The Glucose Test

Hi Baby,

Well, at least you kept mommy company while waiting for the blood test. Very active you were in there, probably hungry huh. Mommy had to wake up early this morning, daddy was still in bed by the time mommy left the house. Traffic was good, and didn't have to wait long before mommy got called in. Was told to prepare the glucose solution first, mommy brought along a bottle of water, but some guy who was having the same test didn't and was sent off to get water. They took the first blood sample and then drink the solution. Then mommy had to wait for two hours in the waiting room before they call me back in for the next blood sample.

Fortunately mommy got sudoku with me, or else it'll be a long wait. At the same time was listening to people's conversation, they were a bunch of retired men and one of them was talking about how it's really dull now that he's retired, and another guy started talking about one should know what to do with one self and concentrate on the children now that one has the time, and he talked about his children, how they are now studying overseas, he said if one is able to take out a loan for a car, one is able to send their children abroad to further their study, it's a better investment, you cannot expect the government to send your children for you. I couldn't help but nod in agreement with that conversation. We'll talk more about this when you're older, it doesn't matter what you are into, as long as you work hard at it to get to where you want to go, and we'll help you get there...

Love,

Mom

Towards The End of The Second Trimester

Hi Baby,

It is now 24 weeks... tomorrow. The check up went well this morning, mommy only gained 1.8kg this past four weeks! Yay! While waiting I took a picture of the ultrasound screening, going to show that to Auntie Elaine so she could explain what's what written. Urine test was all normal, got given the usual folic acid and this time twice the amount of iron tablets because I told them I finished them too soon. The nurse who was attending was nice, she checked to see if there was swelling in the legs and said there was a slight swelling so am suppose to keep off my feet. She checked for your fetal heart rate and it took her a couple of tries and mommy could feel you were kicking the sensor a couple of times too. The doctor made an appointment for a blood glucose test tomorrow and mommy would have to fast for that, so tonight from 10pm onwards, nothing, not even water. Mommy gets thirsty really fast.

Nurse said to drink water often and at least three glasses of milk a day, that's practically one box a day. On the way home from the clinic I bought a couple of yogurt pots and milk, Auntie Elaine said I should be taking calcium suppliments too, must remember to get some.

Tonight daddy will be home late, he's trying to finish up as much work as possible before our trip next week.

Mommy's next appointment is on 2nd March to see the result of the glucose test.

You're very active in there, it's reassuring to feel all the movements you made, sometimes mommy is quite surprised to feel you move so late at night too, I sure hope your sleeping pattern won't be all screwy when you're out.

Oh, the clinic gave mommy a guide book, have yet to read it, skimmed through it, it gave all the useful information especially like what to bring to the hospital when it's time, never thought about bringing my identity card and the antenatal card, got to add that to the list. Mommy will start packing nearer to the 30th week, get everything ready. Your next ultrasound is on the 34th week, that's 10 more weeks to go.

People been asking mommy and daddy if we bought stuff for you yet, we haven't. Daddy says when the feeling strikes, and mommy not too keen with all the too cutesy stuff there are out there. So if we happen to like what we come across then we'll probably pick it up. So far, nada. But your playroom is ready!

Love,
Mom

Pink!

Hi Baby,

Mommy went off to see Auntie Elaine today, it had been a while since I saw her last. Auntie Betty was there too, they said that mommy's tummy isn't that big indicating according to Auntie Elaine, who is a midwife after all, that mommy's carrying you more towards the back, meaning mommy's pelvis is an anthropoid, one of the four pelvic shapes. So mommy went off to look up what that meant and got this:

An anthropoid pelvis is, like the gynecoid pelvis, basically oval at the inlet,
but the long axis is oriented vertically rather than side to side. Subpubic arch
may be slightly narrowed. This pelvis favors occiput posterior presentations.

From my understanding of the readings, it means that you like facing towards the front, which apparently is not a good thing when giving birth to you is happening and it is best that we're to try and turn you into the correct back facing front position before you get engaged into the pelvis. Apparently being on all fours and scrubbing floors works because gravity will swing you around your back resting on mommy's front. One of mommy's friend said to talk to you to turn around about the 7th and 8th month so you'll be in a more favorable position for a natural birth, and if you're still stubborn about it, daddy will have a very stern talk with you. You don't want to get daddy angry now.

Mommy had the usual vitamin C jab and she inspected mommy's tummy. Showed me the position of the fundus, much higher than I anticipated, and she pressed here and there said you were lying sideways at that time. Then she used the fetal heart rate monitor. Unlike last time where we had to hunt your heart beat down, it picked up instantly, loud, and you kicked the sonar picker a couple of times too, Auntie Elaine could feel it. The sonar was stationary in one spot and we could hear how you kept on moving around from the heart beat as it faded away and then come back. Auntie Elaine said that you have a high base line most likely indicating you're a girl.

