30 Weeks Pregnant

Similar to last week, Kevin and I went for our weekly follow-up and ultrasound slightly later today, since we had another antenatal class at the hospital at 2.00pm.

Again, our 12.30pm appointment clashed with baby's afternoon nap time. Hence, she was peacefully fast asleep during the ultrasound.

As of today (Week 30 - Day 1), the little munchkin's fetal stats are:
- Heartbeat: 135bpm
- CRL: ~27cm
 - Weight: ~1.6kg

 

 Even when napping, she's not shy to remind us yet again that she's a baby girl,

and on the first scan of the day too! :)

She looks so peaceful, doesn't she?

By the time our afternoon antenatal class commenced in the afternoon, she was awake to listen attentively to "Successful Breastfeeding" - the topic for this week. 

Reading materials on Breastfeeding will definitely come in handy.

Yeah, baby - when the time comes, latch on, suckle, drink up and make mommy slim! :)

OMG! She thinks she's Snow White!

I grew up on fairy tales, so it's only natural that this will eventually passed down to my little munchkin... Especially since mommy has been catching her up on Disney fairy tales, animation and flicks from the very early stage of pregnancy (mostly without daddy's knowledge).

It started two weeks back - Thursday (March 14, 2013)... 

No, I'm not referring to the Disney installation for my little growing peanut... The "It" I'm referring to is the Disney-Snow White effect that has rubbed on to my little munchkin... At 5.57 in the morning (yes, I checked my watch as it was an ungodly hour and still seemed quite dark outside), I was awaken by the sound of birds chirping and serenading by our bedroom window, followed by the little munchkin in my belly reacting to the musical affair. She definitely wasn't kicking or punching (by now, I can pretty much differentiate between her kicks, punches, belly-flops, taps, shakes and dance). I believe this new move she has developed is termed "stretching". When it comes to this little bundle of joy, there's always a first time for everything, everyday!


Oh yes, I believe the little munchkin was literally doing her "morning stretch" in my belly, as if the musical beings outside the bedroom window were her exclusive morning alarm and were here to serenade her "good morning and wake up sleepy head". 

I do have my sneaky suspicion that she was the one that summoned them for their services (oh, she has her ways!). And there I was shouting at the birds to shut up, shut up, shut up!!! "6.00am is just too early for this honeybun!", I keep telling my little one whilst rubbing my belly, "Mommy needs her beauty sleep and rest and does not need to get up until at least 7.15am for work." 

And during this time, what was my husband doing? He was still sound asleep...I had to shake and wake him so that he can also witness this "Snow White moment" and his response was simple, "Get over it! They are here for our daughter, not you. Don't "perasan" or jealous and leave them be to serenade her. Yes, I hear them. Expose her to Disney some more... Let me sleep, woman!"

And as if the little one understood what we were talking about... The next day onwards, the birds gathered by our window at about 7.00am, not earlier. I guess she sent out a memo to them secretly on the time change?

Two weeks have passed and they still come serenading outside our bedroom window every freakin' morning. Birds chirping by the window that early in the morning is still annoying, but just too damn cute!!! Puts a smile on my face every morning :) And these days, I don't even need my alarm clock anymore thanks to my darling little Snow White.

On occasions when the songbirds can't make it, guess what comes in their place? The crows!!! Those are the days I wish I had a shotgun or slingshot handy to aim at them. Go kaw-kaw-kaw somewhere else!

I was still curious, and of course secretly very impressed, so on one of the mornings, I drew up the bedroom curtain in one hand whilst holding a camera in the other in hope of capturing the moment and getting proof of them in action. The birds just flew away... unfortunately!

There were at least three birdies outside our window. But by the time I scrambled to my bag to grab my camera and got back to the window, they had all flown away... But they came back and continue their services when I retract back into bed. I could hear! 

I made many photographic attempts over the past week, and finally this morning I managed to snap a photo of one. Woohoo!!! 

Here's one of the many pretty birdies that come every morning to serenade my munchkin.

The one that was too slow to fly away (the others managed to get away).

It has been two weeks now, and they still come... I wonder how long their "morning wake-up call" contract is with my little one. And if she decides to take this Snow White effect further, are we to expect squirrels and other forest animals to drop in too??? It would be a little tricky for them since we live on the 17th floor... and what about them seven dwarfs?!?

I guess only time can tell... *wink* 

29 Weeks Pregnant

Unlike other weeks, Kevin and I went for our weekly follow-up and ultrasound slightly later today since we had to attend an antenatal class at the hospital at 2.00pm.

Our little munchkin's usually very much awake and in "full performance mode" when we go for our weekly ultrasound ritual (every Saturdays at 10.00am). But since we went at 1.00pm today (which coincides with her afternoon nap time), she was fast asleep during our ultrasound appointment (a very rare thing for her). Yet she still managed to sneak a smile for us during the ultrasond while she napped :)

As of today (Week 29 - Day 1), the little munchkin's fetal stats are:  
- Heartbeat: 133bpm  
- CRL: ~26cm
- Weight: ~1.5kg

By the time the antenatal class started, she was wide awake and kicking ~ her afternoon naptime was over :) The topic discussed today was Caring for Newborns, followed by a baby bath demo. If only the demo was on a real baby and not a doll. 

