The Ninth Month

Assalamualaikum.

I know It's embarrassing to delay writing blog posts on my second pregnancy. With all the works I'm juggling with I guess I need to make an effort to write! Or there won't be any record at all. 

So here I am. I'm now almost 36 weeks pregnant. Finally entering the month that I've been waiting for. It's just the month that almost every pregnant lady has been looking forward to. (Not that I'm all ready to hold the baby though!)

This was taken when LO was 16 weeks old in my tummy

LO has been doing so well, except for last week's appointment. He was measured a week smaller than he's supposed to. But the doctor didn't seem concerned about it. So I guess I shouldn't be worried. Fetuses, like all children, develop at their own rates. The measurements are just based on averages. Most babies just won't be exact, right?

He's been kicking, moving a lot and doing not-so-fun rib tickling! I started feeling a little spare on air about 6 weeks ago. A trip upstairs makes me feel as if I've just run marathon. But I can tell that I'm still fit. I just don't get exhausted too fast. I still can walk fast and do a lot of things. What bothers a bit is the leg cramps especially in the morning every time I stretch my legs. My feet seem to be a little swollen, but very unnoticeable. 

Most of these symptoms are pretty much what I felt during my first pregnancy! Up to this point, I just know what to expect. Will update more and more :)  (Hopefully soon!)

Back to the Cycle

The first period after my LMP - December 12th 2008 - just appeared. It was nearly 16 months of having period-free life! and so now I'm back to a "new life".

Isn't it weird to have one without cramping? Not that I'm expecting but I've been having the bad cramps my whole baligh life. This time I don't feel any. Alhamdulillah I hope I will be saying bye bye for good to the period pain.

By the way, my mom said, "Boleh hamil lagi." Oh yes but no, can't think about another pregnancy and birth - not for the time being . Still traumatized.

Braxton Hicks Contraction

MCPD: 37 weeks 1 day

Ouch. I’ve been experiencing the Braxton Hicks (BH) contractions every once in a while since I entered the ninth month. Whenever I get this false labour it starts with my tummy bunched up and harden. At first I thought it was the baby who is stretching, in actual fact it's actually a contraction when the tummy is practicing to the actual labour. When it strikes, I feel pressure on my lung, making me hard to breath. This continues, then everything goes back to normal. Yesterday and today the contraction getting more often. It hurts when the tightening happens and when a real sharp pain attacks my down there and thighs that I barely walk. Seems like the baby is pressing on to his escape canal or something. At night when I start to lie down, it happens quite differently, the tummy gets harden and I feel a cramp, menstrual-like feeling.

Anyway, I hope I'll get to be aware once the real contraction strikes. Now I'm 37 weeks and there are three more weeks to go. I feel that I'm getting closer and closer since I have experienced the pre-labour symptoms. This time I'm not that energetic as I used to be. I feel tired and mostly exhausted. For the time being, I feel like I can get in to labour anytime (soon?) and I'm just not ready and freaked out. I need to have my mom come here first. They're coming on September 10. I hope LO will stay there until I'm completely ready or at least until it's close to the due date.

Nesting Instinct

MCPD: 36 weeks 6 days

I've been having this amazing and weird urge to do household chores. Since we moved into our new house, I experienced an energy burst. I can't just sit relaxed. All I want is to do something all the time and in the end I'd feel exhausted. Just when I want to stop, there must be other things bothering me. For instance, a single ant seems to be disturbing so much that I really try to make the house as clean and functional as possible until there's no more insect around. I'd make sure the bin is empty all the time, dust should not be seen and other dramatic things, this and that. I can sweep and mop the floor twice a time. This explains how tired I can be especially when entering the final month. DH seems to be annoyed with me. Because not only I 'force' myself to do something, I also indirectly force him to do something too. I don't like to see him doing nothing, so I like to grumble. There isn't the word 'relax' because time is not waiting, this baby may pop anytime. That's what I think and I should be ready by now.

When I read about labour, I got something which really surprised me. I never knew about Nesting Instinct in pregnancy. It's the instinct to prepare the nest for the impending arrival. This doesn't only happen to animals. If we notice cats or dogs become restless before delivery, preparing a spot for them to give birth, it's unbelievable that this animal instinct is happening to me too! This could be somehow creepy and funny.

