My baby shopping list - update

This is my baby shopping list. I figured I should put it online so it'll be easier for me to keep track of what I have or don't have. Easier to have it all at one glance instead of searching through my emails for it :D

Small/Cheap - Easy to get

Bath tub for baby

Baby powder
Baby shampoo
Disposable diapers - sis said she was giving me her leftovers

Cooling pad (for soreness after feeding baby) - online or babies r us

Toiletries for baby (nail clippers, etc) - walmart?

Medium - need to think a bit

Waterproof mattress cover for crib - done
Bedding for crib - done
Baby changing mat - done

Floor mat (for crawling around, etc) - going to use changing mat as the floor mat as well
Warm mist humidifier - still deciding

Expensive - need to think a lot?

Stroller - first one is the skeleton frame one?
Car seat - done

Crib - done, bought new
Crib mattress - done

Thanksgiving shopping mania

Today's Black Friday, which in the US means the start of crazy shopping sales for Christmas. A lot of retail stores, both online and physical, will have crazy discounts to kick off the shopping season. The best deals are usually found in the physical stores, but you'd need to be there at about 5am to line up and get the best deals around.

As you might be aware, I still have a lot of stuff to buy for the baby. Diaper covers, diaper liners, etc.. as well as maternity clothes for me. I'm still wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes but those are getting tight. It's a good thing that most of my clothes are baggy but I don't think those will last me any longer.

Anyway, I was looking around online to see if there are any good deals on baby items and such. There was only one website that had discount and I decided to go ahead and buy some diaper liners and wool diaper covers. I figured that I might as well make use of the discount since it was applicable to your entire order, rather than individual items.

After I made my first purchase, I decided to surf around the website further. They were also selling some maternity bras, which I needed. I was thinking of going to the mall the following day to buy it along with some other maternity pants and tops. I googled the brand of the maternity bra and apparently it's a pretty good brand, very comfortable and such. So I added 3 bras and a pack of breast pads to my shopping cart. Also decided to get some cloth diaper covers as well since no one else was giving me discounts for them. Luckily I did my diaper cover research earlier so I knew that these were pretty good based on customer reviews. I bought them in newborn, small and medium sizes, since it might come in handy when the baby grows. And I placed my second order.

Now since it's my first baby, I have no idea if I was buying enough stuff. So I decided to call the store to see if 1) they can consolidate my orders and 2) answer any questions I have regarding cloth diapering. The store is run by 3 women who are also moms and are in the maternal healthcare field. One of the owners answered and she immediately knew which order I was referring to. So when I asked about cloth diapering, she passed me to the other store partner, who specialises in cloth diapering. She took a look at my order and I told her about what else I have on hand. She recommended that I buy two additional cloth diapers in newborn and small sizes to cover any shortfalls. Plus I also asked about a baby carrier that they had online but was shown as sold out. Luckily I asked because they had the baby carrier in stock and I can apply the discount to it. These items rarely go on sale or have discounts.

So now I was going to make a 3rd order for the day. I ordered the remaining diaper covers that I needed, the baby carrier that I wanted, and an extra bra just in case. Then I remembered that my friend mentioned something about needing a breast pump and so I called the store again to see if they could help me with my question. The person who answered the phone was the one who took my call earlier and she just happened to be a lactation consultant. So I chatted with her for a while, got my recommendation, added a manual breast pump (cheapest in store) and made my 3rd purchase for the day.

My gosh, I couldn't believe that I made 3 separate purchases in the same day. The total damage was pretty close to $500. If it wasn't for the discount, I would have spent more than $600 buying all these stuff. I must have seemed like a shopaholic to the store owners. However, all these stuff were needed so I had no choice. Now I'm staying away from the website since I don't really want to see more stuff and end up buying it. At least I have the essentials now. Just need to get the rest of the stuff on my baby shopping list.

OB Appointment Update

Friday was my monthly OB appointment. So I've gained about 6 pounds since my last visit, which is good. However, I need to gain about 15 more pounds by the end of the pregnancy. That averages out to about 5 pounds per month. I'm trying to figure out how I'm supposed to gain that much weight. I guess I can eat more but I also want to make sure I eat well, and not just simply eating. I thought that perhaps my doctor might be a bit cautious about weight gain for me given her concern of gestational diabetes. My mom pooh-pooh-ed the doctor's weight gain recommendation because she said that these guidelines are more for Caucasians, which are bigger sized than us Asians. So I'll try to gain weight accordingly, enough but not too much. Perhaps I should ask my KL friends on how much weight their doctor recommended them to gain.

Also found out that I need to do more bloodwork. One of them is a state-required HIV test, which takes place during the 3rd trimester. But OB also want me to do another 3 hours glucose test at my 30 weeks. I was quite disappointed since I had hoped that my previous test was the last one. So I'm going to get poked again. Hubby wasn't happy either since he knows that I don't like being poked. But have no choice since doctor said so. 30 weeks would put it at around the time my mom and sis are here for their trip. So have to schedule it accordingly.

Other than that, baby is progressing nicely. Heartbeat sounded strong when she checked it with her mini-ultrasound stick thingy. My appointments will now be about 3 weeks apart, and then progressing to 2 weeks and 1 week apart as I get closer to my due date. The weight is starting to get to me with my back aches and stuff. I skipped yoga today since 1) hubby had to work, and 2) right wrist and elbow a bit achy (probably from doing too much arm stuff on Thursday). So I'm taking a break today.

More needle pokings

So last Saturday was my 3 hours glucose test. OB recommended that I go, just in case since she did have the gestational diabetes concern due to my earlier blood test. I wasn't as apprehensive about the blood test this time, as compared to the first time. Probably because I knew what was going to happen, but I still don't like it.

Anyway, my appointment was set for 7.20am and I woke up at about 6.50am or so. I slept rather lightly in the night, probably due to the expectation of being woken up early for the blood test. Hubby got up earlier since he needed to make breakfast for himself. Hubby woke me up and I got ready to go pretty quickly since there's not much that I can do, i.e. no breakfast for me.

Got to the clinic and there was apparently a line. The waiting room was sort of full too. I signed in and told the receptionist that I was pregnant and there for a 3 hours glucose test. He had me wait there and processed my paperwork before some of the people ahead of me. Pregnant woman who's been fasting for one night means priority as compared to others. You don't really want her to faint in the waiting area, right?

Anyway, waited for about 10 mins or so before my name was called. Went in with hubby and told the technician that I was really afraid of needles. That usually helps since some technician can be gentle and understanding such that it won't hurt too badly when they finally poke you. So she poked me and gave me the glucose drink. I don't particularly like the drink since it's sweet and taste rather horrible to me. But have to finish it since it's part of the test.

As I was waiting, more people came in and there were quite a few pregnant women too. I think they were all doing one form of glucose tests or another. Hubby and I sat in a somewhat cordoned-off waiting area since we got a laptop to watch a movie while waiting. The movie for that day was Wall-E. It was actually pretty good and made time pass by faster. The second poking wasn't so bad since I had another technician with a very gentle touch.

