37 wks - As big as a Watermelon!

The tummy is as big (and as hard) as a Watermelon now!

Baby Kai Kai

Kai Kai - the name which we called affectionately for the past few months - seems to have caused great impact in our lives despite still inside the womb...

1) The 1st tri brown discharge scare
- Makes us cancel our Phuket trip ✈ last minute (think he doesn't want us to go without him) but also make us closer while we pray hard for his life
- The Husb gave up his smoking habit starting from then. A big change in his and our lives.

2) The 3rd tri brown discharge cum preterm labour scare
- Makes us cancel our maternity Photoshoot as I have to be on bed rest. (Maybe he wants to be in the Photoshoot!)
- The scare happened when my in laws have to be away for a wk's long holiday, makes us Realise we have to stay knitted and strong during this period of time when reliable help may not be available. And to appreciate each other's efforts more while we stretch our limits to survive this delicate period. We show more care & love as form of support for each other. And reflect more upon our actions in the treatment of the older kid when she threw tantrums in midst of our tiredness.
- I always complain that Husb never send me to work at my last difficult month of my last pregnancy & secretly hope that he can send me to work this time round. With this scare, he is finally spending that extra money to drive his OPC to send me to work. Maybe Kai Kai wants him to dote on mummy more. Hee...
- Because of this condition, my gynae gave me medical leave for the subsequent week to rest more & walk less. I am thankful for this as I Realise my body can't take it any longer beyond that 3 days in office clearing my work & doing handover. If not I would thought I could continue working till end of the year. I am grateful for a good rest now, in preparation for the big challenge (labour & taking care of the newborn) to come! And the early maternity leave that I have to take is actually good for me & my baby cuz less stressful for both of us.

Baby Kai Kai seems to have his special way of bonding the family as he works his magic inside me.

3rd Tri depression

I m feeling some signs of depression ever since I got admitted to hospital for emergency that day. My in laws will be on holiday this week, so no help available this wk. Next wk my gynae will be on holiday, so no gynae next week. Feeling kinda worried what if baby comes during these 2 wks? My work in office got disrupted & unsettled, causing one of my stress & helplessness. And with my wk's of bed rest & fatigue, I feel another sense of helplessness when I can't run my errands, & settle the unsettled work in preparation of the baby's arrival. I can't even go out & take a walk to relax myself. Practically No mood & physical energy to do anything. I just want to do nothing except to rest with my mind set at ease. I Duno why I m feeling that way. I m feeling both vexed, worried, unsettled yet have no mood & energy to do anything about it.

From babycenter:

Symptoms of depression could arise due to-

Problems with your pregnancy. A complicated or high-risk pregnancy can take an emotional toll, particularly if you're enduring weeks of bedrest or numerous genetic tests. (Women who are pregnant with twins or more often fall into this category.) The strain of having to endure difficult procedures combined with fear about your baby's well-being is often difficult to shoulder. Likewise, not being able to work or do other things you're used to doing makes it tougher to maintain your emotional balance.

I m quite worried I will bring my Prenatal depression into postnatal depression

Pre-labour alarm!

Sun 2 Dec 2012, 11.50pm - found that my panty liner got stained with brown spotting & got a scare! Woke Husb up & we decided to go to the hospital to check juz in case...

Initially thought its false alarm & can be discharged really soon, as I do not have any dilations or feel any contractions... Then they kept me under observation longer as the machine detected mild contractions. On the safe side, they gave me a pill to stop the contractions & an injection to boost the baby's lungs JUZ IN CASE he decides to pop out at 35th/36th wks! OMG! Pls don't... I was praying really hard inside my heart. I m not prepared yet. The logistics are not complete yet too!

My gynae came over & check my condition ard 4am. Inserted finger to check & realised there's still quite a bit of blood inside despite no dilation. So I have to be hospitalized till next day 12 noon. If still no signs of labour & no more blood then I can be discharged. Argh... I was expecting that I can go home real soon but it's taking longer & longer than expected. My gynae says her worries are not unfounded cuz she has/is delivering a few patients who have same due date as me! So they are all delivering ard 35th/36th wks already! That gets me more worried what would happen if I really have to deliver so early? My office work has not been hand-overed yet & I feel uneasy thinking of that alone. Plus my in laws are going for a week's holiday Tml!!! Who can help me with my confinement & Kayla when they are away? A lot of worries & questions running thru my mind & I can't do anything but pray things can go smoothly...

