Rainbow Baby

I don't know why I had such a hard time writing Year 2015 in review.  I guess mainly there was nothing major that happened except that I fell pregnant and it covered most of my 2015.  So, I don't feel like repeating myself of what happened in first or second trimester. There were ups and downs, just like always.  What I find different this year, besides being pregnant, is that people around us are kinder when they see our big stomach.  Even strangers would talk to us.   Since it's the first pregnancy that made it so far, everything is so new to me.  Year 2015 has been a learning year.  So much to learn about cloth diapers, breastfeeding, being pregnant, labour and delivery.  Also about gynaes and what to do and what not to do.  What to eat and what not to eat. On Christmas Day, I finally let the cat out of the bag by posting a photo of us on Facebook.  Yeah, the 8 months pregnant me.  And there were many, many likes and...

Yay...reached week 36.  So far so good.   Backache If I sit too long, then I get this backache that makes it very difficult to walk.  But if I sit in a position that straightens my back, then the backache would vanish fast.  I still haven't determine which position is that.  Sleeping on one side doesn't help the backache at all. Acid reflux It's getting worse.  And lots of phlegm.  It doesn't help that I eat lots of spicy food (my family loves to cook them).  I eat very little in the evening.   Cravings Getting more and more cravings towards the end of pregnancy.  Like chocolate.  Any cold, sweet drinks.  Yesterday night after puking my dinner, I had a sudden urge to eat instant noodles. Peeing I don't think I have reach the point where I peed a lot.  Unless I drink a lot before bed.  Otherwise, I only wake up like once to pee at night.  Maybe baby has not lodge yet? Baby movement I...

This Christmas, there was a lot of nice shows on Astro.  All the Disney animated cartoons and Fox Movies and all that.   But if you cry when the beast died and Belle cried in 'Beauty and the Beast' or when you watched a crappy movie, ahem, 'But Always' starring Nicholas Tse and Gao Yuan Yuan and cried, or while watching 'Frozen' and see Anna always being ignored by Elsa and she felt sad and all that, then you know it's the hormones.  I swear it's definitely the pregnancy hormones. I have teared so much watching movies these days that I think I am nuts.  The other day, I watched a very good movie online.  It's called, "A Tale of Samurai Cooking : A True Love Story" and I cried towards the end because it was too touching.  I highly recommend this movie to everyone.  The love story is almost like "Jodhaa Akbar".  You won't see a any kissing or hugging.  But you see a lot of hidden sparks flying between husband and wife. ...

In the past few months, I have learned or heard that few people have migrated or going to migrate to Australia.  At least 3 families in Malaysia. Is our country really that bad that is forcing our Malaysians to leave this country so badly?  As it is, we are having severe brain drain here.  If more people leave, then what's there for us here? I love Australia a lot.  Went there once for 3 weeks and truly enjoyed my stay.  That was back in 2001.   As much as I love this country, I would love to migrate as well.  Living here, I feel we contribute so much as citizens but what we get in return is so little, unlike other countries.  Public transport sucks.  Now prices are increasing.  Everything is increasing, except our income. I have friends who have long migrated to Australia and they are very successful there, earning well, big house, etc.  Sure, I don't know their struggles.  But I can see at least they are movi...

Starting this week, I feel so tired.  8 hours of sleep is definitely not enough.  Not even napping in the afternoon. Besides, my tummy is getting harder and bigger.  Turning to my side while lying down on my bed is a challenge.  Sometimes I feel baby is pressing on my bladder.  Sometimes it's on my stomach.  Sometimes on other organs.  On certain days, walking is difficult especially if she is pressing on my cervical bone.   I just feel I am bigger this week.  Like I never felt that big in my life and I have reached the biggest.  Just my feeling.  And to think I have 5 more weeks to go, gosh, I don't know how big I can get. Just when I thought that it's ready and done when I have bought all baby's stuff, I realised there's 101 things running in my mind right now.  And it has nothing to do with work or urgent stuff or deadlines. Things like, delayed cord clamping.  I heard that's ideal but then again, I wil...