So time passed uneventfully. There were a few kids around too, so it was a bit noisy especially one girl who came in with her mom sat in the same area as us. She was very restless, and quite ill-behaved (to our eyes). She kept interrupting her mom as she was talking to another woman there, and making a mess out of a newspaper that someone had left behind. The mother was pregnant and there for the glucose test as well, though probably not as long as ours. Luckily Wall-E had finished and we were watching Merlin. She was eavesdropping on the laptop earlier and if we have a cartoon on, she would be glued behind my shoulder and make a fuss when we have to leave.

Luckily I only had one more sample to give and was on the way out. I don't think I could deal with the girl there since she seemed rather disrespectful towards the adults there. I think the mother was trying but the child was just not listening. I was thinking that if this kid was Asian, she probably would have been disciplined strictly by then. But she's not my child and I definitely will not let my child misbehave that way. However we shall see how things go.

So the last sample was given and off we went. Needed to eat since I was hungry. Went to a diner nearby and had a bison burger. It was pretty good and I finished the entire burger. That's quite a feat considering that I usually cannot finish what's on my plate. Hubby had some seafood wrap, which he finished too. Then we went back home for me to nap since I have yoga in the afternoon.

Yoga was ok though I cannot do some of the poses now due to my expanding waistline and increasing weight. Cannot put too much stress on my joints since they are looser and weaker now. But at least I'm doing something :D Will be starting my pre-natal yoga soon since it will 1) help with some of my problem areas and 2) use up my yoga pass before the expiry date. The classes are on Wednesday evenings so will need to sacrifice my Wednesday evening shows..hahahaha..

Back to blood test: Got the results yesterday and the nurse said I passed with flying colours. I won't know if I need to take it again but this will be my last test for now. I can probably ask my OB more questions when I see her this Friday for my monthly check-up. But in the meantime, one less thing to worry about. And also means that I can relax my diet just a little bit...hehehehee.. Don't worry, I'm not going to go all wild eating sweet stuff (can't take too much of it). But I can at least enjoy a bit more food :)

What to report..mmmm

Baby's progressing fine with his kicks getting more frequent, vigorous and stronger. If I put my water bottle against my tummy when he kicks, the bottle will move. I try to put hubby's hands on my tummy when baby kicks. Give him a feel of what I'm going through. Hubby's saying that he has my energy...if that's the case, we're really in for it.

Back's starting to ache a bit more. Have to be careful when I turn on my side while on the bed. Getting heavier means easier to pull muscle in the belly. I think I pulled some muscle on my right side and had the chiropractor look at it. He gave me some exercises to do to re-train the muscle back to its correct position but need hubby to help. Still going to yoga though somewhat getting lazy now. But cannot get lazy..must exercise. However, might need to start looking into pre-natal yoga classes. I'll still do my regular yoga (if I can) but I want to see what the pre-natal will offer me that will help during the labour and delivery.

Appetite's much better now. Can eat more, though in smaller quantities. I probably eat about every 2 hours or so, but I don't eat all that much. The growing baby is compressing my stomach, so less food can go in. But at least I'm eating, which is good news.

Starting to get sleepier again, however don't feel like taking afternoon naps yet. I think it has something to do with me waking up at night just to change sides. Like I said earlier, have to be extra careful when turning since I might pull a muscle.

My OB has me going to a 3 hours glucose test again. Hopefully I'll pass it again. It's such a pain, getting poked by needles 4 times in a span of 3 hours. Sucks. I'm crossing my fingers that this will be the last of any bloodwork I have to do for the pregnancy.

Shopping-wise, still haven't bought everything yet. At least we've narrowed down what we need and where to get it. Now it's just when to get it. The budget for last month was totally busted so now we're trying to spread out our purchases over the next few months. It's pretty close to holiday seasons, so perhaps there'll be some sales around for us to look into. But have to keep an eye out for it.

Lastly, my mom and youngest sis is confirmed coming in December, so I'm really looking forward to it. Can't wait to have a taste of mom's cooking :D Plus all the nice goodies I'm asking my sis to get for me from KL. Not asking for much, just biscuits from Jacob's and St. Michaels and some Kit-Kat. Will be taking them around NYC and the surrounding areas before they head off to Vermont. One highlight is going to catch Jay Chou's concert at Mohegan Sun, a Connecticut casino. I'm going with my sis to the 2am show..hahaha..crazy, huh? In my 3rd trimester and I'm going to a concert. But before you freak out, I did ask my OB and she said that there's no harm in going. So looking forward to it. My very first concert :D

Research and more research

We went to Babies R Us last Sunday to look for strollers and car seats for the baby. It's part of our research to find the proper gear for the baby. And also help narrow down what brand/style that we want to spend on. The nearest Babies R Us is in Scarsdale (I think) and it took us about 30 mins or so to drive there.

After finding the store (we got a bit lost and overshot the location), pregnant me went to look for the ladies' room. How wonderful it is to have a small bladder. It was also a good chance to get a layout of the store. The second floor, where the ladies room is at, is also where you can find the baby bedding (i.e. cribs), toys and other accessories. It was also less crowded than the main floor, which was nice.

I took the chance to take a look at cribs since it was on my list of things to research. I know that I wanted something simple since ornate isn't part of my style. Plus simple also means classic and can last for quite a few years without looking gaudy. I also didn't want anything too big since it would be a hassle to move. I was commenting to hubby that the baby's bed will probably be nicer than ours. We sleep on a box spring and mattress, while the baby will have the whole she-bang.

Anyway, found a couple of designs that I liked and hubby took some photos of it and the price for future reference. Not sure how much we want to spend yet, but definitely not too much since we have to buy the baby mattress and bedding separately... sigh, I can hear the bank account emptying.

Then we went downstairs to look the strollers and car seats, which was our main goal of going to the store. I had my eye on the Peg Perego but after seeing it, I realised I like a sleeker and lighter model. The PP stroller was a bit too bulky for my taste. We saw some traveller systems, which is basically a stroller with car seat provided. It looked ok but wasn't what I had in mind. I wanted something simple and efficient, without all the bulk.

Apparently the only thing that would meet my condition would be buying a infant car seat and attaching it to a stroller frame. I saw a lady using it and it made a lot of sense to me. Only problem was I'd have to buy a separate stroller for when the baby grows out of it. But after doing some research and asking for advice from a friend, it made quite a bit of sense. That way, I can save and later on splurge on the stroller that I want..hahahaha..I don't think hubby will have much argument with that one since the stroller I want would be a bit pricey :D

Anyway, we wondered around the store a bit, looking at stuff which I might/would need for the baby. I'm still waiting for two baby books to arrive so that I can have all the information that I need to properly prepare for the baby. The books were recommended by my OBGYN and I borrowed them from the library for perusal before buying them. Once the books arrive, I would be a bit more informed in my purchases.

