Week 22 - Chiang Mai Babymoon

We just returned from a restful 3 days in Chiangmai for our babymoon! The picture posted here is of the first dish we learnt at Kao Hom Cooking school - Chicken wrapped in Pandanus leaf. Yes - we made this all on our own, with very good instructions from our teacher, Tim. She is such an animated lady, we had great fun learning to cook Thai dishes from her. We had 2 other classmates, Om and Raymond. They were learning how to cook so that they could open a Thai restaurant in Mexico - we figured, we probably picked the right school if chefs were coming here to learn! The only downside to the school (and I don't think its a downside really), we ate so much, the Husband was actually full all the way till 8pm! We cooked one dish, sat down in the garden and ate it, before going back to cook more. We cooked 6 dishes from 10.30am to 2.30pm - can you blame us for being full?

Our hotel was wonderful and luxurious - the bathroom was so large, it was a separate room on its own with a daybed. Which is great for preggers like me, I'm having trouble reaching my legs and its nice to be able to sit and moisturise them. There's even a built in stool in the shower, which is perfect for me to sit down and soap the hard to reach areas - yes, you guessed it, my legs and ankles!

We napped a lot, I swam a bit, Paul used the gym and we managed to fit in shopping in the night markets. The Sunday market was way more exciting that the Saturday Night bazaar. The Sunday market is for locals, and the shops stretch for streets and streets, with lots of interesting items for sale. I insisted on buying a tribal baby hat for Pipsqueak after seeing a baby wear one on the streets. The entire outfit was too large though, the smallest size was size 1. I almost bought slippers but held back cos I figured they were not going to be all that safe to walk in. The Husband has already started apologising to Pipsqueak for allowing me to buy the hat. I say he won't remember wearing it but the Husband says pictures will remind him! I think they're quite cute really...I'll post a picture of him wearing it when he's old enough and you can be the judge.

We also had 2 rounds of massages - its not hard to find masseurs in Thailand who are well trained, most knew what to do when informed that I was pregnant. Just stay away from the feet and the tummy. It really helped ease lots of aches and pains for me and we went back for more on Sunday.

And Pipsqueak likes holidays, he's definitely more active than on a regular working day. I don't blame him.

Back to work tomorrow and more exciting things coming up next week. We start prenatal classes next week and Week 24 scan is next week too! Will keep everyone updated.

Week 21 - Limited lungspace

Breathing is getting difficult, especially after meals in the evenings. Somehow, there just isn't enough lungspace and my skin feels so stretched and taut over my belly. I've been using the stretch mark creams religiously but I've already discovered some close to buttock/thigh area. *sigh* I haven't weighed myself yet since my last checkup 2 weeks ago, but I do feel heavier and I'm certain I've put on weight - walking up the stairs is quite tiring! Feels like I'm lugging a rice sack!

We are going off on our babymoon next weekend to Chiang Mai. Lots to do there, including elephant trekking and white water rafting, which unfortunately, I won't be able to enjoy! So we're going to sign up for a cooking class instead. Yup, they'll pick us up from the hotel, bring us to the local markets, and teach us to cook local thai food. YUM! I just hope I'll be able to eat! I've been getting really bloated in the evenings, probably due to the hormones slowing down my digestion...but it means I can't eat much by dinner and I keep burping all the time.

Pipsqueak has been going through cycles of activity and non-activity. I got worried at first cos he was active for a whole week but stopped considerably for a few days. I've discovered however that he hasn't got a fixed pattern yet. He's active for 2-3 days in a row and then kicks a lot less for another 2-3 days. The kicks are harder and clearer in the evenings, after dinner and when I'm about to sleep. And he kicks a lot more when I'm hungry - I think he's got the greedy genes, protesting violently when its time to eat. Good luck to us when he's out! I can imagine him screaming a the top of his voice for his milk.

Its the most wonderful thing so far though, being able to feel another life growing inside you, having Pipsqueak close to me and its like our little secret, only I can feel him kick and knows when he's active or quiet...our prayer is that God will make him a healthy and fuss-free baby! We're determined to not have our entire lives revolve around him, but as advised by Aunty G, "run with your baby, he should enhance your ministry and not hinder". Amen to that!

