaming down!

Why is this happening? It's all in the naming of MY BABY!!!!!! Yes MY BABY!!!!! MY SOON TO BE BORN SON!!!!!

We asked hubby parents to give us some suggestions for the baby's chinese name but they were epic failed because those name were either of no meaning to me or just sounds like ridiculous. I have a great Chinese and I want my kid to have a wonderful and meaning name too.

So I gave hubby the suggestion of one particular Chinese character that goes well with this English/Christian name. He is a determined warrior- after all the infertility that we had been through. He is my little warrior! But when we mentioned that to my in-laws, particularly my mother-in-law, she said no to it. Not because she didn't like the meaning of it but because it sounded like hubby's maternal grandmother's name. Oh come on!!!! It's like Daniel vs Daniele!!!!!! What's wrong with it!

And I totally lost it this morning when I heard the conversation between hubby and his mom. Hubby said if not this then we will go with another one. She went on to say. This other name is fine even though one of the male cousins' name also sound like it. I was like why can have same or even similar name with a cousin and not grandma. And the worst of all is one is a male name and the other a female name!!!!

I just lost it. I cannot accept it. She find a name that sounds like or doesn't sound like while I am looking for a name that means something to me.

I am STILL sobbing after an hour!

Bring it forward

We went for our check-up with Dr F last Wednesday and all is good. However may not be as scheduled as we thought... Dr F told us to be prepared and have an escape hatch in case the baby cannot wait until 20th November. Hmmmm.... I should have stuck to 11th!!!

The main reason I guess is that the discomfort on both of us are getting really annoying. He was 2.8kg last Wednesday. So by next week he could be 3kg at week 37. And which means that if we wait till week 40 he could weight approximately 3.7kg (at the growth rate of 250gm per week!!)

Ok he's gonna be a biggie!!

I'm feeling heavier by the seconds! My stomach is no longer mine. I think I lost my bladder too. I have been waking up every 2 hours to pee whenever I sleep/nap- good training for feeding schedule huh?


I haven't eaten rice for a week by now. Rice gave me bad indigestion and acid reflux, and I could not sleep until 2am since I had to sit upright for the discomfort to subside. When I don't eat rice, I felt better. I have less discomfort so I've decided to follow this diet for a couple of days to go? But tonight I had rice (though not much) so far still alright! Fingers crossed! Oh you might wonder what do I eat then... well I normally have something really soupy at night - noodle or meehoon. During the day, I have extra option of having bread :) Well, I'm hoping I will be back to normal diet after giving birth to baby!!

I can't wait to see you baby!!!

Week 35 only?

Everyday I'm counting down to 20.11.2011. Everyday I'm wishing that it's 20.11.2011. I wanted to wait as long as I can but it seems that every task seems to become Mission Impossible.

Last week we went to the clinic for our 2-weeks checkup and everything is perfect. The little has moved himself downward and is head down and is ready come out anytime now. He weighs 2.3kg and we still don't get to see his face. I guess it will have to wait until 20.11.2011.

Ever since the day he moved into position, I've had 3 nights of indigestion/heartburn/acid reflux - whatever you want to call it. And it had to happen right after dinner! Starting tonight, I will change my dinner consumption to something even lighter. I ate lesser at night already and now, I'm cutting rice from dinner, just to test water. Tonight will either be porridge or soup noodle. Let's see if this will help.

Last night, I also discovered a new sleeping position. I had this urge to burp non-stop whenever I lay down to sleep at night, and I would feel so uncomfortable that I had to twist and turn for an hour to finally end up sleeping on my back. So what I did last night was putting a really thick pillow behind me (horizontally across my head), and one more Tempur pillow vertically (to support my neck and shoulder) and then one more tiny beads Muji pillow (to support my lower back). I actually fell asleep pretty fast (by my pregnancy standard), until I had to wake up at about 4.30am to use the toilet. Hmmm... seems to be working. I didn't feel nausea or super urge to burp non-stop or the sensation of something stuck behind my throat, I restored back to sleeping on my back and gave it a try, and it worked! I slept until this morning! Hmmm... I should give this combination a few nights of try. If this fails, I might have to resolve into sleeping on the "throne."

Indigestion/ Heartburn/ Acid Reflux

Something that plagues every pregger - it is bound to happen at least once throughout the pregnancy. I probably had at most 3 times prior to this attack.

I always thought that I will get it more often than the handful which I am truly happy about.