I told this to DH and he seemed to be relieved. I guess he understands why this thing could happen to me. It's just one of those pregnancy symptoms we have to deal with. And this should explain why I was so passionate to move into the new house. It's because I want to prepare a place for me to settle down before I give birth, just like the feathered or the four-legged friends.

Ramadhan

MCPD: 36 weeks 4 days

It's Ramadhan 5th. I've been fasting for 5 days, alhamdulillah. After surveying, thinking through and getting the doctor's approval, finally I took the decision to fast. Some people have different opinion about fasting pregnant women. Some say I shouldn't be fasting. I really want to fast because I don't want to miss the month and secondly because I'd rather not to fast at another time. I understand in Islam, pregnant woman doesn't need to fast. Islam doesn't impose such a hardship on those with health constraints. But this doesn't mean that a pregnant woman cannot fast. It depends on the condition of each person provided she has permission and supervision from the doctor. Fasting in Islam helps to address dietary abuse problems. It also helps to release some of the toxic built up to the extra body fat that a woman carries. Thus fasting detoxifies the body and this goes to pregnant woman as well. I just hope for the best and let Allah show the way. I know my body, so I know when to stop when things seem to go wrong. But it's been good so far. So I would just continue my puasa. LO is doing great. He's active as usual, regardless the less spacious room inside there. I hope puasa won't do any harm to him.

My Little Hero

MCPD: 30 weeks

I used to feel subtle, bubble like movements, slower, rolling kicks on my tummy. But these days the little guy seems to be moving really hard. He's been SUPER active from one end to another, all the time through out the day and night. Yes, no more butterflies. His hands and legs seem to be much bigger that when he kicks and punches I can even feel my whole body vibrating.

Last time the kicking thing felt so bubbly but now it hurts! I'm afraid if my skin would crack or tear off when he stretches. But no worries, this whole thing is actually not as creepy as my graphic explanation. Most of the time DH and I feel it's funny to see my tummy vibrating and shaking. The LO likes to make my tummy look funny in shape. His stretched body or hands would make my tummy look odd..

I know in few weeks time, LO's movement will be settled down a bit as the tummy will be getting a lot squishier for him and there will be not as much space for the acrobatic activities. When that happens, I hope he'll have his head down since at the moment his position is still breeched, and that worries me a lot!

I told my mom about the LO's activities. My mom said 'my hero' is doing well and healthy. Amin.

'Milky Way'

MCPD: 27 weeks 3 days

This is something new to talk about..

ah well, mine started to leak since I was on the 22nd week. Is it normal? I was so surprised. But when I remembered that I'm pregnant, I thought this is supposed to happen. At first it had happened only to one side then the next day both did. It's clear liquid but leaves stain on the t-shirt (it's called colostrum). Since then they leak almost everyday. My mom said this could be too early, knowing that I was only 5 month pregnant. I referred to the book and it doesn't mention leakage until the ninth month. Even though I have another three months to go, I just hope this is a good sign that I will not be having problem to breastfeed. My friend hadn't leaked a drop until the second week after the baby was born. Let's just hope for the best.

Harder to Breathe

MCPD: 25 weeks

I have breathing problem mostly at night, after food and especially before sleeping. It actually happens every time I try to lie down. The problem worse if my dinner is quite close to bedtime, when the stomach's still a bit full. I never woke up in the middle of the night gasping for air though, and I hope I won't. But there are few things I always consider:-

#1 I try to have dinner as early as possible to minimize the bedtime problem.

#2 Sleeping position does matter. I have tried my best to stay on my side because that's the best position for a good blood circulation and well breathing. I sleep quite wild, that's my problem. Since I always wake up sleeping on my back. I always arrange barricade of pillows to minimize my 'movements'.

#3 Eucalyptus oil helps me a lot. It's effective for treating respiratory problems. I just rub on my chest but not too much. The aroma helps me breathe better.

Sleeping ...zzz...