Perhaps in the meantime, I can take some break from researching. I think I'll let hubby do some of the research too...hehehehe..

Doctor's visit

I had my monthly OB visit last week and everything is progressing normally. Sugar is still an issue, so I have to go take a 3 hours glucose test at the 30 weeks mark. I do hope that will be the last of the glucose tests since I really do hate having needles poked into me. It makes me wonder how I can tolerate the hospital stay for delivery.

Weight-wise, I've gained about 4 pounds since my last visit. Overall I've only gained 9 pounds, which might be a little compared to some people. The doctor said that the average weight gain should be about 3 pounds a month. I'm doing ok, not trying to catch up on those pounds that I didn't gain in my first trimester. I want to gain slowly and healthily, not rushing to gain to the "recommended" pregnancy weight. These benchmarks are usually for the heavier Caucasians, so I have to temper it a bit for the lighter Asian...ahahahahaha.. But I'm sure that if I'm not gaining enough, the doctor will let me know. However, I have a feeling that the prescribed weight gain will happen in the last trimester.

Other than that, I'm healthy and progressing fine. Doctor's not concerned with anything at this moment. My diet's improving due to my improving appetite. I still can't eat as much as I did before, but at least I'm eating healthier stuff. I really watch what I eat, i.e. no sugary treats and fruits, smaller portions of carbs, etc. I still have some issues regarding swollen gums but can't do much about that. Chewing is such a pain, so makes eating a bit of a hassle. I've resorted to cooking rice porridge since it's the only thing I can eat without aggravating my teeth and gums. I don't really mind but it'll get boring after a while..hahahaa..maybe pasta..mmmmm..

More researching and shopping

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time in front of the computer researching baby stuff. I haven't really done any in-depth stroller and car seat research yet since I need to go to the store to check out what models I like and go from there. But I have been doing a lot of research on diaper covers, since my baby will be using cloth diapers. Just having cloth diaper is not enough since it won't hold in the liquid stuff very well. So will need a cover to protect the clothes and surroundings, as well as holding the waste in.

So far, I'm leaning towards woolen diaper covers. It's a bit more expensive than the regular diaper covers but I think it's a better investment as I can use it for both day and night time. No need to bother about separate day covers. Plus woolen covers have some anti-bacterial properties due to the lanolin, so no need to wash as often. I think only have to wash once a week or something, but I think that will depend on how often I change the baby..hahahaha..

There are a couple of brands out there that have some good reviews, so I might buy one or two from each brand. Cannot buy too many since it's expensive and baby will probably outgrow it pretty fast. Must find something that has a bigger growth allowance (?). But I'm not rushed on it since I have some time and waiting for sales as well :D

I have also been shopping quite a bit too. Mostly on ebay, looking for used baby clothing. We figured that buying new clothes won't matter so much since baby will outgrow them pretty fast. I think we've spent about $120 so far on clothes from 0 to 9 months. Got a lot of 0 to 3 months clothing, courtesy of some of the stuff we bidded and won on ebay. I have two full boxes of baby clothes now, along with some other accessories (e.g. wash cloths, bibs, socks, etc). The only things I have left now (that I can think of) are the hooded bath towels and receiving blankets. The other baby essentials like shampoo and stuff can probably wait till a much later date. The sooner I clear some items on my list, the better. Less stress..heheheehe..

I feel rather guilty shopping and spending money, but have no choice. Our shopping budget for this month has been busted. Hubby trying to comfort me and rationalize that since we're adding a new member to our family, such expenses are a given. A consolation is that if I had bought the same amount of clothing new, I'd probably would have spent upwards of $400. So I'm saving at least 40 to 60% (perhaps more) on the baby clothes. We'll buy some new outfits for baby, but those will be for special occassions. Everyday clothes will be used, unless got extremely good deals and sale on clothes.

So I have to bear with it for now. I've estimated that this baby will cost about $10K to prepare from conception to birth..hahaahah. I wonder how accurate my predictions will be...hhhmmmm..

20 weeks update

I'm in my 20th week now. The bump is getting bigger but can still be hidden when I wear loose dark-coloured tops. Baby's also getting more and more active. It's kicking and punching quite often lately, usually after I've eaten some food. But he also moves vigorously during my yoga class. He moves at the beginning of the class and at the end when I'm lying on the floor. Not sure why though, I would think the exercise would tire him out but it only makes him more active.

He also kicks rather vigorously at night, especially when I'm trying to sleep. I feel the kicks more when I'm on my back, so I have to turn on my side to soften his blows. Not too good for me since I'm starting to get backaches, and it wakes me up at night. Haven't had a good night sleep for the last few days because of it. I usually have to supplement my sleep with afternoon naps. I sleep better in the afternoons, but I wonder if it's because it's shorter and thus I don't feel the backaches so much.

Appetite's coming back though not in full swing yet. Still watching what I eat due to the sugar concern. Hubby did some research and found out the Asians are more susceptible to gestational diabetes, probably due to our diet of rice and noodles. So I need to watch my sugar intake. Also trying to up my calcium intake by eating cheese in the morning with my whole-grain bread from Wholefoods. Tums helping as well, with some calcium-fortified OJ. Slowly introducing milk and yogurt into my diet. I cannot consume a whole individual-sized milk box yet since it makes me burp like crazy. But at least I'm trying.

I haven't been able to get an accurate reading of my weight on my bathroom scale, but I think I've gained at least a few pounds. The next doctor's appointment is in 2 weeks time, so hoping to gain at least 3 pounds :D If a bit more, don't think doctor will complain since she told me so..hahahahaha..

Maternity shopping

After my dental appointment yesterday to fix a chipped filling, I stopped by the mall for a little walking. For some reason, I wanted to check out the stores in the mall to see if they have anything for the baby. Instead, I found something for myself.

There was a Motherhood maternity store in the mall and was tucked in a corner. I just happened to see it since I went into a Gamestop to check on some info for fixing a broken Nintendo DS Lite. FYI, if you want to get it fixed, you need to send it in to Nintendo to get it fixed so you won't end up voiding the warranty, etc.

Anyway, I decided to take a peek into the maternity store to see what they have. I needed some yoga clothes so I figured they might have some. I was also thinking that it might be time for me to get new bras since I've outgrown my current ones. The only bras they had were nursing bras, which might be a bit too early for me since I would still be growing in my 3rd trimester. The sales clerk was kind enough to suggest a nursing sports bra. That one fitted way better and was more comfortable than the regular back-hook nursing bras. Plus it would still give me some space when I grow bigger. So I got two.

At the same time, I might as well browse for some other maternity wear like tops since my existing clothes are starting to get tight around the belly. I was having some trouble getting out of my long-sleeved shirt in the changing room due to that. So I got two solid-colour tops, that would probably last me for a while. Also found a yoga pants. I didn't get any yoga tops since I bought the sports bra, which I can then just wear it for yoga along with a regular tank top. Saves money..heheheheehe..Also got a bra extender so I can use it with my current outgrown bras. However when I got home, I realised the extender's width was wider than my current bra straps. So maybe I'll go back and get it exchanged or something.