I have been very careful not to get myself into trouble because I know how much I hated it. And I normally take my medication as soon as I have the slightest sign of indigestion flaring up.

I swear by Gaviscon tablets. I first had them when we were traveling in the UK and find it compatible with me and I don't mind the chewable mini tablets. But I can not find the same mini tablets here in Malaysia and Singapore. I hate to sip on the liquid ones so when I saw they have on the shelves the bigger tablets I bought quite a stock of it - this happens right about we found out we are pregnant.

Come to think of it, I had more indigestion during the injections period of the IVF treatment than throughout the pregnancy so far!

Oh back to Gaviscon... I would Chee one tablet and drink a bit of water to see if it eases me. Sometimes one is enough. If it doesn't do any good after say 30minutes, I'll go for second tablet. Usually 2 is all my tummy needs to ease the indigestion. And then drink up some warm water and sit up. Never get into the bed and stay down. It gets worst. So as I blog, I'm seated up in our room, on my favourite "throne" - a nice recliner that hubby bought for me from Ikea after my fibroid removal surgery.

My favourite trimester

This home stretch is really getting on me- my back still hurts from time to time, the rib pain isn't going away either, the nether region pain is disturbing my sleep, frequent toilet visits at night, my hate for stairs got worst, and now I'm getting this weird sensation that even I don't know how to describe hanging around my throat. It's not nausea or garlic breath, and not even close to sore throat. There is no pain, just a weird sensation that I felt like something is stuck in my throat like a furball or mucousball and there is no getting rid of it- no matter how much I burp or cough.

It's not constantly there but it comes and go. And I have no idea how I get it or how to get rid of it. Sigh.

Oh I'm suppose to talk about my favourite trimester and no, third trimester is definitely not it. I had a relatively easy first trimester with pretty much none or little horrible first trimester symptoms that many pregnant women had. But I prefers second trimester :) I felt more at ease during the second trimester, knowing that he is now safer in me and that the risk of losing him is relatively much lower. And I could do pretty much what a normal person can do- I can walk freely and longer without backache! When I'm not as big as I am now, there are less stare. I was better with long distance car ride, eat better (no compressed stomach or indigestion), less toilet visits during the night... the list goes on and on!!! I just love second trimester! :)

At Week 33, the stairs is my worst enemy

I'm feeling all the weight of the baby all the time. He is getting bigger by the day, and the space in my tummy is not gonna get any bigger no matter how much he tried to stretch himself! I can feel every twitch, every punch, every kick, every roll... I'm curious what's going on in there all the time.

I find it tougher to get out of bed - not so much of the backache, but the pain down below. I've mastered how to get out of bed will no if not lesser pain! Yaye!

But if I sat with the wrong posture, oh wow... the grimace of my face is extremely significant when I try getting up from the seat! My back is killing me!!!! But I'm lucky it's not 24 hours standby kinda pain. The pain comes and goes as it pleases. I wish the pain will just go away!! I am running out of idea for pain relief. I guess the only way out is - after birth.

I was just talking to my cousin who gave birth to triplets - they were born in week 30, in total they weigh 4kg. Now I'm in week 33 and the little one weigh 2kg+, which is half their weight. I admire her a lot, she was bed-ridden during most of her last trimester. I remember visiting her in the hospital where she was admitted for almost a month. I'm glad the triplets are strong and healthy now - they are already 3, my goodness how time flies. I still remember holding them when they were discharged from the hospital one by one. They were so tiny then. And I think my little one is now right about the size when they were home for the first time!

I guess I shouldn't complaint about his weight. All I can do now is endure whatever pain that comes along. As long as he is healthy. Midweek next week, we'll be seeing Dr F again. I hope baby will turn and face the ultrasound scan. He will show his little manhood but is shy to show his face :)

Week 32 now...

Another 6 more weeks and go for the big day. Yesterday we went for doctor's appointment, my glucose level is normal. Yaye! And miraculously, I didn't put on weight since 4 weeks ago! I think my theory is right.

Well, you see.. I never really had any constipation - maybe in the beginning only, but it's now all back to normal. During my last visit to the clinic, I did not pass motion the night before and the morning itself. So I put on a whooping 3kg, but I realised now that it was an illusion. Yesterday weighing in was the same as 4 weeks ago. How can that be when baby is gaining weight right? My theory is - I managed to dump quite a lot of *ahem the night before as well as yesterday morning. So, my *ahem must have weigh quite a hefty weight! Hahahaha!