Oh, the little munchkin was definitely wide awake to listen in on the baby bath demo by the nurse ~ as it is, she loves bath time with mommy and daddy even from inside the womb. I guess she wanted to make sure mommy picked up some tips for when the time comes to bathe her in a couple of months.

 

Hmmmmm, looks easy enough, right?!? But I'm still not so sure I would be comfortable bathing my newborn freehand in a round basin though ~ especially one with no support... 

*Note to self: Buy baby bath tub with sling/stopper support to prevent any slippery slip-ups.

The Best Baby Bath Video

I stumbled across this very soothing and awesome baby bathing video that I just have to share it here...

The video makes it look so easy, joyful and calming for both the baby and the bather, doesn't it? 

It truly seems like such a lovely way to strengthen the attachment... with so much care and love put in... and the water never even get near the baby's nose. Very cool! Oooh, the after-bath massage looks so awesomely soothing too! :) 

I seriously think every mother or mother-to-be should watch this video and learn to put in as much love as they can when bathing their newborns (after their umbilical cord stump has healed, of course) and to enjoy the experience as much as possible. I sure am looking forward to it! 

I'm also pretty sure it will be nerve-wrecking at first, as newborn babies are slippery, but at some point (after some practice and readiness) the motherly instinct should kick in and I'll know what to do - right?!?

28 Weeks Pregnant

I can't believe I've officially entered the 3rd and final trimester of pregnancy! Time just flies by, doesn't it? Especially now that my baby bump has become visibly noticeable. *big smiles*

Before I know it, it'll be June 7, 2013 and time to push the little growing munchkin inside of me out :)

I just love being pregnant; still soaking and savoring every minute of every day of having this miracle of life growing in me. I have been so blessed with god's greatest gift to women. It's simply awesome!

I guess I really should consider myself lucky in pregnancy:

(1) Lost 4kgs since preggers. [If I had known getting pregnant would be my fast ticket to shedding off pounds, I would have gotten pregnant much earlier and not waited to get "knocked up" after three years of marriage. *wink*] I'm sure the weight loss is mainly due to my cutting off cola drinks, coffee, junk food etc. cold turkey and settling for more proper, balanced meals. After all, I have to make sure I take care of the little miracle brewing inside of me. Now that I've reached the 3rd trimester and baby's booming inside, I'm feeling the weight gain coming in slow and steady. Which is great! Better to start gaining weight steadily in the 3rd trimester than any earlier - right?

(2) Double/triple the energy boost. I've become more super productive at work for some reason since the very beginning of my pregnancy. Thank god for that cos pregnant or not, the workload does not end.

(3) Touched by good "baby" luck. Since preggers, I have been touched by an angel - my little munchkin of an angel :) I've had streaks of good luck blowing my way, whether it be making worklife easier at office or just simple everyday things like easy/convenient parking spots for mommy (hence, I have no need for the special parking for pregnant women). It's these little things that keep me happy and glowing.

(4) No morning or all-day sickness, vomiting sensations, nausea or cravings at all. Yes, you read that right! It's my darling hubster who had to take on all that during the 1st and 2nd trimester and even now he still encounters the occasional nausea and cravings. Apparently it's called "sympathy pregnancy" and it does happen! Weird, but true, and I've seen it first hand. Perhaps, it's just a way for baby to forge closer bond with daddy?!? After all, she already seems to have a strong bond with mommy. Poor, poor daddy! 

Taking the "sympathy pregnancy" ideology a little further, our family's "inside joke" is that hubster's carrying the "invisible" twin and when the time comes in June for me to "pop", he would probably need to prepare himself for labor too. I'm planning to go natural (with epidural, of course); but for hubster - hmmm, he'll definitely need c-section. *lol*

As of today (Week 28 - Day 1), the little munchkin's fetal stats are:
- Heartbeat: 133bpm
- CRL: ~23cm
- Weight: ~1.3kg

The little munchkin's super-active, don't you agree? Did you manage to catch her cheeky grin at 0:18? (Yes, it's a baby girl!) That was the time when mommy called out her name and she, of course, reacted naturally with a smile. My little smiley munchkin! *kisses for my bulging belly* :)

According to my Ob/Gyn, baby's growth is progressing very, very well and even though it's starting to look a little cramped in there, there's nothing to worry as there's still ample of room for her to "twist and turn".

By June 2013, my little munchkin is expected to double/triple her current size. Wow! As it is now, I'm already starting to feel the little munchkin stretching out across my growing belly, including strong kicks/punches/acrobatic stunts, as my uterus expands and pushes upwards... Hence, the exhaustion, backaches and shortness of breath that I've been feeling the past few days. I suppose I'll need to brace myself for more of that to come as my belly and baby continues to grow...