MCPD: 22 weeks 5 days

Sleeping was never a problem for me. I am a back sleeper and often I find myself wake up on my stomach. But sleeping on the stomach is absolutely a big NO as soon as I knew I'm pregnant. Only these days I don't dare to sleep on my back as I'd wake up in the middle of the night with my back aching. Even though that's the most comfortable position for me, resting the entire weight of this pregnant uterus on the back cause backaches and interferes blood circulation. So I've been trying to sleep on my side. DH likes to help me arrange baracade of pillows especially on my back. This is because I can't seem to stay in one position. Everytime I wake up, I'd be on my back again, and it once again hurts. The best pillow I should have is actually to have one pillow under my head and one between my crossed over legs while sleeping on the side. But that doesn't seem to work with me because I sleep quite wild. Anyway, I'll be good, just a matter of adjusting the body with this growing tummy.

I tried googling and found this Snoogle pregnancy pillow which at first I thought of considering it.

But then I imagine this thing on my bed..

oh no. Geli.

Next is allergy

MCPD: 20 weeks 2 days

While saying goodbye to morning sickness, another symptom comes. And it's ALLERGY. I have never been allergic to seafood or any kind. It attacks my fingers and toes. Now start attacking the palms. So itchy! At first I thought it was fungus, then I referred to "What to Expect" and learnt that pregnancy may aggravate allergies. As it's been almost 7 days, so I made decision to visit the doc today. He said I am allergic to something. I recalled what I have eaten and remembered that I took keropok ikan from Sabah - a lot. So the doctor said a big NO to that. Owh just found something good to my appetite and now I have to stay away from it. Ah well,I don't mind, as long as I don't have to suffer from the itch.

Bad Morning Sickness, Food Craving, Belly Pic Shots

MCPD: 13 weeks 3 days

It's still about morning sickness. It hits worse and worse. I'm still sick and become the worst picky eater. Poor the LO cos I haven't eaten any vegetables or any other good stuffs. But one thing which is good is that I can't eat any of instant noodles. I know it's not good but there's a time when I craved for white noodles where I used to have those back in Jakarta. Mi ayam and pangsit could hit my appetite the best. But where to find some kind like that here in Kuching, so I took instant noodles instead. In the evening I threw up a full sink! It was bad. The next week I had another instant noodles and guess what I had the second worst vomit. My body just can't accept the junk, so I guess how it ended up like that was so surprising for me. So, I don't care whether I suffer from vomitting, as long as it's the goodness for me and the LO. Ow not to mention that when I craved for mi ayam pangsit for the first time, I cried cause I badly wanted it. I've been asking myself why people crave. Now I know how!

So I've taken two belly pics for two different weeks. yes I have a bump which I only can notice it though it's actually normal not to have one until I'm about 20 something weeks. It's fun. But I ain't gonna put the real pics of mine here.LoL.

9 weeks and more gagging.. Yikes!

MCPD: 9 weeks 5 days

So alhamdulillah I'm now 9 weeks and 5 days. Even if I don't know the exact EDD since I'm just based on what I calculate and what I believe, not according to the LMP and what the books say. It's still about morning sickness and the morning sickness has been upgraded to all-day sickness! My sickness is getting worse. I'm not complaining as long as it means that I'm experiencing a normal stage those pregnant mommies are experiencing. Subhanallah. This is how to be pregnant feels, though I'm still having a whole lot weeks to go. Every different phases InsyaAllah will be jotted here.

Regarding my all-day sickness. I'm now more to gagging all the time. When there's something I find disgusting, I'd gag. When brushing teeth, I'd gag. When lunch time comes I'd gag. My sickness doesn't come together with vomitting. Maybe I'm one of those pretty lucky ones. I can count how many times I had thrown up. Maybe once in a week and I can feel when it's coming.

Nausea

MCPD: 6 weeks 1 day

I lost a bit of my appetite. I don't feel like eating anything. The reason why I eat is only because I'm hungry. I don't like the smell of food and I even don't like to hear people talking about food. I feel sick if I think of it. I don't like my kitchen or even walk to it as it just makes me feel more sick. That's why I haven't been cooking these few days. Too bad DH and I need to eat out.

Last week I felt so lazy as a dog. I just wanted to lie down as long as I want. I think I do still want it this week since tomorrow is already the weekend :)