Anyway... the appointment went on well like usual. My little one now weighs 2kg, and is resting higher now - just right below my rib. Ouch! Not only my rib hurts, my back hurts as well as my nether region. Dr F said it's probably gonna get worst. But since it's not consistently 24 hours pain, I shouldn't worry about it. Oh well, what I didn't get in the first 2 trimesters, are all coming to haunt me now.

In fact, my appetite has gone a notch down as well. Partly because he is resting so high up and I can't really eat that much. I couldn't even a bowl of rice anymore, at most maybe half... If I do finish that bowl of rice, I think the indigestion is going to be unthinkable. Oh yes, the indigestion/heart burn is coming to haunt me now.

We also checked with Dr F if there is no way hubby can be in the OT when I have my caesarian. Well apparently not here in JB :( The one in KL allows but not here. Too many papa lost the battle and fainted I guess. So looks like hubby won't get to see baby coming out or cutting his cord. Unfortunately is that I don't think I'm ready at all for natural birth. It's just too dramatic with all the pain and pushing and breathing that comes with it. 

6 more weeks to make sure my room is ready. Now that we've got the last bit of the furniture - his cupboard comes with a changing table, we can finally move about the furniture in our room and make sure everything is in place and my hospital bag is pack - just in case...

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!!!

All is good

Last night at about 8pm, my little one is back to his normal hard kicking days and boy am I glad he did. Hahaha... I have been warned about days ahead when he will start kicking into your ribs. But I think I am ok with that as long as he is showing signs that he is ok and he is still with me.

I know half a day of scare is nothing, well, this is part of being a first time mommy right? My sis and a good friend both assured me that all is good. He's probably sleeping in his favourite position or that he has grown so big that my tummy is not catching up fast enough so he has less room to move about. I'm really glad that they are both right!

Besides 8pm kick, he had his midnight exercise as well. And he is now back to his normal schedule. In fact, his awake time is becoming more erratic. Hmm... I wonder if he's a fussy sleeper.

Talking about sleep... I find it more and more difficult to sleep at night. Whenever I side-sleep, I felt that I'm pressing against my tummy even if I have pillow underneath. And after a while, I would get rib muscle pain and I had to turn. Sometimes unknowingly, I would wake up on my back. I actually like sleeping on my back, but if I'm on this position too long, I will have backache the next morning. The Flopsy is now mainly used to support my back whenever I side sleep on my left. Then sometimes I would steal hubby's bolster for a little comfort hug :) Like Dr F said, it's going to get worse as I progress. I guess waking up in the middle of the night twice helps me to change my sleep position since I can't stay on one position for too long. (Oh yes, I get up twice, once at 2.30am-3.00am and another 5.30am - my bladder is like a clockwork!!)

Until now, I'm enjoying my pregnancy moment to the fullest. After all this is one precious pregnancy that took us to quite a journey physically and mentally. I shall savour every month, I shall keep writing, I shall document every itsy bitsy little thing!

To all preggers out there, enjoy the moment & have a good weekend!

Paranoid Me

Like all first time mummies, well maybe even experienced mummies, you can't help but feel paranoid if the baby is doing fine inside. You'll just never know what's going on with the little one side of you.

I have been feeling the baby's movement and kicks all the time. In fact, earlier on there is a rhythm going on! He will be kicking hard at around 11am or 12noon when I'm about to go for lunch, or around midnight when I'm about to go to sleep. But for the last 2 maybe 3 days, his kicks are no longer on time. He will kick anytime of the day whenever he wishes. But I still pretty felt his very strong and powerful kick or punch.

Then yesterday around lunch time, he wasn't really doing as much kick. If he doesn't kick up a storm around lunch, he would do it around dinner time. But diner came, dinner gone, still not much of a movement. Then I waited for his scheduled midnight exercise, still nothing. When I was sleeping on my side, which he usually hates and will give me the hardest kick of all, nothing much. I probably felt a little rubbing inside, but not the normal power kick.

I guess to much kicking, and he's too tired.

And morning came, which normally won't give me much of a feel of him kicking or moving, I was getting worried because he hasn't really kick. I was still waiting... then at about lunch time, I felt some slight movement, but still not the strong kick that I was expecting.