Overall, I spent close to $100. I feel a bit bad but I had no choice. At least I know what size I am now and I can go online to look for cheaper alternatives. After that, I walked around the mall a bit more, looking at children's clothing stores. Felt tired and texted hubby to let him know that he can pick me up whenever he was done with his work.

I still have to find additional clothes for the baby. Ebay-ing now but doesn't seem to have a lot of choices for me. Plus I have a budget in mind on how much to spend on the baby's clothes, this way I don't end up overspending. But if I can't win any of my bids, I will have to go to the outlet mall and get stuff. Haih..let me win something without overpaying...

Baby stuff shopping

So I finally broke down yesterday and decided to buy something for the baby. My MIL sent us some baby clothes but it was geared towards the warmer weather of SE Asia. Since the baby will be born in winter, I need to get some winter clothes for baby. We went to Carters to check out what they have. Seems like the entire store was on sale..hahaaha...from 40% to 70% off. Of course, the prices are so marked up that they still make money even though it's at 70% off.

Anyway, I bought a fleece jacket and pants set (3 months), along with some t-shirts (6 months). I figured the baby will probably need the fleece set for winter when we go out of the house. Also planning to do the rest of the shopping on ebay. The baby's probably going to outgrow the clothes pretty fast, so no point me buying anything too expensive or new. Found 2 interesting clothing lots on ebay which I think will be useful for me since one of them is for 0 to 9 months and the other one for 0 to 12 months. I probably don't need too much since I have laundry at home :D I just hope I can get either one of them at the price I want. Else, I'll just be shopping ebay for a bit longer. My budget is less than $2.50 per piece of clothing item, the cheaper the better.

Also need to do research on diaper covers. I'm planning to use cotton diaper for baby; disposable diapers only when I'm out with the baby and cannot find a decent changing place. Found a couple of brands but probably need to see if I can find any mom's comments/reviews on it before I make up my mind. Then there's also the case of baby crib, stroller and car seat. Have to get those too, as well as some other knick-knacks and toys. Whew, for a person who doesn't shop as much, I'm going to be doing a lot of those in the next few months. I feel pain for my bank account; more like my hubby's bank account..hahahaha..

Plus I also need to buy clothes for myself. As mentioned before, my pants are starting to get tighter. Wearing it much lower on the hips now but I think it's also getting tighter around the butt area. Thinking if I should also get my maternity clothes from ebay as well. One of my friends is planning to pass some of her larger regular clothes to me. I wouldn't mind those, but I still need to get proper yoga clothes. Maybe I'll buy those from regular yoga store. Just have to find something :)

I'll have to spread out our shopping. I get a bit enthusiatic at times and might end up over-purchasing. Lucky got hubby to act as my sounding board. If he's ok with the purchase and the price, then at least I won't feel so bad buying it *grin*

18 weeks update

Had my monthly OB visit and ultrasound last week. Was happy to discover that I've gained some weight. I gained somewhere between 6 to 8 pounds. Couldn't tell for sure since the scale didn't seem that accurate for me. But it's a good sign considering that the tummy's starting to show. I'd better have gained weight else where is the baby's weight coming from? Sugar's still a concern with the doctor but got some better idea on diet and food from doctor. Not going to listen to the nurse, gave me some well-meaning advice but only got me in trouble. So just going to watch my diet real carefully now.. hubby's helping.

Ultrasound was on the following day. Baby's growing on schedule, despite my lack of appetite from earlier months. Good sign. Baby was rather active as well, moving all over during the ultrasound. At one point baby gave a thumbs-up. Too bad didn't catch that picture, cause I think that would have been a pretty cool picture. Baby was flexing the hands the entire time; open, close, thumbs-up. Baby also flexing its legs..kick kick..Seems like this is going to be a rather vigorous baby..haih..I'd better get my rest now else I'd be tired all the time from chasing after him.

Yes, you didn't read wrong.. I said him. The baby's a boy. My mom's prediction came true..hahahah.. so now she has a pair of grandson and granddaughter. So it's time for us to start picking names and clothes for baby too. The baby care package that my MIL sent arrived on Friday. Got cotton nappy and some baby clothes. We still have to go buy more to accommodate for the winter season here, but at least it's easier to pick now =)

....

Nothing much to blog lately. Life's been plodding along steadily and slowly. No excitement in my life, other than the ocassional visit to the clinic for blood draw. My diet remains the same, appetite might have increased a bit since the portions I've been eating is a bit bigger. I would still have problems if I eat too much (i.e. tummy too full, feel like throwing up).

Baby's been making itself known lately.. lots of mini-kicking. Mostly when I'm lying down or when I've just had some food. The book did mention that so I'm not too concerned. Hubby won't be able to feel the kicks will about the 3rd trimester, so for now only I can feel it. My waistline is also expanding. Now my belly is a bit more obvious. I still wear loose and baggy t-shirts, so you can't really tell unless I pull the shirt tight around my belly. Pants wise, I need new pants. I don't think I can wear my current yoga clothes before the 5th month. Time to go shopping again..hahaahaha..

I think I've also gained some weight (finally). But won't be sure till I see my doctor tomorrow. My bathroom scale can't really give me an accurate measurement, sometimes I'm up and sometimes I'm down. If you are wondering, I weigh myself at the same time each day (when I wake up). So let's see what she says tomorrow. Plus my ultrasound for the second phase of genetic testing is on Friday. This week will be interesting....

Pin-cushion weekend

Saturday was the dreaded 3 hours glucose test. I had to fast the night before and wake up early to get my blood drawn. The test required samples drawn at the starting stage and then at one hour intervals to test how my body is processing the glucose. It's to make sure that I don't have any gestational diabetes and stuff.

Anyway, we woke up early and reached the clinic at about 7.20am. Had to wait a bit since there were quite a few people ahead of me. I had to go to the receptionist to tell her that I was pregnant and taking the 3 hours test after waiting a couple minutes. I think she forgotten about me. After I told her, I was then next in line. I was a bit apprehensive since I had to be poked 4 times and given my needle phobia, it didn't help. I don't mind being poked once every couple of months but it's too soon since I just got poked twice last week.

The first nurse was pretty good, she didn't use a butterfly needle since she said those were for kids. She used a regular needle, which wasn't too bad. However, the second draw was done by another lady and it hurt a lot. So for the third and fourth time, the nurses used butterfly needles. My right arm was poked 3 times and left arm once.

It was about 11am by the time we were done. Once it was all over, we went for breakfast at a nearby diner. By then I was starving and shaking. I wasn't sure if I was shaking due to the cold (as it rained the night before) or the lack of food. I had some corned beef hash and 2 eggs while hubby had an omelet. Mine was ok except that I thought the hash was a bit too salty for my taste. After breakfast, we walked around a bit and then headed home for my nap. I needed one before my yoga class.