Now I m getting "Pre-exercise" routine of hearing all the newborns' crying at the nursery room... Makes me Realise that very soon (Duno how soon) I will be facing that...

With an elder kid at home, the Husb has to go home to relieve my in laws who were helping to jaga her when we came to hospital while I stay in the ward myself. Realised I have been more independent as the need arises... Well, we just have to grow as we go along the journey of parenthood...

I hope labour will not start so early & I can still enjoy my Xmas & New Year's Eve in peace...

My 2nd Pregnancy

Planned to have a Dragon baby before the Snake year comes, as Kayla is turning 3 years old in the year of Dragon. We started trying late 2011 but there had been no good news for the first 4 months of trying. Gotten dismayed whenever I tried using the ovulation calendar, ovulation test strips, then anxiously using the pregnancy test strip to test for the results - cuz' it all shows "negative".

When I finally got fed up and decided to stop using the ovulation test strips (yet still knowing my ovulation cycle at the back of my mind), a surprise came when I tested on 27 Apr 2012 (the day which I should have my menses). In the morning, the pregnancy test strip didn't show any positive signs and I was disappointed that it didn't happen again, and time is running out as this is the 2nd last month which I could try for a Dragon baby! Then at night when I returned from work, I realised that the test strip shows a faint pink line, meaning it's POSITIVE! I am glad that I did not throw away the test strip immediately and a miracle results show! We were both excited!

Went to the doc on 30 Apr 2012 to do another pregnancy test in order to confirm the results. Waiting excitedly for the results and oh my! We were so happy when it's confirmed. Yeh! We did it! The EDD is 2 Jan 2013. Hope it will be a New Year baby as I prefer January babies to Dec babies, and also less competitive when enrolling the kid in school next time. (*praying hard in the heart and mind*)

• Symptoms felt for this pregnancy:

- Swollen breasts and nipples
- Easily giddy
- Gets hot flushes and chills intermittently
- Mild tummy cramps
- Cravings: Prefer tea to coffee, sudden liking for sweet & junk food

First time had brown spotting during first trimester (ard 6 wks). I was so worried when it became dark red on the very night. It didn't stop. I could have over-exerted myself when I ran up and down the stairs in the office. Walked in to see my gynae the very next day, and waited for very long before it's my turn. The gynae gave me a hormone jab and prescribed hormone pills to stabilise the pregnancy and the situation. Gotten jittery and worried as I pray this pregnancy to be smooth & stable.

• Weight Tracker:

Mummy's weight @ 8 wks: 58.8kg
Mummy's weight @ [final wk] : To be determined.

Trying not to gain too much weight like the first pregnancy, but hard to attain as I have a growing appetite when I reach 2nd trimester! Cravings for sweets, chocolates, ice creams (desserts stuffs), chips (junk food) which I seldom touch before this pregnancy. Hmm..seems like this baby prefer sweet food!

• Feeling Good!

Generally feel quite comfortable during 2nd trimester. Seem not to have swell like the first pregnancy. And this baby is quite cooperative! More awake and kicking during breakfast, lunch & stimes dinner time. Then asleep together with me during night time haha... I hope the baby can be as cooperative after he is born!

My tummy is more pointed than round. And I can eat and sleep quite well. So naturally I feel good!

1st tri scan:

2nd tri scan:

Kayla Jie Jie first time seeing baby at the gynae clinic! & heard the baby's throbbing heart beat sound!

When Dr Wong asked if she wants didi or meimei, she said didi. During the scan the gynae almost wanted to say its a girl when she checked there's nothing visible & I was ready for the verdict. Then she went "wait wait... I see something..." that's when she detected the organ of a baby BOY!

Gosh I was half laughing & trembling due to the cold Aircon. It was like 'my wish came true! God is good to me!' I secretly wished for completeness & he granted my wish! Hope the baby boy will be as good as her Jie Jie!

Took a memoir pic with the gynae 3 yrs after she delivered Kayla!

Kayla's prediction before the 5th month detailed scan:

Results of the Detailed scan!