Finally the kick came, though it was just maybe 2-3 kicks, at least I felt much better knowing that he is still there with me. I get so worried he moved and kicked less. I read up that he could move less at days, so I'm hoping that he is perfectly fine, well protected by by fats and his amniotic fluid in my tummy. I'm only due to see the doctor in another 2 weeks, so I hope all is good. Seeing doctor every 4 weeks kinda paranoid you. I wish I can get back to the schedule where I see Dr F more often! Seeing his ultrasound scan showing the heart beat or him moving, really assured you that all is good. So in the meantime while waiting for the next appointment, it's all about him moving and kicking and your instinct that everything is alright.

FAQs to a pregger

Besides having strangers staring at your tummy, you will probably come across a lot of small talks from strangers - from the lady from your nearest supermarket, or the petrol station attendance, even the waitress during lunch.

You sometimes get acquaintances you have not spoken to ages asking you some intimate questions.

I sometimes felt uneasy having these strangers or acquaintances asking you questions like:

Are you pregnant?
I have some FB friends whom I've not spoken to in a lifetime asking me this question. I do appreciate the concern, thank you very much. But I find it a bit uneasy sharing it on FB in the beginning and I tried not to divulge too much. As I progress, I think I'm more at ease with this question.

How many months are you pregnant now? When is the baby due?
Errrr... I still find it uneasy having strangers asking me this because.... errrr.... you are not coming to the baby's birth in the hospital are you?

Is it a boy or a girl?
Totally private question that I only want to share with my family and friends. Some people are happy to share this, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy sharing with family and friends, but strangers... Seriously... Maybe it's just me. I mean when I found out an acquaintance is pregnant, I will say "Congratulations." I think I will hardly ask if it's a boy or girl.

Is it twins?
You see I'm one half of a Twins and everyone will assume I will have Twins or something! Gawd! It has NEVER cross my mind to ask other twins that they are having twins!! Why on earth these people ask silly question like this! Twins birth by nature is a miracle, it's something that doesn't necessary happen to twins mom! Come on!!!! I think I find it some what offensive because I tried so hard for so many years just to have this one precious little one in me now. How I wish too that when doctor did the ultrasound scan and he found 2 heart beat. I am still grateful to have one heart beat, and he is still my precious - even more so precious than precious.

How long are you married? (11 years now) Oh, what took you so long?
Gawd... getting pregnant is a very private matters. Just like why some couples decided never to have a child and you go asking "why not?" and gave one hell of a lecture. It's especially hard for me to answer that partly because we have gone through so many treatment to get to where we are today and I am not comfortable over-sharing our long treatment journey.

Oh you did IVF. Why not try for Twins?
I was like totally feeling the "WTF" almost came out of my month when someone I told that we did IVF to get pregnant. I had 4 embryos transferred and in the end I have this one precious surviving all odds. And I am grateful and thankful that this one precious made it this far. I seriously find this question WTF.

I've read articles where there are more annoying questions were asked to other preggers like:
- Are you going to have natural birth?
- Why are you doing a caesarian?
- You look big, are you x month pregnant?
- I bet it's a girl, isn't it? No, it's a boy. Really? But the way you carry certainly looks like a girl.
- Oh you are x months already. You still can't feel the baby kicking yet?

I'm sure the list can go on and on. So for now, I"m taking it easy, trying not to get annoyed. I'm trying my best to keep my raging hormone in check from time to time.

Leg cramps

Ok I finally succumbed to my first leg cramp during pregnancy on the morning of 16 August. I heard and read so many times that preggers will suffer from leg cramps ALL the time. I'm not sure if there is any "normal time frame" where you should start having cramps, but I got mine at week 25.

I was so sure that I can escape another pregnancy symptoms quietly, sigh.... I woke up with the worst leg cramp ever! Well, in fact, I've never had a cramp from waking up before!! I'm not sure if the cramp is caused by too much walking in the day or I slept in one position for too long in the night that the blood circulation was poor.

The cramp I had was at the fibular muscle (the calf muscle), it was tight when it happened. So all I had to do was stretched the muscle, meaning try to move your feet towards you. I had to hold on to the position for a good minute for so and after which I had to ask hubby to give me a little massage (what a good excuse for morning massage!!!) so I could get out of bed. Otherwise, I think I would be limping around the whole day.

How big am I?

For the first time after 25 weeks of pregnancy, I finally took the courage to pick up the measuring tape and measured my ever growing tummy. Thank goodness the measuring tape can still take my waistline!!!! And here it is - 40 inches! That is like HUGE!!!!! Never will I ever dream of reaching the 4x in my life!!!!!!!! I wonder by the end of my term, what will I measure?