Went to class as normal. Felt rather tired during class, maybe it was due to lack of sleep or all the blood that was taken. Seriously, the doctor was concerned about my low blood count and I had blood drawn for the past 2 weeks for tests. Don't think my body replenished it that fast due to my lack of appetite for meat. Had Thai food for dinner, it was a recommendation by my yoga teacher/friend. It was ok, not great-great. Something to eat and not have to worry about cooking...hehehehehe..

Sunday was the usual grocery and bento box shopping. Since it was Mid-Autumn Festival, hubby bought some mini-mooncakes from the Chinese grocery store. I only had a tiny piece from the 2 cakes he tried: red bean and red bean-date combination.

Had some excitement at night cause I think the baby was kicking. I was sitting in front of the tv and suddenly felt some movement in my tummy. Thought that maybe it was muscle spasm but didn't feel like it. It was moving around. Tried to get hubby to feel but baby didn't want to oblige him...ehehehehe.. oh well, he'll have more chances later when the baby decides to act up again :D But I need to read up on my pregnancy book to be sure.

Anyway, doctor's clinic called today and said I passed my glucose test with flying colours. What a relief~!! Now still have to worry about another blood test for second phase of genetic testing. Seriously, baby's making me a pin-cushion.

16th Week Update

I'm in my 16th week now. My tummy has definitely grown a bit since my yoga pants are starting to get tight. Don't dare to wear it since I'm not supposed to cramp the tummy in any way. Even my regular sport shorts are getting tight. I'm making them sit lower on my hips so it doesn't constrict the tummy. Feels a bit uncomfortable too. Hipsters might just be the solution for a growing tummy.

My morning sickness/nausea seem to have subsided by quite a bit; haven't thrown up in about a week or so. The last time was because I ate the wrong stuff. I still get the nausea if I go too long without food. It's a weird incentive mechanism to get the mom to eat, but oh well. I'd rather eat than throw up, just as long as I have nice food around. Still don't have much appetite for food and thinking about dinner is still a chore. At least now I have some sort of a staple menu set up. Sunday is bento box, then weekdays is red bean soup, pork rib watercress soup and porridge. I don't cook everyday since hubby will probably get bored of it soon. Trying to do it every alternate days, this way I get some healthy food in my body.

No substantial weight gain just yet, doctor's expecting at least 1 or 2 pounds increase by my next appointment. My appetite, though still sorely lacking, did seem to be doing a bit better. Eating a bit more now but only slightly. Also drinking more soybean milk now. I'm mixing Silk and the Asian soybean together. I think it taste better :D Plus it's a good way to get my protein and calcium since I'm not eating much meat these days.

Exercise-wise, trying to do more yoga these days. Energy level is a bit better than before. Managed to sneak in 2 yoga classes this week but only because someone drove me to the studio or most of the way there. Hopefully I can keep up the 3 classes a week plan. Else, I have to walk around the block to get my exercise in. Contemplating swimming but 1) swimming pool a bit far, 2) expensive and 3) need to get new swimsuit.

Only concern these days is my glucose level. Apparently I failed my 1 hour glucose test and need to go take a 3 hours glucose test. Now what does that mean: it means that I have to be poked every hour to draw blood to test my glucose level. So I get to be poked 4 times this Saturday. Seriously, this baby is turning me into a pin-cushion. Setting my needle phobia aside, I do hope that I do well for the test since I really don't want any complications for this pregnancy.

Other than that, everything seems to be ok and progressing on schedule. Will have an ultrasound in about 2 weeks time and another OBGYN appointment. Will post update when it done.

Boring boring

Well, there's nothing much to report. Morning sickness/nausea sort of toned down a bit but appetite still hasn't returned. This week was also rather blah. I didn't do anything much, more of the same boring stuff (computer, books, tv, sleep, etc). I did however make it to yoga yesterday and it was such an accomplishment for me. I think I need to start out a bit earlier than normal since I'm walking much slower now. My teacher was quite pleased to see me in class (since I've been missing for about 2.5 weeks). I was asked to take it easier since she knows how I get to class. I think she's quite impressed.

I did cook a bit this week. Made pork ribs and watercress soup. I read somewhere that watercress contains lots of iron, calcium and folic acid, which are nutrients that I really need right now. So I decided to cook it on Tuesday for lunch and dinner. It's easier that way: it's fresh and I get two meals settled with one dish. Also helps since I have a tendency to cook a lot. Hubby also enjoyed the soup, he says he likes watercress. This weekend, we might head out to the Chinese grocery store to get more watercress. Good for me and baby :D

I also cooked porridge today. Figured it's easier to cook and eat. Nothing fancy, just pork slices, eggs and carrots. Trying out the pork slices from the organic farm. Don't think I'll taste much since it's in porridge, but at least it doesn't have the yucky porky smell that raw pork has. Probably a sign of how fresh it is.

Farm visit

This past weekend was a 3 days weekend due to Labour Day. On Saturday, we drove to Pennyslavania to pick up some organic chickens and pork that we ordered from a farm. Since I'm pregnant, I'm going to try to eat as healthily as possible. Lucky for me, hubby supports this decision.

We left at about 9am or so and it took us slightly more than 2 hours to get there. I think we were quite lucky since we probably missed the holiday traffic (or we were just early). Going across the GW Bridge was so smooth (minus a couple of bumps on the road). The drive itself wasn't so bad either since most people have already left for their vacation earlier in the week. I didn't remember too much since I was busy trying not to feel sick in the car.

When we got to the farm, the farmers (not sure what to call them) weren't there since they were at the butcher picking up the last of the smoked pork products (e.g. bacon, sausages). We waited while enjoying the fresh country air. Boy, what a difference compared to Stamford.

The farmers finally arrived and unloaded the meats while we took a short walk around. We didn't see the pigs or chickens or lambs since those were in another part of the farm. We did see some horses but it didn't belong to the farmers. When they were ready, hubby unloaded our cooler box for the meats. We bought 8 whole chickens and a couple types of pork cuts. There were some loin roast, shoulder roast, ground pork, sausages and bacon. Bacon's more for hubby since he likes it :D I also picked up some additional cuts since we were there. It would be a pain to drive 2++ hours just to get a couple pounds of meat.

Once the meats was weighed and calculated, we paid and left. By then, I was getting hungry so it was time to eat. We passed a quaint little town called Frenchtown on the way to the farm. It's what I would call a weekend-er town. There were lots of middle-aged white people on bicycles going around the town and the trails. So that was interesting. As I was getting really hungry, we just settled on the first cafe we saw. The food wasn't all that great but it was enough to fill tummy.

We walked around a bit after lunch was done. The place's pretty small, so there was nothing much to see. We decided to head back home since we were concerned about traffic, plus also because one of the chickens couldn't fit into the cooler and was slowly defrosting in our car. We did wrap it in towels, but you can only hold off the heat for so long.

So we drove back at about 1.30pm or so, and decided to take another highway since we figured I-95 would be jammed on the way back towards NYC. We got home at about 3.30, unloaded the meats into our chest freezer and took a nap. I get tired so easily. Dinner was simple that night since I still didn't have much of an appetite.

