Hello, 3rd Trimester!

The long awaited third trimester is here! It's kinda scary when the countdown app shows that it's less than a 100 days to Baby Y's birth. Meaning, the day is drawing really near.

I entered into the 3rd trimester last week and whoa, it seems like a new ball game altogether! :D

New experiences: I experienced cramps for the very first time on Sunday (19 Oct) while shopping at the supermarket. It was a shock as I've never experienced any cramps during my first 2 trimesters. I guess it's what many called to be Braxton Hicks as the cramps were very short lived and felt like those experienced during menstruation. I also felt slight tightening sensations at my tummy area while lying down, like as if someone was pulling a string down at my tummy. Uncomfortable but still bearable.

Baby Movements: Baby's movements have become much more frequent and strong. It kinda worries me because the timing in which baby is active is making me wonder if he's a night owl like me! Go to bed when it's late, baby! I've read somewhere that the timings when the baby is active could be a reflection of his/her active timings after birth as well. Guess I should cultivate good sleeping habits so that the baby would sleep well too. :p

The movements of the little one is getting stronger and I can see my tummy's shape changing as he moves. He loves to move more on the right side and is much quieter on the left side, hence the bulge is usually on the right side as well.

Food Preferences: during the initial period of pregnancy, I really loved salty and spicy food. However, in recent weeks, I've graduated to become a sugar monster. Throw me anything sweet and I would chomp it down happily. A bar of Crunchie? Sure! A bag of mini Snickers bar? I'm game! Ha and did I mention that I love soft drinks? I've been trying to cut down on sweet stuff, but it's not easy. One step at a time! :)

Weight gain: My weight has been climbing up! I'm so happy! Right now, it's around 68kg, about 5kg gain from pre-pregnancy. :)

Sleeping patterns: I have not been sleeping well in the night. I would always toss and turn and wake up in the middle of the night. While I could still go back to sleep, I feel slightly frustrated. Probably also because I feel much warmer than usual and at times, I would switch on both the air conditioning and fan before I could fall asleep.

My favourite sleeping position is on my sides. Not because of the baby's weight but it has been a habit already. Baby doesn't seem to prefer my side-sleeping habit as he would always kick me on the sides. Hehe, maybe mummy is too heavy for baby!

Well, as we progress into the third trimester, it's a lot of excitement counting down to baby's arrival. I'm also thankful that the aches in the butt is gone and hasn't returned. I'm thankful that I don't suffer too much bodily discomforts like backaches etc. I'm really thankful for this. The only more common discomfort would be my inability to stand for too long or walk too much as I tend to tire more easily.

May our little one continue to grow healthily and happily in mummy's tummy! Daddy and Mummy love you and we are looking forward to.your arrival! :)

Hello, little one!

Hello, 26th!

Say hello to the 26th week of pregnancy! :)

It seems like it's just yesterday when we first found out that I was pregnant. Being the excited first-timer I was, I was busy counting the days and eagerly striking weeks off the first trimester. Now that we are in the 2nd-turning-3rd trimester stage, things seem to have been fast forwarded significantly.

Current weight: around 65kg. It varies but it's usually the water weight that makes it go up-down a little. Still not much weight gained compared to my pre-preggy weight but I'm thankful that Baby Y is growing fine. :)

Tummy Updates: the tummy has ballooned significantly in the past 2 weeks. It was like a sudden thing and it has been making me feel itchy at the tummy area. I haven't been regular in applying the stretchmark prevention cream, thou!

The tummy shape is more rounded than pointed and I'm still carrying the bulge quite low.

Baby Movements: Baby has been significantly more active in recent weeks and the movements are stronger. Sometimes they feel like punches/kicks, and sometimes they feel like a carnival is taking place inside, with Baby Y going swish and swash. The feeling is really amazing. :)

Daddy has managed to feel Baby Y's movement a few times already but Baby Y seems to know that it's daddy when O's hands rest on my tummy and he would usually stop or reduce the frequency of movement. Hehehe!

Baby Music: to the horror of everyone in the family, I've been playing some nursery rhymes during the weekends. So, we hear some usuals like Do Re Mi and Baa Baa Black Sheep, but we also heard a few interesting ones which sent us laughing really badly. Is there such a thing as bad nursery rhymes? As the songs are pretty lively, the hubby warned against playing them, for fear that it may make Baby Y too active. I've since switched to playing gospel instrumental music or pieces from Yiruma. But... Baby Y seem to be more receptive to the lively children songs! :D

Food Preferences: I've been wanting to eat a lot of sweet stuff and carbs. I can have a full meal of pasta and down it with milo thereafter. Well, I know it's not the best combination but they almost seem like comfort food to me. For a while, I drank a lot of milk and every night was a routine of 2 packets of Oreo cookies with a glass of milk. Will have to be more watchful of my diet!

Discomforts: I felt pain at the weirdest of places. I've read about backaches and aches at near the lower abdominal area, but never in my imagination would I expect myself to go through aches at one of my butt cheeks. And you can imagine how awkward it was having to turn around, butt-facing Mr. Gynae,  complaining pain at that area that's seemingly very much unrelated to pregnancy. Further research online led me to a specific term that seem to fit the discomfort I'm feeling - Pelvic Girdle Pain.

At times, I would feel sharp jolts all of a sudden at the said butt cheek and I wouldn't be able to move for a while. Moments like this would come when I bend down to do the dishes or brush my teeth, or even a very innocent turn of my back would lead to such jolts of pain that would render me motionless. Moments like this would throw us into fits of laughter as 1) it's really quite funny, considering the circumstances and 2) M would shout out loud to O, saying, "Papa, mummy cannot move!!!!!!!"

And, consider the time when I was in the office doing some photocopying and the oh so loathsome pain struck. I couldn't reach out to massage my butt (not in the office!!) and I had to slowly move around like a penguin. Sigh!

So, upon reflecting, I figured out that the condition could have been triggered due to excessive walking that week during work. This week, with lesser movement, the pain has become less frequent and more bearable. :)

The Hubby: Hubby O has been nothing but an angel and constant blessing during my pregnancy. Well, some might say it's a given, since I'm pregnant and he SHOULD take care of me. I don't think anything should be taken as an entitlement just because I'm pregnant, hence I think O has been very loving, kind and patient towards me. Apart from doing the laundry, doing the usual cleaning at home, he would always cut fruits for me to ease my constipation woes, remind me to eat my supplements, prepare breakfast for me every morning, send me to work, cook for me occasionally and boil yummy soups to nourish my body. I'm thankful for him every.single.day. :)