Yesterday mommy didn't feel like going hashing and texted Auntie Wina, she asked which colour shirt I'd like that they were giving away that day and will save me one, pink or purple? I said pink. She texted back, 'pink?' I replied with, 'what's wrong with pink?' long pause later... 'IT'S A GIRL!!!' was the reply.

Oh, daddy redid his website... This weekend is your granparents lambak birthday celebration and Chinese new year too. Next week is check up at the antenatal clinic, I hope all is well and mommy's weight didn't go up so much even though you're packing on 6 ounces = 170 grams a week...

love,

Mom

PS: Mommy just got a call to come for breastfeeding workshop on the 13th March, cool. Mommy had learnt the fact that breastfeeding takes about 500 to 800 calories a day! Not gonna pass up that opportunity to feed you lots... of breast milk that is...

1st Ultrasound!

Dear Baby,

Mommy this week went for the first ultrasound scan. Was mommy excited? Wasn't sure because mommy was too busy trying to not have to go pee for one and a half hours while waiting for my turn in the queue as you need a full bladder for the scan to be picked up successfully. If mommy knew I had to wait that long, I would've only started drinking when I got to the clinic.

When it was mommy's turn to go into the room, told the radiologist, the person who was doing the scan, please don't press the bladder part so hard unless you want me to pee on the bed.

Mommy couldn't see what the radiologist saw, as the monitor was turned towards her, and everything was very quiet, so was just look at her facial expression and she looked serious especially when she kept on moving the wand like as if she couldn't find what she was looking for. Are you in there I wonder? Where did you go?

Finally she turned the monitor around, and mommy saw this:

"You can see the baby's head is right here, this is the spine. And there's the legs, you can see the bones. See the heart beating?"

Mommy saw a dark round space which was your head, and your back with your legs tucked, like as if you were sleeping on your side all curled up.

"The baby is looking fine, it's developing well" and mommy saw on the monitor that your measurements indicated you were 20 weeks and 5 days old.

"Can we see the gender?"

"No, it's not fully developed yet. Probably at your next visit." She lied, because all literature said you could already see by 20 weeks.

"When is that?"

"Oh, when you're about 8 months."

8 months? That's a while, that's another 3 months. She printed out the picture and handed it to mommy. I wasn't impressed. Maybe I had expectations about this as it was your first picture.

Let's see what happens at your next photo shoot...

love,

Mommy

3KG in 4 Weeks?!?!

Hi Baby,

Last week was... mommy can't remember which visit it was... possibly a third or fourth visit to the clinic already. Anyway, at the weighing in session mommy had a shock, the scales read 77.2. It was an unbelievable moment. The previous visit was 73.8. Everything else was fine and the nurse sent mommy to the doctor.

When I walked into the doctor's room, the first thing the doctor said was, "Oh you're tall enough, can't hardly see the weight on you." I'm not sure if that made me feel any better. She continued on saying that mommy had just come off 1st trimester and appetite to eat is back so it was no surprise there and proceeded to do the whole song and dance about watching what you eat and blah blah blah. Mommy kinda tuned out at that moment because the nurse had said the same thing earlier and I feel they have no right to tell me that when they themselves are overweight, baby will learn about people's hypocrisy. Mommy and daddy will do our best not to do that to you.

So, it had been 8 days since after that visit, and mommy been keeping a food diary to watch what I'm eating, according to pregnancy literature was only suppose to gain 1lb a week with a growing baby inside, and mommy stepped on the weighing scales and it read 77.4. Fantastic! Only gained 1/2 lb. So hopefully this will continue in the following weeks so by the time mommy go for the next check up would have only gained 1kg!

Mommy been asking daddy to look for a good treadmill... hopefully there is one available...

Hope you're doing well,

love

Mommy

The Chest Restraint

Hi Baby,

Mommy's chest have graduated to the *dum dum dum duuuuummmm* Maternity Bra! (extra echo included) That basically means I can't wear my usual underwired ones, they have started to over spill, although I do miss the cleavage they gave me. These mumsy bras are a bit... wide apart for my taste. And I can't remember when was the last time I wore a non wired bra. I asked daddy what he thought, and I felt like somebody out of the 60s wearing these bras. They are comfortable I suppose. Next bras to get: Nursing Bras.

Love,

Mom

Discovery

Dear Baby,

Mommy can eat chicken now! Daddy would be happy to hear that, he's been eating meat all the time past several months. Mommy discovered this during a meeting this morning, and the food served was nasi lemak with ayam masak merah, and the chicken looked really good and I decided to bit the bullet and just tried a piece, eating with caution, and gasp, it went down well! Then I had a few more pieces since it was already lunch time and figured I might as well eat and stay in the office today. Plus, it's raining heavily outside.

Can't wait for the check up next week to see how you are!

Love,
Mom

PS, mommy can't do that 'where's baby' trick anymore, cos mommy starting to show already! Baby's getting bigger!