3 Sep 2012:
Finally the Husb felt & witnessed the lil boy's movents ynite when he was busy bloping up & down! Haha. The Husb was smiling so happily... He must have missed those precious moments! Initially I thought he may not be so eager to look fwd to such moments from Tis boy, cux firstly he has to spend more time with the older one during sleep time and tts when the baby is slightly more active. And secondly he may not have the patience & time to wait for the little waves since he is busy with the older one. Thirdly I thought he may have less preference towards boy...Well he has proven me wrong when I see the beam on his face when he brightens up upon feeling the movements!

• At 25th wks scan: We saw the baby yawning! How funny the sight is! Simply endearing

7 Nov 2012:

I put Kayla's hand on my tummy and she felt Baby Kai Kai's Hi-5 kick for the first time! I told Baby Kai Kai that is Kayla jie jie. Then she also felt the wobbles too and found it interesting and funny! An amazing moment for the 3 of us.

39 weeks: Still waiting...1 more week to go

At 39th week, Little Yammie is a whopping 3kg baby now! Woh! Finally she has finally reached the targeted weight we have for her. Despite her position is really low, as there is 0cm cervix dilation, we do not forsee her to be out this weekend. However, there could always be surprises, as the gynae says! haha.. But I guess hoping her to be out on the 27th may not be highly possible liao.

Today's visit is a little special. One of my primary school chums is back for holidays and she came with us for the gynae scan. The image on the screen isn't very clear now as the baby is almost taking up most of the amniotic fluid space, and the gynae has to point out the various features and explain to her. I am sure this is a very exciting experience for her, right?

I started my maternity leave officially, so I can rest more at home now. In order to induce labour, I still have to walk, walk, and walk... Ok, will put that into my resting-at-home schedule.

I will still be waiting...waiting...for Little Yammie to arrive...

38 weeks (Part 2) - First leak of breast milk

This is a (private) entry for records purpose.

Also at my 38th week of pregnancy, I'd my first leak of breast milk! It started that fateful day whereby I felt pain at one side of my breast. I massaged it, then noticed a blob of translucent-then turned murky water forming on top of my nipple!

On another day, another few more of such blobs of breast milk (should be called colostrum) started to appear on another side of the breast. So funny to see such sight.

Hopefully there will be enough breast milk for the baby when she arrives.

38 weeks: She's ready ANYTIME!

At the 38th week scan, Little Yammie seems more ready now. Her head is still engaged, position low, weighing at 2.73kg now. Technically speaking, she is ready ANYTIME! We are now just waiting for her signal to arrive to this world, when the labour contractions start...

This is not a pleasant scan session for us, not because of the baby. Its because after waiting for 2 hours for our turn, we are still unable to see my gynae as she has to rush to Mt. Alvernia for delivery, so we have to make do with another gynae in the same clinic. The other gynae seems soft spoken and from the way she does the scanning, we can't make out a clear picture of the baby. It's just touch-and-go style. "Oh this is the baby's head, her spine, this little white bone is her thigh bone. Let me check your amiontic fluid level. Ok its sufficient...."

So disappointing. Normally we can have more interactions with our own gynae, and able to see a much clearer picture of the baby. We didn't even get to have a single decent picture of the scan to bring home. Sianz.

Anyway, so long we know baby is doing fine, its comforting enough. Just not really satisfying especially we've waited for 2 weeks for a chance to see our baby on the screen.

Today we will be watching the long-awaited Harry Potter movie! She has to wait till after the movie show ok!!!

A little more Patience + TLC + Understanding

I need a little more Patience + TLC from you, at this point of time. As much as I would try to do things by myself, I hope you can be more Understanding that its harder for me to do things by myself, without straining my body.

When you grumble, when you lose your patience, I feel bad & sad that I have to make you do all these things in life for me, willingly.

I need some hugs & rubs on the back from you, knowing that you still love me. Although I know the fact that you still love me a lot. Somehow I just need a little more TLC from you, not all the time, but even if its occassionally, it will definitely cheer me up.

I understand you are tired-out, from work, from housework. So sometimes I wonder, am I asking too much? Or is it just a natural need, especially at this point of time?

Thinking back...

Thinking back... 36 weeks+ ago, on the same day of Alvin & Adeline's ROM, we took our 1st pregnancy test. After the test, we were in a confused state of mind - Is it true? Is it really happening? Will I have false hopes in the end? Am I really PREGNANT? Different thoughts were running through my mind.