Every morning, I get a special parking allocation for pregnant woman.  But every morning, the guards are different.  So every morning, I have to tell them that I got special permission to park there. Today was one of those funny day.  I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  As I drove into the parking lot, a guard was looking at me.  So, I asked him, yes?  He said, you want to park here?  I said, yes, I got permission to park here.  Then he said this, "You cacat ke?" He didn't say it in a bad or negative way.  The parking that was allocated to me was disabled parking.  And I didn't have a disabled sticker on my windscreen, so naturally he would asked.  But it came out so funny to me.  Pregnancy is not the same as disabled.  But we get disabled parking so that we don't have to walk that far. Then at my office, our despatch came and I have to tell him to do collect something for me.  Although I have seen him...

So, I was pretty down the last few days but it's getting better now.  Since Christmas eve is the day that both of us are off, I thought we should really do something nice together, like a date. No shopping for baby things.  No talking about baby stuff.  Just spend time together, just the 2 of us.  We won't have much chance later once baby is out. Many options came up and we both thought it would be nice to catch a movie.  It's been ages since we watch one together. Movie date On normal days when I am not pregnant, I can't sit with my legs down on cinema chairs.  Because I have short legs, it hurts my knees after some time.  I have always sat cross-legged on those standard seats. Now that I am 8 months pregnant, I don't think I can sit cross-legged on those seats anymore.  Moreover, I am now quite big.  Then found that many cinemas now have 5-star kind of seat.   Check it out on this website . In the end, I narrowed...

This is just for fun since I find that I enjoy blogging a lot.  I guess this is the hobby that I am seeking. Since pregnant, I noticed that different sets of people have different sets of reaction when they see a pregnant woman.  Correct me if I am wrong but this is based on my observation. Unmarried man - When it comes to single man, they will ignore the fact that you are pregnant.  In fact, they won't even ask you about it.  I remembered a time when we were out with some friends at a restaurant in Shenzhen.  We were all seated in a round table and waited to be serve.  When food came, one of the unmarried man (there were like 4 of them in the same table), asked my friend (who was 3 months pregnant) how come she is not eating.  Then I told that man that she is expecting a child and have no appetite.  The reaction at the table was so funny as all the 4 unmarried man stopped eating and just stare at her.  Stunned.  I wondered wha...

I finally understand what Kim Kadarshian is going through although her reasons may differ from mine.  I am feeling a little depressed as the pregnancy progresses and find it to be tiresome to be heavily pregnant. My friends told me that this is a normal process.  One of them said her gynae suggested her to go somewhere, instead of staying at home during this time.  Another friend told me that I need a hobby to get going. For me, it's like this.  It's end of the year.  It's holiday season.  Everyone is going or gone for a nice vacation.  Whereas, here I am, staying at home, either washing baby stuff or just wasting my time, watching movies on YouTube. Don't get me wrong.  I am very grateful to be pregnant and I know I shouldn't be complaining.  At this point of time, I am so blessed that baby is alright.  Last check-up, she is 2.1kg, heartbeat 163bpm, very active and she has already turned her head downwards.  Everything...

To-date I have purchased 1 pocket, 4 AI2, and 1 AIO.  Here's my stash. 1. Charlie Banana One Size Pocket Cloth Diaper with 2 microfibre inserts (1 small size, 1 large size) - RM70 includes shipping I bought this preloved from another mommy.  Though preloved, she has never used it before, just pre-washed once. I have to admit that I wasn't too impressed with the microfleece.  My fingers felt uncomfortable running over them.  I am pretty sure, I don't want my girl's butt to touch it either.  A little regret in buying this before deciding on organic cotton. I like the snaps though.  It's very easy to snap in and out. So I might be using it like a AI2 by laying it with organic cotton prefolds or flats.   Although it is stated as One Size, I am surprised that it is actually quite small.  Will it fit until she is a toddler?  I really doubt it. 2. Tiny Bibiya One Size Hybrid Cloth Diapers Trial  Set (comes wi...