Baby Gaga - Week 20 Cartoon

Week 20 - Interpreting Medical Jargon

This is the week of Pipsqueak's detailed scan. Unfortunately, all the detailed shots of Pipsqueak's arms, legs, organs, (genitals included) can't be scanned cos its on the radiological film, so the only one we have to show is the normal ultrasound. The Husband doesn't like this picture, he thinks its not very flattering on the kid, and I agree, but we wanted to show everyone something so we've got no choice, short of pulling of a picture of some other foetus to put on my blog. This is a front view shot of him, the dark spots are what they call orbits, or the place in the skull where his eyes are.

The 20 week scan was quite an experience, to say the least. I arrived at 2.15 for my 2.30 scan and as warned, I had to wait. My gynae's nurse told me to call her if I wait for half an hour so that she can put pressure on the radiology department manager to speed things up, as I have an appointment. Not long after my call, I was ushered into a tiny, dark room, with a bed, curtain and the ultrasound machine - hardly enough space for anyone else but the mummy-to-be and the radiologist. After making myself comfortable on the bed, I was ushered into another room - this room was a fair bit bigger, with a more high-tech machine. Apparently after the call from my gynae's nurse, they re-read the scan request and noted that certain doctors were requested for, and these doctors prefer to use the more high-tech machine. Mental note - following the nurse's instructions can save lots of time and hassle, they know the ins and outs of the hospital system.

The radiologist was a young Filipino lady who was nice and friendly. The lights were dimmed and I was very comfortable on the bed, except for the lubricant that was squirted all over my belly which was kinda cold. I don't think Pipsqueak liked it though, he kicked a lot. I found out later that the ultrasound emits sound waves that the baby can hear, which sounds like a irritating buzzing noise. Explains why he kept moving around and kicking the scanner.

After 30 minutes, she was done with her measurements and showed me some key organs and limbs on the screen. He has grown a fair bit since the last scan and she confirmed that Pipsqueak's a boy. (The Husband is very proud of the fact that his key organs can be clearly identified at such a tender age) She told me to wait a while more and she returned with the specialist. I was told to lie down again for a quick scan. The conversation between them sounded like this:

Filipino Radiologist: I can't find the 4C

Specialist: 4C ah?

Filipino Radiologist: Yeah

SILENCE.

Specialist: Any previa?

Filipino Radiologist: No, no previa.

SILENCE.

Specialist: Got extra huh?

Filipino Radiologist: Yeah extra.

SILENCE

I was then told I was done and I could come back and collect the reports in 30 minutes. As you can guess, a 1001 thoughts were running through my mind. 4C? Sounds like 4 chambers of the heart to me. Does the baby have a problem with his heart? Previa I knew meant Placenta previa, where the placenta is too low which can cause problems. Extra? Now that can mean anything - extra fingers, toes, eyes, nose, ears??? I smsed the Husband frantically and told him that maybe there was something wrong with the baby's heart. He was cool as usual and said let's see what the doctor says.

After collecting the scan, we met at the lobby and proceeded up to see my gynae. The usual urine test showed up a bit of sugar in the urine, which apparently was due to the fresh orange juice I drank while waiting for the scan results. I also put on 3kg in the last one month. That's a lot by my standards! No wonder I feel heavy!

We were finally ushered in to see the gynae, apparently there was an emergency C section she had to perform this morning, which explains why all her appointments were backed up again. We went through the scan results and my fears were unfounded - the 4 chambers of the heart are all there, so are the limbs, eyes, nose, mouth, etc. According to her, Pipsqueak's size is a few days smaller than the benchmarks, which is good cos I'm small framed, so if my baby gets too big, natural delivery can be a problem. He's got long legs and fingers, and a pretty sharp nose. We'll see how accurate her assessments are when he appears in September.

He's about 303 grams and very active. She did another quick scan for the benefit of the Husband, so that he can have a quick look at the Pipsqueak. That ended an interesting 20 week checkup - thank God for protecting and moulding Pipsqueak each step of the way!