After 2nd and 3rd confirmation of the tests, and follow-up ultrasound scans, it really chanced upon me that there is really a life budding inside me, and it is growing every minute and second. How amazing life is!

Now that my tummy has grown so big, and feeling her kicks, punches, and squirmmings, its hard not to believe that I am actually carrying a life inside me. It is reality.

I duno how I will react and feel when she comes out from my womb, and right into my arns... I think it will be another round of "Is it true? Is it really happening? Is she really the LIFE which has been growing inside me for the past 9-10 months?" thoughts running through my mind again...

The Ugly Side of Pregnancy....

1) Double-chin

2) Stretchmarks

3) Swollen Hands & Feet

36 weeks: She's engaged!

3rd July 09: Being able to see my Little Yammie on my birthday itself is such a wonderful first birthday gift for myself!

She has grown well - now 2.56kg heavy (extra 0.46kg since the last checkup). Saw her little foot and even saw her small fingers trying to poke her nose/wriggle her face! So cute! Saw her chubby cheeks... Her current weight belongs to the normal medium weight, not too big, so possible for normal delivery without MUCH difficulties. Head circumference = 30 cm. Also a good size. Estimated weight at birth = 3.1kg

Gynae says that her head has engaged. Position has lowered (but not too low yet). So shall monitor the position again after 2 weeks... Not likely possible to HAPPEN within these 2 weeks, so hubbie still have 2 more weekends to settle the last bit of preparation work! haha...

In the meantime, I will try to communicate to Little Yammie and ask her not to pop out so fast yet. I hope she can pop on the 27th July - the initial EDD, cuz it happens that I am 27 years old this year. Well, baby, you heard mummy's thoughts ya? haha...

Love you lots, our beloved baby...

34 weeks: Another few more weeks to countdown!

Can't believe that its another few weeks down the road that Baby Yam will finally get to see the world! Once I reach 36 weeks, I should be on stand-by mode anytime! Haha... Papa Yam gets nervous everytime he is being reminded of the limited time he has to do his preparation chores! haha

Got issued the admission slip by the gynae, so that I can admit into hospital anytime I am due for delivery! So ganjiong! One of my colleagues' waterbag broke in the office today and went for delivery right after lunch! Hope it doesn't happen to me in the office. I will be so flustered. Just in case, I better get my hospital bag packed ready.. hee...

Went to see Baby Yam's updates today...As usual, waited for more than 1 and 1/2 hours before getting to see the gynae & Baby Yam. We were halfway through the scanning & only got a glimpse of the baby when the gynae got an emergency call for delivery. As it was the 2nd child, she said it will be a fast delivery so we waited at her office for another 15-20mins before she returned to resume the scanning.

Baby Yam is progressing very good! She is now 2.1kg and is a good size now. Mummy Yam has stopped gaining excessive weight while Baby is growing well! It's a good sign. I no longer have the "legitimate" reason to eat more for the sake of Baby liao..hee.. I have to resume to my normal diet now. Anyway I no longer have that hearty appetite, probably because Baby is taking so much space in my tummy and quite high up to the top of my tummy.

Her head is still facing downwards but not engaged yet, so there is a very high possibility that I can have a normal delivery, thou won't be due for delivery anytime soon...

Our next visit shall be on my birthday - 3rd July 09!!! Seeing her growing well & healthily shall be one of my birthday gifts bah

Finale of Baby Spree

7 June 09: Went to the 2 major baby hypermarts @ Kaki Bukit, with another parents-to-be couple friend. It's their first time there, so they are more into see-see-look-look at the ranges of baby items while it's our 2nd time there, and our purpose is to get some finale items for the baby spree. Got items like:

• Classic Winnie the Pooh Bedding Set
• Classic Winnie the Pooh pillow & bolster case (extras)
• Farm Animals Bedsheet, pillow & bolster case (to put at in-law's place)
  
• Bathing tub (to put at in-law's place)
  

After our lunch, we proceed to the Motherhood Exhibition @ Expo for 2nd round of purchase which we didn't manage to get at the baby hypermarts. Got items like:

• Beanie Pillow & pillow case
• Forehead thermometer
• Signed up for Jamu massage and slimming for myself (b'day gift requested by me)
  

As usual, got a few freebies here and there, and also managed to get quite a few items, including toys for Baby Yam! This is the only thing that we havn't bought any for the past few months as we were busy getting the essentials. So its time for us to get some toys to pamper our baby who's arriving in another month's time!!! Woohoo! Can't wait for the time to come..haha..