Nah...nothing to do with pregnancy, but just disappointed with the overall management in my workplace.   The top guns do not communicate with each other.  And when we become the messenger, they think we are spreading gossips and rumous about them.  Sucks. I don't think I can handle any office politics at the moment.  I am praying and hoping for everything to be smooth and good and no obstacles until I go for delivery.  When I come back from maternity, then I will see if I have the energy to cope with these office politics. But right now, I am too tired to deal with it.  Whatever you say lah, boss.  It's not true but whatever lah.  God knows the truth. Seriously don't understand what's wrong with people nowadays.  Why can't people be truthful?  Why can't people just talk things out?  What is wrong with surfing the net when I have no work to do or has already finished all my work?  Then you expect me to just star...

I have a dilemma.  Entering Week 33, I find that I have to take deep breath most of the time.  Besides, food is hard to digest and I don't have much appetite. My dilemma have to do with my colleague's perfume, LANVIN which has been bothering me since the beginning of pregnancy.   The scent or rather the smell was too overpowering and sickly sweet.  I have no idea who on earth invented this perfume that it annoys me to the maximum.  It should be ban and not be allowed to be marketed. It's either that or my colleague has been putting too much on herself that it makes me gag and suffocating.  I really don't know what it is.  There should be perfume ethics.  Like you only put 1 spritz instead of 2.  Or each armpit only little bit.   But since I have to breath heavily now and have lost my appetite on food, the smell of that perfume is more torturing than anything else in the world.  Wherever she goes I know because of th...

I am pretty sure everyone got the news by now.  It's on Facebook, in case you missed it. How lucky is Max (their daughter)!  Born to parents who are multi-millionaires.  Sorry billionaires.  He wrote a letter to her and everyone should read it. He has good intention and I do believe we should provide a better place for the our children in the future.   On the other side of the Earth, I am glad to know that my daughter will be around the same age as their daughter.  But things of course is not as easy as Max but as parents we are trying our very best to provide the best for her.  We don't have billions to be donated out for a better future.  We are living pay-cheque to pay-cheque.   We do want to make a difference in the world today, but all we can start is by recycling.  Not so much about advance human capital and what not.   We are struggling and praying hard that things will be better (financially that is). ...

Today, I would like to dedicate this post to my husband.  Throughout this pregnancy, he has been very supportive.  And it's so important to have someone to be there for you, especially during pregnancy. When I was in the first trimester and the morning sickness was hitting hard, he held me while I puked in the toilet bowl because at times, I felt so weak and would collapsed. After every puke, he wash up and clean all the things while I rest. Sometimes I have incontinence and usually in the toilet, when I am getting brushing my teeth, I would accidentally leak on the floor.  He would help to clean up. After soaking my feet into water every evening, he would help to wipe my feet as I can't reach them. Since pregnancy, I haven't been doing any chores (maybe once when he was away).  He has been cleaning the toilet, mopping the floor, washing the dishes and all that. Since pregnant, I get massage with extra virgin coconut oil on my belly to preven...

Now I can safely tell the world that I am due end of next month.  Sound so quick right?   I am excited.  Very.  But at the same time, anxious and nervous.  So many what-ifs run in my mind. Last week, I was stuck in a very bad non-moving traffic jam from my work place back home.  It was 2 hours.  Very miserable, have to hold my pee and hungry.  My legs were so achy and tired.  So, I have came up with a few what-ifs? Many things are unpredictable.  Like no one knows for sure when my labour would start or when my water would break or when my contractions would begin.  The best of course is if it happen at home and I can get ready and be driven to the hospital.  But... 1. What if I start to have contraction during traffic jam? My workplace is very near to the hospital.  But can't say the same about my home.  So, if (touch wood), contraction starts while I am still at work, I can still drive to the hospi...