The farm isn't too bad and the people were nice too. It's run by both husband and wife, no hired help. They do everything themselves, even KO-ing the chickens for sale. Pretty impressive. They also sell organic turkeys and lambs but those won't be ready till end of the year. So I'll probably start cooking the meats soon and see how I like it. If it's good, then perhaps will consider buying lamb from them. Hubby likes lamb :D

I thought...

I thought I was starting to get better, but sadly it wasn't the case yesterday. Hubby had me thinking about Japanese bento boxes so yesterday we went to a Japanese grocery store to get me one for dinner. By the time we got there, there was only one bento bowl left: chicken teriyaki. Since we've driven the entire way and I was starting to get hungry, we decided to get it.

Finally, we got home and I started eating it. I can't say it tasted great but it was ok. Something to fulfill my cravings, right? Or at least the wisp of one. Anyway, a few hours later, I up-ended everything into the sink. So there goes my dinner. Hubby says that maybe it was the bento box itself. The store cooks it for lunch and I bought it quite a few hours later. So perhaps the food was starting to turn, which was why my tummy rejected it. I couldn't eat much after that since it was late and tummy was feeling rather tender. Either my tummy very sensitive or baby very picky...haih~~~

So this weekend, we're going to try to go to NYC. I can't seem to find the asam (suan mei) that I want from the Chinese grocery store here. And I really need to eat one after every meal to help with digestion. So we might as well go to NYC Chinatown and see what they have for me. The few varieties that I bought isn't all that great, so have to try more. At the same time, maybe also satisfy some cravings as well. I miss those Japanese bento boxes from this Japanese bakery in NYC. Maybe I'll get some for lunch. But first, I have to see if I'm up to making the trip since I haven't taken the train from the time I found out I was preggie. Hopefully I won't get motion sickness.

Huffing and puffing

I had 2 dental appointments yesterday. One for my braces and the other was for regular cleaning and filling. So being very gung-ho and not wanting to bother hubby, I decided to walk there. For me, it's not unusual since I've walked there before, even during winter time. The walk usually takes me an hour. So I thought this would not be any different.

Boy, was I wrong. Not even a quarter of the way there, I was already feeling nauseous and breathless. My heart was pumping hard and my ears were stuffed. I read that stuffed ears is also another effect of pregnancy. Luckily I packed some buns in my bag just in case I got hungry and I ate some while walking. I had to quickly take a break on some benches near my hubby's office. Was quite tempted to call hubby to send me to the dentist but I decided against it. He mentioned that he was going to be busy that day.

So I had my break, got up and continued walking. I had no choice since I had to go for my appointments. I was walking really slowly but my heart still felt like it was in a race. The walk took me more than my usual one hour, partly due to my break and also because I was walking much slowly. I decided against speeding up since I didn't want to risk anything. By the time I got the dentist office, I was late and out of breath. I quickly sat down, had some digestive biscuits and water. Felt a bit better about 10 to 15 mins or so. I wasn't really keeping track.

Once I was done with my first appointment, I went to have lunch before my second appointment. Didn't eat too much as usual, though it was a bit more than my usual amount. Maybe it was all the walking. Went for my second appointment and called hubby after I was done. We had made an arrangement that he would pick me up on the way home since it won't be possible for me to make the trip back. Good thing too since I don't think I would have survived.

So today taking a day off from yoga due to my "wonderful" walk yesterday. It was quite an eye-opener. Somehow, I need to get myself out of the house everyday for a short walk. Just need some sort of carrot and stick. Stick is probably more of what I need...HAIH...

Doctor's visit and genetic testing results

So I had my doctor's visit on Thursday. All is well, though doctor's still a bit concerned about my diet and lack of appetite. Nope, no weight gain yet but at least I didn't lose any. She got the results from the first phase of my genetic test and it looks pretty good. I'm signed up for the second phase, which includes another set of blood draw and ultrasound. Plus she also re-iterated how important it is for me to go take the iron and glucose test since my previous results weren't that great. I told her I'll try, probably get it done next week or so. I need to fast for this blood test, which is not good since no breakfast means nausea.

Speaking of nausea, I think I'm a little bit better now. Tummy doesn't act up as much though appetite hasn't improved all that greatly. Like I mentioned before, my tummy is smaller and now used to digesting smaller portions. Need to get it to expand slowly.

Plus I have possibly discovered another side effect from my pregnancy: I'm now lactose intolerant. Previously, I could drink milk and eat yogurt without much problems. But since I got pregnant, my tummy's been rebelling against these foods. It just get uncomfortable and gassy, which is a surprise since I never had problems before. Might also explain why I couldn't eat ice-cream. Yes, even ice-cream gets to me. Doctor did recommend Lactaid, but we'll see. I might just go for calcium-enriched OJ. I can still take dairy but perhaps in smaller portions.

Another lazy day

It's another lazy day for me. I decided to skip yoga again. This time, I have somewhat of a valid excuse: doctor's appointment in the afternoon. I don't want to rush home from yoga and then head out to the doctor's without having a good lunch..hehehehehe. But it's also because I take public transportation, you can never tell if there will be a delay or not. Better be safe than sorry. Plus the weather has been so nice and cool lately. I just want to sleep in :D

On a more positive note, I feel that my appetite is returning i.e. morning sickness is going away. At least in the past few days, I've been wanting to eat more. However, I don't think my tummy can take the extra food yet since it's been subsisting on tiny amounts lately. So I'll need to expand it slowly, let it get used to processing more food. Also, leftovers still is a big no-no for me as I tried it on Monday (or was it Tuesday?), only to eject it a few hours later. It could be because I ate too much, but I can't tell. However, I'm not that keen to try it again.

So lazy today

I'm so lazy today. Was supposed to go for my yoga class but got lazy. Started chatting with my younger sister and my M'sian friend online that I didn't feel like going out. Usually, I don't get the opportunity to chat with them since they're both busy. So I decided to skip class. But of course, I feel utterly guilty later on. Hubby says to do yoga at home but it's so difficult to motivate myself to roll the mat out and do it by myself. There's something about having a teacher and a group of people around you to motivate you :D But then, I felt like sleeping in today and didn't want to get out of bed. So good thing I lazy (??)

Yesterday I wasn't lazy. I didn't go out but I did potter around the house and do some stuff. I turned on our small chest freezer since I discovered that some of the herbs I brought back from KL last year got moldy. I was quite upset since those herbs were of pretty good quality. Have to get my mom to bring me more when she comes in December (cross fingers). Packed some stuff into the freezer since I didn't want them to spoil. Read some books that I borrowed from the library since being in front of the computer for too long is not good.

Then I took out some frozen pork, soaked some dried mushroom and wood ear fungus. I love to eat this dish that my mom make for us. She would stew the pork ribs in dark soy sauce, ginger, mushroom and wood ear fungus. Yum yum.. I think I like it a lot because of the wood ear fungus. She would always put in a lot of wood ear fungus since it's one of the first item to disappear from the pot.