13 June 09: We finally got to buy the baby's furniture @ IKEA today...


Look at all the big and heavy boxes of furniture that Dear carried all by himself cuz the pregnant me can only help with that small rattan chair and the 2 white boxes..hee.. Of cuz he din do it all at one go la.. Its impossible.. He made a few trips up and down to carry them from his car to the house. Yes, we managed to pack all these in our 小红's backseat and boot! Another amazing feat by 小红! Now he can't find his hands liao (lost feeling in his hands liao..) Wahaha...

Can't wait to start Phase 1 of the cleaning and assembling of baby's furniture, and the arrival of the baby's cot next weekend!

An e-card that saves the day.

Baby, mummy is sorry that she has to make you go through some unhappy moods that night... Mummy was really tired and unwell after work and shopping, so moods not very good...

It didn't help much that some nitty-gritty things between daddy & mummy happened at home after that.

Furthermore the uterus contractions that triggered at middle of the night didn't make things any better.. was suffering from the contractions, the intense pain that go on and off, for more than 30 minutes (while daddy is sleeping soundly away... ) I understand that the contractions also made you uncomfortable cuz of lack of moving space so you kept kicking away.. That adds on to mummy's pain and unwellness.

Just as I thought my Thursday night and next morning will be ruined by the unhappy events and lack of sleep, an e-card from Daddy saves the day.

The e-card is very sweet and definitely makes my Friday better..all the unhappiness is gone once I received the e-card. I am very comforted that daddy knew what went wrong and how to fix them.

I still want to say sorry to Baby for making you suffer with mummy's mood swings... I hope it won't happen (that frequently) again so that your future development will not be affected.

Yammy Mummy's Emo-Updates

It hasn't been an easy week for Yammy Mummy, with tiredness setting in and having to brave the sweltering sun on every morning's walk to office, and every lunch time. Hate the detesting weather, especially with my own temperature increasing like mad!!! Not forgetting my swollen feet that made things worse.

With the above causes, I have no choice but to get a new pair of shoes (anyway, my current pair has just "opened mouth in front and behind"), and Dear also suggested me to get a few more dresses since it will be more cooling for me. We went to Causeway Point on Saturday to get all these items. Also bought some more baby necessities from Kiddy Palace.

At the shopping mall while waiting for the salesgirl to get our items, and I was aching all over the body and my feet are very tired and painful from the walking and standing, suddenly Dear said to me that he knows its really hard for me to carry such a heavy weight on my body. From his words, I felt comforted cuz at least I know he understands the pain that I am going thru (which I thot that he doesn't know!). I am also thankful that he has been doing all he can, whether financially or physically, to assist me thru this period...

I was on emo-roller coaster for the past week when I was facing all those physical changes yet can't take a break from work. I am glad that I have a day's off tomorrow! Also I will be able to see the updates of Baby Yam again!

I took a good rest break over the weekend and hope to continue to slow down my pace of life like this, so that I won't feel frustrated and unhappy easily again.

Counting down to June...then July...

(Terrible) Symptoms of the 3rd Trimester

The swelling symptoms have started - My feet has swelled up like the stuffed pig's trotters, and my hands have swelled up like the stuffed lady finger tempura. My stomach has bloated like a bursting big ball. My tummy has started to show up some wriggling stretchmarks!!!! OH NO!!!

Standing for more than a sec becomes more hurting than before. Getting out of bed for work has become more difficult. Walking/ sitting for long becomes a tiring task. Energy level has started to drop drop drop.. I can't keep my mood and spirits (and my eyelids) up anymore. Can no longer stand the puffy face and Ms. Porky's figure of mine in the mirror.

Baby's movements have started to get harder at times, even if its just pressing against my tummy. It got uncomfortable at times.

Entering the 3rd trimester has started to become less enjoyable and happy huh?

But I still love you, Baby... I just started to dislike more of the current me...

Random Sianzness...

Recently have been feeling some random sianzness.... Can't really explain why and how it occurs..

