I'm officially 8th month pregnant today! Baby is arriving in about a month time!!!! The moment I received my weekly email update from babycentre.com.my about me in week 34 now, it was like an alarm went off in my head.. OMG! Baby is coming so soon & I'm not sure if I'm ready for baby's arrival! Instantly I messaged my friends & family to tell them that I'm 8th month pregnant now. My mom called me right away to tell me that 8th month is a very crucial month and I should really relax and stop working soon.
So glad that SJ and I have separated all our baby things according to baby's age in months and we have put them all in our storage boxes, ready to be sent to my parents' place as I'll be doing my confinement there. We just need to send the clothes, towels, toy etc for washing first before to my parents' place. After that, I will pack my hospital bag. A good friend of mine, Cin Neng been asking me about my hospital bag since 2nd trimester. Her biggest concern is the hospital bag but I'm having the more relax attitude towards this hospital bag. I shall get it packed when baby's clothes are all washed :P
Updates on my pregnancy and how I feel..
1. I think I had my very first experience of Braxton-Hicks contraction today! I didn't (and still don't now) really know what is Braxton Hicks until my yoga instructor asked us about this last week. I asked the yoga instructor what is braxton hicks and she described it as a mild contraction, cramp of the womb. It felt like a contraction but it sporadic, it comes and go randomly. It could due to dehydration. I think (am not sure) I experienced one today while driving. It was a sudden cramp in my womb with a slight ache and then it went away. Most probably because I didn't drink as much water today as I used to.
2. I am still drinking lots of water during the day, I can finish about 2 litres of water in the day and would start taking sips of water after dinner time to reduce water retention and the need to go to the wash room at night.
3. I am still very thankful that up to today, I don't wake up in the middle of the night to go to the washroom. I don't have interrupted sleep and have been getting restful sleep throughout this pregnancy :)) Hope this will go on for as long as possible in this pregnancy.
4. I could feel that my bump is getting really big. I could feel it resting or touching my thighs when I am sitting down :S Been measuring my belly's circumference on every Sunday, and last Sunday, 27th May, it was measured as 42 inches. It would stay in the same measurement for about 2 to 3 weeks and steadily grows bigger by half an inch each time. I would scrutinize my belly almost every night in front of the mirror looking for any stretch marks. I admit I am a vain person! :P So far, no sight of stretch marks yet. Finger crossed that it will never come but from my findings with other mothers, I don't think I can avoid them even though I put lots of lotion and oil every day. I guess I will have to accept that this is part (the stretch marks) as being a Mom.
5. I am starting having problems finding the good comfortable position to sleep as my belly is getting bigger. I definitely cannot lie on my back (this is my favourite sleeping position!) now when I sleep as I would feel very breathless with my belly is pushing against my lungs. I have been resting my head on two pillows since last week so I could breath easier, at the same time elevate my feet so I would not have swollen feet, which have caused extra stress on my back, hence, I have worse backaches now. When I lie on my sides, I would get numbness on the side that I lie on as I would sometimes stay on the same position for the whole night. I need about 5 to 6 pillows to sleep now: 1 or 2 for my head, 1 for my feet, 1 for my belly to rest on, 1 for between my legs and 1 for my back so if I were to roll on my back, this pillow would serve as a stopper so my back would not be totally flat and therefore, won't give me terrible back ache in the next morning. SJ been very nice; arranging the pillows for me every night which leaves him with very little space to sleep in the bed.
6. I am temporarily permanently walking like a penguin now, due to my huge belly. I think the only reason why pregnant women are waddling like a penguin/duck is to create a balance so we won't topple over. It is also so much harder to get up from the floor or chair and I am definitely walking way slower now.
7. I am feeling so much warmer nowadays too. This is also because the weather is really hot recently but I know I am feeling it more than others. The air-con in my bedroom is turn on with the lowest temperature and in 'powerful' mode almost every night for the past few weeks.
8. About a month ago, we went to get a 3D scan and the doctor told us that our baby is bigger than average. Hence, I do look bigger than average for someone at my stage. There is this funny lady, Shirley that works in my company, she thinks that I am so huge and she has been asking me to stop working and rest at home for the last 3 days, consecutively past 3 days every time she sees me! She is so afraid that I would pop anytime. haha! She has never met me until last Monday and she has been telling me the same thing everytime she saw me :S
9. I have been going for my weekly yoga classes since week 13 and these classes have been really helpful in relieving pains at my back and joints. Just counted that I have 7 classes more to go in my 12 classes pass. I must try to go for all before baby arrives.
10. I went for my very first pre-natal massage last Friday at Amvory Puchong, and another one tomorrow! Bought these massages at the Mommy-Baby Fair at Midvalley in May. I was really looking forward for these massages because the last time I had one was before I knew I was pregnant, which was last year! Been wanting to get a massage but been has adviced against it. The massage I had last Friday was good even though it was short, only an hour. Looking forward for my 2nd and last massage of this pregnancy tomorrow! I was told that I shouldn't have any massages from week 34 onwards :(( and was told that foot reflexology is a big NO NO :(( I thought it would be ok to get a foot reflexology in my final trimester but was told it's really dangerous as it would cause early labour.
11. Am feeling easily tired nowadays, mostly because it takes so much effort and energy to move because I am getting heavier. It's like I am carrying a ball that weighs a few kilogram the entire day for weeks/months. I have gained a total of 14 kilograms since my first visit to the doctor in November 2011. Am seeing the doctor tomorow and will know my new weight. I am hoping to gain another maximum of 2 kilograms before baby arrives. I read that I would be gaining about 250 grams every week in my 3rd trimester, so that's about 1 kilo per month and I have about 1 month plus to go.
12. Baby is moving practically all the time! This baby hopefully is a day baby because he moves more during the day, especially between 9 to 11am and move much lesser at night. He sleeps when Mommy sleeps :)
Things to look forward this coming week:
1. Going for my fortnightly antenatal visit tomorrow! So happy that I'm seeing doctor every two weeks now ;)
2. SJ and I are going for our Antenatal Class next Saturday, 9th June!
Overall, I'm doing good mentally, emotionally and physically :))) Trying to fit some time to swim in my schedule and trying to finish all my work before I officially takes off in the middle of June. I feel torn between the workholic me and the want-to-be-a-good-mother me. There are so much to do at work (I know work will never end!) which I love doing especially things in the office are getting better and gaining momentum but I know I have to slow down to enjoy my pregnancy and prepare for baby's arrival. I read it somewhere that, being a mother and watching kids grow up is really precious, and you have the entire life to work. Oh well, maybe I should follow that statement and enjoy every moment now ;)