Anyway, I cooked that for dinner since I didn't want to eat take-out. The dish tasted a bit different since I usually use chicken thighs, but it was good enough. I didn't use all the pork since I have to learn to cook less. The leftover pork, I marinated in char siew seasoning and might end up roasting it today.

Food Cravings

You always hear about pregnant women having crazy food cravings. Well, for me, I haven't had any. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that I keep on ejecting what I eat. Once in a while, I'll want to eat something but it's usually quite fleeting. One minute I'll want it, the next I'm like "no thanks"

The only thing I would think of constantly is my mom's cooking. Keep thinking about it. It's simple home-cooked food but always so good. I know if I eat it, I'll have no problem keeping it down and gaining the requisite pregnancy weight. But sadly, I'd have to go home to KL or get my mom to come here. The latter option is not possible since my mom has her own obligations at home.

I've also been thinking about those M'sian hawker foods. The dry wantan noodles with the pickled green chili, chicken rice, yong tau fu...drrooolll. I dream about them when I'm sleeping. Must be missing all those home flavours. I can probably satisfy those cravings easily if I were to go to NYC, but I don't think I can make the trip just yet. The morning sickness hasn't gone away completely.

Well, can't wait till the morning sicnkess is over and my appetite returns. Then I'll go and eat everything that I miss....hehehehehe...

Weekend

Didn't do much last weekend. Went to an optomerist to get my eyes checked and see if I need new glasses, then off to yoga and home. Yoga's starting to get a bit tough for me now. I can't do everything I used to do and need to rest every now and then. I always feel like I'm out of breath, even though I'm not doing much. But I still have to hang in there since the workout is good for my body and baby. Perhaps I need to walk a bit more these days. Get out of the house more.

Sunday passed by quietly. Went to check out a new Asian grocery store but nothing much there. Half the shelves were empty, so not much choices. Hopefully when the grand opening comes along, there'll be more stuff. But then I don't really mind driving 30 mins to our normal Asian grocery store. That one seems to have way more stuff and they have nice cooked and baked stuff. Fresh roast pork (siew yuk)...YUUUMMM~~

12th Week Ultrasound

Today was our 12th week ultrasound as well as genetic testing. The genetic counselor sat down with us to get a picture of our families' genetic history, i.e. any diseases, disabilities, etc. The counselor was quite thorough in her questions. I guess you have to be if you want an accurate picture of what health risks might run in our families that could be passed down to the children. So I'll have to call my mom this weekend to ask her some more questions about family medical history. This way, I can get back to the counselor and we'll go from there. She did give us some additional tests to consider if we want to be more careful.

Then it was time for ultrasound. We had to wait a while since there were quite a few people ahead of me. No issues, I get to sit down and snack on my apple slices, digestive biscuits and asam (suan mei). Seems like I'm eating constantly, but I have to else I'd be at the sink again. So it's time for ultrasound. This time, there was definitely more baby to see. As the ultrasound was part of the genetic testing, the technician needed to measure the fluid space in the spine to make sure it's normal. If the space is too big, then it's a sign of some abnormalities. The baby's spinal space is normal.

Next came the measurement for the baby's length to see if he/she is progressing on schedule. Not sure what the measurement is but it's on schedule. We could see the baby more clearly: the head, body, arms and legs. The technician had to "encourage" the baby to move a bit so she could take better scans. It was quite fun to see the baby moving around. The arms were moving and was turning quite a bit. I think he/she was trying to escape the technician's poking..hehehehehe...Hubby was quite excited. I think he wanted to see the gender but it's a bit early. This time, we had some pictures to take home. Hubby will scan them later on and I'll post some up when it's ready.

I also had to take a blood test for the regular genetic testing. It's to test for Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 and spina bifida. I think it's probably the most common health issues doctors encounter, so they want to make sure that the baby is healthy. The blood test was after the ultrasound and being the scaredy-cat I am, I looked away from needle. The needle going in wasn't so bad, it was the extraction. I had asked for a butterfly needle since it's smaller and had a tube running from the needle to vial. This way, you don't feel them changing vials, if you need to take multiple samples. This butterfly needle was unique as it had a spring to pull back the needle at the end of the process. Somehow the spring snapped back and it hurt more than it going in. I didn't see it, but hubby did. So I'm using his description.

Now we wait a week for the results and it would be about time for the next gynae visit.. fun fun..

My pregnancy experience so far..

So, I'm heading towards my 12th week now. Counting down with bated breath so my darn morning sickness will go away. The thing is my morning sickness doesn't happen in the morning. I get it in the late afternoon and evening. I'd be running to the kitchen sink and up-ending whatever I ate, be it a snack or my dinner that I finally manage to eat.

Lately, it's been pretty bad. Last week was the worst. Throwing up 4 days in a row, at least twice a day. I think my baby must be saying, "It's the end of the first trimester, must make mommy suffer as much as possible!!" If that's the case, that's a really naughty baby. But then I have been nicknaming it "Naughty" everytime I throw up, and I blame hubby for it..HAHAHAHA... Well, it is his fault that I'm pregnant right now. Ahh..the eternal "blame-the-husband" game.

The morning sickness didn't really start till after my July roadtrip with my sister and her hubby. We went to Philly and DC before the July 4th weekend since it was cheaper to travel then. Plus we've never been there and wanted to save some money (with high gas prices and all). For my sis, it was her pre-baby vacation. Anyway, I slept a lot during the trip. I slept in the car, in the afternoons when we should have been sight-seeing. The good thing was both hotels were located pretty close to the tourist sights. My BIL (bro-in-law) probably planned that in mind since my sis is a couple months ahead of me in her pregnancy and cannot walk too far. My appetite was still good then, though I think the nausea was starting if I ate too much. Plus I'd get grumpy if I don't eat on time. Not sure if that was hormones though..hahahahah

When I had my first gynae visit, the doc asked if I was experiencing morning sickness and I happily answered "No". I spoke too soon. A few weeks later, it hit me. It wasn't so bad at first, perhaps I'd be hugging the sink once every few days. Suddenly it increased in frequency. My cousin said that maybe the baby's releasing hormones to stay in the body. The more morning sickness, the better it is for the baby. Small comfort. Plus the lack of appetite didn't help either. Every evening, hubby would ask what I want to eat for dinner and I'll be stumped. My body just doesn't want to accept any food since it knows it'll be expunging it later on. There were a few bright days where I'll crave for hamburgers and chicken nuggets, so hubby will go to McD's or Wendy's to get it for me.

Another change due to my pregnancy is that I don't cook as much as I did before. I tried a few times and only ended up at the sink again. The smell of it just gets to me. So eating out has become something of a must (and I dislike eating out since there really isn't much variety here and pretty expensive too). There's another reason why I don't like eating out since hubby has to eat all the leftovers. I realised that I cannot eat leftovers since it produces lots of air in the tummy, which aggravates the morning sickness. You know, no one ever tells you that when you're pregnant, you're going to be extremely gassy. If you don't burp, you'll be uncomfortable the whole day. In my case, the sink.