I just feel that I miss my baby girl very very much... Just feeling her kicks is not enough for me now... I keep looking forward and visualising how is it like to cuddle her in my arms, to touch her small little hands and feet, to hear her voices (cries in fact). Just to be physically close to her... sometimes I think I am going "crazy" with those thoughts.. If I don't feel her movements for some time, I will start to miss them... I am actually "craving" for her every single movements in me, although becoming so routine and familiar, yet I can't do without them.

Maybe at least if I am kept occupied with preparing her nursery room I won't think that much?? Or maybe it won't any make much difference at all.

I just feel that I seem to be like "forever pregnant" and why is it taking so long for me to reach the final point whereby I can physically see and touch her.

Another 2 more months to go... Seems quite a long wait for me. I just miss her badly.

Progress Update

In my early pregnancy, I have started a How to Start?When to Start blog.

Now in my 3rd trimester stage, I should start to do a Progress Update entry (checklist in the sense).

• Booking of Antenatal Course (Course completed)
• Booking of massage lady (Although have been researching quite a bit on this and getting recommendations from experienced moms, still have not decided whether to spend this money or not. Can it a "must-have" or "good-to-have"?
• Booking of babysitter (Since I can't get a reliable babysitter, have decided to get a maid instead. Considered it done. Now waiting for the approvals to come and the maid to arrive in another month's time or so. Will have another round of work to do when to start teaching her. Sighz. Just hope she is a good and reliable maid who don't give us any much problems)
• Preparation of baby's room (Already planned the layout and knew what items to buy. Now waiting for the IKEA (my birthday ) vouchers before we buy them in June. Assembling of items is on case-by-case basis due to "pantang-ness"). Room should only be ready when the baby comes home)
• Getting ready the baby's stuffs (Most of the stuffs have been bought and we have been given some hands-me-downs from nice people. Only left some miscellaneous stuffs to be bought. Also to be able to complete by end June)
• Giving prenatal education to the baby (Oh no...Didn't do much throughout the pregnancy though I thought I would. Baby only listen to whatever pop songs that we listen lor. And whatever conversations we have.. haha.. Ok I admit I am a lazy mother )
• To sign-up for prenatal exercise (Finishing my last lesson of the prenatal yoga next week. Wondering if I should continue for a few more lessons in June so as to keep body well-prepared for the labour, and also to stretch my aching muscles...)
  

Additional items to do:

• To source for a pest control company - To disinfect the baby's room cuz there are some housemites on the walls.
  
• To source for a place to wash & disinfect the soft toys, & hands-me-down baby's pillow and bolster. (Any place to recommend? Normal laundry shop?)
• To start washing the new and hands-me-down baby clothes once the baby's cabinet has been bought and assembled in June.
• To disinfect the hands-me-down baby's equipments in June.
  

Well. it seems like there's still some miscellaneous work to be done and completed here and there. I hope I can finally stop thinking about all those preparation work soon and relax in my last few weeks of pregnancy.

28 weeks: Beginning of the Final Trimester

I am starting to enter the Final trimester of my pregnancy. How amazingly fast when I looked back and that 6 months have just passed like that, and in front of me, just 3 more months to head towards.

Waited for more than 2 hours for our gynae appt yesterday (my gynae had a lot of walk-in patients so all the scheduled appointments got pushed back), yet only managed to see baby for around 10 mins or less. Hmmm..

Baby Yam is now 950g, still 50g short of the 1kg target weight at this stage. Well, not so bad la. At least her head and legs are at the correct weight range, only the tummy still slim. Poor Mummy has already gained 11kg from pre-pregnancy till now. On average the mother's weight gain should be about 8kg. Bleh! The extra kilos must be on me liao. Anyway, I still can't go on "diet" since baby is considered slim. Everything else is all fine. Relieved to know that.

Before the time to go in for the scan, I kept telling baby to only kick kick when its our turn. But probably she had waited for too long, and had kicked long enough while waiting, she became quite quiet when we finally got to see her. Occasionally she will then move her hands and legs a bit, but I can't feel them. We also got to see her side profile - the eyes, the round nose. Dear said she's so cute when she's moving her hands Now the scan pics are not as clear as before, I can't really make out what is what without the gynae's explanation. Will upload pictures of the scan once I got a nice one.

Next appointment will be end of this month, so very soon we can see her again!