After much research, reading up and thoughts, I have finally finalise my birth plan.  But I haven't spoken to my Obgyn about it yet as I don't know if it is too early to tell him. The last checkup on Saturday, he said I have yet to enter my 8th month of pregnancy.  Still in my 7th-ish month.  Week 33 plus would be 8 months.  4 weeks doesn't equal to a month in pregnancy calculation.  Baby is good.  Growing very well.  1.7kg by now.  Heartbeat 160bpm.  Head size, leg size and waist size was measured.  All good though he did say her waist is a little big.  Hmm....fat and short baby?? OK, I have a very simple plan.  Really, really simple.  The rest I will leave it to the professionals. 1. No epidural.  If really cannot tahan, will take the gas. 2. Natural birth. 3. No induce. That's it.  But again, all these are subject to my final month's condition.  The things that might affect my birth p...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I don't celebrate it but thought it's such a nice day to give thanks.  We should give thanks everyday, but to have a special day and to celebrate all the good things in life, it's really something. I am thankful that I am finally pregnant and going to be a mother soon. I am thankful that I have a supportive family, especially my husband. I am thankful that I still have a job, albeit too relaxing at the moment. I am thankful that baby is kicking me everyday.  Last night she kicked me until I woke up. I am thankful that our new place is ready, although we won't be moving in anytime soon. I am thankful for the everyday sunshine and rain (though the traffic jams can be quite annoying when it rains). I am thankful that I am healthy and well. I am thankful for everything in my life.  

Every time someone asked me how far I am along and when I am due, I would tell them end of January.  And every single time, the response is, "Oh wow, that's very fast.  Get ready to have sleepless nights." Yeah, you may think it's fast but it's really not.  But I have reached the 8th month now.  Yes, 31 weeks = 8th month (depends on which website).  Some say 29 weeks.  Some say 32 weeks.  But yes, it's 31 weeks now.   It sounds like so near and yet so far.  Anyway, just an update. Belly button My innie has finally became an outie and my nephew likes to dig in it.   Hospital bag I read that I should start packing the hospital bag at week 34.  Some pack at week 37.  I have packed some things though. Be prepare for sleepless nights I was told to get ready for the sleepless nights and start to rest more now when I can.  Well, I just want to say this.  I don't think I can make up the sleepless ni...

I am not sure if it is hormonal but I need to vent again.   There's this so-called celebrity who is currently expecting her second child with her rock star husband and is due in December who has been complaining a lot about pregnancy and being pregnant.  Drama queen as usual and I think you all should know who she is by now. One commentor for the same news commented that she should stop complaining as some women has been trying for many years and still no luck.  I have to agree with the commentor. At this point of time, she should really slow down and take a break and stop all this publicity and attention.  Just rest and relax.  Stop wearing all those super tight clothes that accentuate your body.  Stop wearing heels.  Your swollen feet will thank you.  Just stop whining, please. Well, I don't know what it's like to expect a second child since this is my first experience.  I don't have any labour experience.  And I do ha...

I need to vent.  Yes, I will vent. Being pregnant is not a crime and should not be punish nor discriminate.  Unfortunately, not many employers understand this.  They think because you are pregnant, your performance has dropped and your colleagues are doing your work during maternity leave. I was just told that my performance this year is not good.  Well, I have to admit, this year, I wasn't given much work to do.  I did mentioned in my previous blog post that I am wondering if they will retrench me instead because sometimes I do feel like being cold-storage. You can't blame it on pregnancy.  Then when it comes to breast feeding next year, when I will be spending more time pumping away, away from my desk, does that mean my performance is not good as well? I shouldn't complain.  Because I did enjoy a stress-free pregnancy, which really helps me a lot.  I do believe that because of the lesser work demand, I feel much freer.  And...