And the moral of the story for those who are radiologists, doctors or medical professionals - you should invent some sort of code that patients can't understand in the examination room! Otherwise, their minds are racing a mile a minute trying to second guess what you're talking about! Or perhaps, it could just be me. :)

Week 19 - Gobbling Grapefruits

I've been eating grapefruits - its been in season, thankfully! The tangy taste clears my mouth of the constant aftertaste that lingers after each drink or meal. They are juicy and oh so refreshing. Everyday around 3pm, I start peeling my grapefruit at my desk and my colleagues know - "its grapefruit time!". Other fruits on my good fruit list are green apples and oranges.

Friday 4th May was a special day - The Husband felt pipsqueak kick for the first time! The previous movements I have felt are rather non-descript, vague, weird fluttering movements, which half the time, I'm not sure if its Pipsqueak or gas. But on Friday, he started kicking me for real. It was unmistakeable - we were at prayer meeting in Church and we started singing some choruses. That's when he started kicking quite furiously. We came home and lounged on the sofa and he started kicking again. So I grabbed the Husband's hand and he felt a couple of the kicks.

Saturday 5th May - I was cooking dinner for a friend who was coming over and I played Barry Manilow and there he was again. Even at night, he kept kicking whilst I was trying to sleep and I had to switch sides. Strangely, lying on the right side is not as comfortable as lying on the left. I wonder if there is some sort of organ there. But my arm gets so numb lying on one side all the time! I don't know how I will last till full term as I'm starting to feel more breathless with each full meal and my legs actually feel some strain walking up the stairs. I don't think I've even put on that much weight!

Sunday 6th May - I figured, this baby is nocturnal, so if he starts kicking again during the singing at Church, he must like music. And true enough, he responded to the singing at worship service. He was wide awake through lunch too. When we tried playing some hip hop on the radio before dinner - there was no response. Conclusion - this child is like his dad, an ah pek (old man) in a young body. So far, hymns, choruses and Barry Manilow are on his hit list - I'll update everyone if we discover any other singers that he likes.

According to the books and websites, he can hear now and will start recognising voices, which probably explains why he responds to the music.

Another thing I've become paranoid about is lying on my back. Everything I read says its bad to lie on your back as it presses on a large vein that may cut off oxygen supply to the baby. But when I sleep, I sometimes wake up on my back and I can't help the different positions my body goes into when I sleep!

We will be going for our 20 week scan next Friday, so we hope to post some pictures of the Pipsqueak soon!

Week 18 - Train Seats and Stroller Seats

I've been getting seats on trains and I'm grateful, but I have to gripe about this - not a single guy has given up their seat to me! The profile of a typical seat-giver is a lady, who is middle aged. I've been asking my guy friends why this is the case and the most typical answer is that guys can't tell I'm pregnant. They fear that if they give up their seat to a lady who is not pregnant, they could really offend her. Fair enough - but if you are a young able bodied male, shouldn't you even be ashamed to have a seat when there are plenty of ladies standing? Call me old fashioned, but its nice to have some chivalry now and then. Its not unusual to have guys rush into the train, snatch your seat, or rush into a crowded lift first. One guy tried to cut in front of me a few weeks ago to get into a very crowded train first and I gave him one of my dagger looks. It worked and he backed off, but I really wish guys didn't need to be told to be polite and let ladies go first.

The other thing the Husband and I have been doing is learning about baby gadgets. This is a real money making industry! Our first project is strollers and there are sooo many different brands with different features. Its like taking Strollers101 at University. The next course is Cots101.

We've signed up for antenatal classes at TMC, which will start in early June. They run for 6 weeks and came highly recommended by friends.

I've also started to have trouble breathing. For those of you who know me, I normally eat like a horse. Probably the correct amount for a pregnant woman, so my food intake hasn't really increased compared to my usual. But by dinner, I normally feel so full, I can't breathe. Especially so if I'm having my favourite food. So the latest task for the Husband is to stop me before I get that full. Which is no easy feat, considering my stomach space has decreased but my speed of consumption has increased.