I did try the normal remedy for gassiness; ginger, mint and stuff. Apparently, asam (preserved plums) works pretty well for me. Too bad I only discovered it recently, else it might have helped with my sink visits. I was trying to stay away from all those preservatives and stuff since my diet has been sadly lacking, but I was at wits end and needed relief. I finally gave in and bought it the other day. Guess my ginger tea will be collecting dust in the cupboard now...HHAAHAHAAH

Other than that, I had the normal drowsiness and dizziness from the pregnancy. The dizziness was mostly due to be being anemic (I think), from lack of appetite prior to my blood tests. At that time, I was already experiencing the morning sickness and lack of appetite. So that didn't help the blood work. Plus the technician drew 9 vials of blood from me (no wonder anemic too). I had asked for a butterfly needle since I'm a scaredy-cat when it comes to needles. Luckily too else I would have felt all 9 vials being drawn...bbbrrrr...I get goosebumps thinking of it. So in my next gynae visit, doctor got the results and said that I needed to eat more meat to build up the iron and scheduled me for another follow up test...HAIH..more needles..

The thing is I do want to eat. I really really do. But this baby is saying "no, no." Surprisingly, baby is ok with soups and fruits. So Wholefoods is now our favourite grocery store since I can get organic apples and the chicken soup. It's the only 2 things that I can eat consistently without a visit to the sink. I usually add my own ingredients to the soup so that it gets fortified a bit more (plus soups here are usually too salty for my taste). However, I can only eat half a bowl and then I'm full. This also means that I'll be hunting for food every hour or so. It's really bad. But I've stocked the house with raisins, dried apricots and nuts. These contain some iron and other healthy nutrition for the baby. Now, if I can only get more calcium in my diet......

I also had to make some changes to my lifestyle. I used to do yoga 3 times a week and walk quite frequently too. But since I got pregnant, I'd be lucky to put in 2 classes a week. 2 of my classes are held in a nearby town, so I need to walk 30 mins to the train station, grab the train just to get to class. To get home, I'd have to catch the bus, and then walk another 30 mins home. So I was pretty active. Recently I got myself a bike to help cut down on the commute to the station. Luckily, the third class is on a Saturday and hubby drives me there :D

However, since I got pregnant, no cycling on the road for me...bumps and cars. It's back to walking. But sometimes, the morning sickness gets to me in the morning and I can't get out of the house, thus have to skip class. And when I can make it, I would feel a bit nauseous (probably from all the activity just to get there). I've taken to carrying snacks with me to class so I can eat before and after class. It helps a bit but there are times when I feel that I can't make it home and just need hubby to pick me up.

In class now, I have to take it easy as well. I used to be very gung-ho and try to do everything the instructor ask us to do. I like to challenge myself and see how far I can progress. Now, must take it easy and no more twisting for me. Twisting is bad since it contracts your belly and has less space for baby. Since my instructors know that I'm pregnant, they've taken to modifying some of the poses for me. I am contemplating taking a pre-natal yoga class but I think I'll go for it when I'm much further along.

I would have to say that I might be luckily than some women out there. The fact that I'm not working is a blessing in disguise. I can't imagine taking the train to work every morning and wanting to throw up, or not being able to take my afternoon naps when I'm soooo tired. But the thing I do miss is my mom's cooking. If I had that, I don't think I'll have any problem with anemia and lack of appetite. Too bad, I'd have to move back home for it...

So tomorrow's my next ultrasound and genetic testing visit.. hope everything goes fine..more needles...

How we found out

I suspected that I was expecting in mid-June. I itchy-finger and took the pregnancy test. I waited the requisite minutes but the results wasn't a confirmed positive. The second line was very faint but there was some colour. I was panicking a bit. I called my gynae and spoke to the nurse. She took some dates from me to predict time of conception etc, and suggested that I try the test again in a few days time. But the nurse set up an appointment with the gynae for me just in case the test shows positive again. She said if not, then just call to cancel the appointment. By then, I was a teeny-bit overwhelmed, trying to wrap around my mind that I might be pregnant. I called hubby and told him. He was rather calm over the phone, though he said that he was excited inside. So the rest of the day was a blur to me. I think I was in shock.

Anyway, took it a few days later and Voila~! confirmed pregnant. Both lines showed up bright and clear. So no need to call the gynae to cancel the appointment. I think that evening, both hubby and I called our respective parents to break the good news. But we told them to keep it quiet from the rest of the family till I'm further along. So my parents are definitely excited since it'll be their second grandkid. My younger sis is pregnant with the first one.

So the following week, I was at the gynae with hubby. Had to fill paperwork for insurance and stuff, and give urine sample. Apparently that will be the norm for every visit, it's to check for urinary tract infection. Then we waited for about an hour before we could see the doctor. She's pretty popular and has lots of patients. When it was finally my turn, she asked some questions and did some poking around. She also scheduled me for an ultrasound and a whole slew of blood tests. In the US, the doctors won't confirm you're pregnant till you go for an ultrasound and see/hear the baby's heartbeat. I guess they don't want to give people false hope and kena sued later on for raising their hopes. People here really like to sue for whatever Tom-Dick-and-Harry reason.

Finally the day came for the ultrasound. We went to the nearby hospital for our appointment, filled some paperwork and waited for our turn. I think I was a bit anxious as to what will show up on the screen. Finally it's time, the technician did the ultrasound (had to try a few times). Lo and behold, there was a heartbeat and a little shrimp in my belly. It really did look like a little shrimp, ok maybe a bean. We could hear the heartbeat quite clearly. I don't think I had a lot of reaction, though hubby was happy. Then the technican took measurements and stuff and said the baby was approximately 6 weeks 6 days along with an estimated due date of end Feb 2009.

My very first post

I've been debating for a LLOONNNGG time as to whether I should start a blog or not. Well, it's more of procrastination..hehehehe. So, I finally decided to do it. Call it a confluence of circumstances.

Since this blog will mostly be read by family and friends, the title should give you an idea as to what it's for. Yes, I'm finally pregnant. I'm now heading towards end of my first trimester. I have to say, I'm a bit relieved since the morning sickness was horrible. Throwing up almost everyday is not fun. Compound it by the fact that I have no appetite whatsoever, it makes it even worse. You know how you read about pregnant women having large appetite and gaining weight like crazy, well I have to say that I'm the opposite. I didn't gain any weight, as a matter of fact I lost weight. The doctor said not to be a bit concerned, says that I'll catch up in the following two trimesters. I hope it's the case since I really don't want to deprive the baby of any nutrition that it needs.

Anyway, this blog probably will be used to document my experiences throughout the pregnancy and hopefully continue to after the baby is born. I do hope I will have something interesting to write since my life here is really quite boring. More on that later :D