Rant

In my second trimester, I bought a support pillow that's filled with styrofoam-beans (think beanbag) in the hope for a good night sleep. Well, it worked. The support pillow moulded to my belly and gave the support needed. At last, I got some restful sleep. Not now, however. I've 'outgrown' the pillow and didn't bring it along with me to Singapore. Now, the belly just plonks itself on the bed like a huge boulder :D Turning on the bed was also akin to Obelix hoisting a boulder - with 2 hands on the belly!

My hips are even more achy now. The baby's head is already engaged rather low down. This is in sharp contrast to the time I was carrying minibeanie. I think it's because since this is the 2nd pregnancy, my hips/pelvis have 'stretched' so microbeanie's head is able to descend earlier. Proof irrefutable that a woman is NEVER quite the same after childbirth! In fact, when i walk these days (or waddle, more like it), there's a slight pressure in my pelvis...quite uncomfortable and much worse than the first time when I pretty much didn't feel anything.

As to being back in Singapore, the food is awesome. We've been drinking lots of local coffee (kopi), tea (teh) etc. DH just discovered a very nice teh-cino in the neighbourhood coffeeshop.. Hmm, I wonder if I should play my pregnant card and get him to go down to buy tehcino and prata for me sometimes :D

Today was a busy day. Besides going for my weekly checkup, we did the hospital tour as well. I'm up to my head with all the forms I've to fill for the Baby Bonus and admission etc... And I'm kicking myself for forgetting to bring our marriage certicate!!! I set it aside a few weeks ago, made a note of it but OF COURSE I forgot to pack it when the time comes! and it's needed for birth registration :(( will have to call up ICA or ROM tomorrow........

We did the Mt. Elizabeth tour today. Quite nice. It was the first time that DH saw a nursery because in Finland, it's 100% rooming in with the bb. I definitely prefer the option of having a nursery just so that I can get some rest *if* I want. But on the other hand, pain management techniques & birthing positions are still rather old school in SG. The traditional stirrups are still the default position. In Finland, birthing balls (for pain management), birthing tubs, birthing stools are on the cards... even though in reality, not every woman gets to use the tub.

Tomorrow we're going to the zoo! I hope I won't be too tired :P With a 2 year old and a waddling preggie, I think it'll be a huge achievement just to go on the tram, take in 1 show and briefly visit the 'Kidzworld' before minibeanie or me call it quits!


minibeanie is 2 years, 1 month & 1 day old
microbeanie is 37 weeks 1 day in utero

Full term

microbeanie is officially full term today :) With each passing day and with it the increasing likelihood of birth, I'm feeling nostalgic that these are probably the last few days where I can give my semi-independent toddler my undivided attention. But my love for him certainly won't diminish... Love's a strange thing, I realize. It isn't a finite resource, having one more claimant in fact increases the total pool and that's the wonderful thing about increasing the size of the brood.


minibeanie is 2 years, 1 month old
microbeanie is 37 weeks in utero

Singapore at last

We've been in Singapore for 6 days :) What a relief to be here... The first few days had been taken up by visits to doctors and attending to boring things like banking matters. Now, things have settled down a little and we're trying to take a little breather before the little one comes. There are occasional Braxton Hicks episodes (like now) but at least I know I'll be in good hands just a brief taxi ride away :P


minibeanie is 2 years & 4 weeks old
microbeanie is 36 weeks 6 days in utero

False alarm

Thank God it was Braxton last night!!! It was definitely contractions...I could feel it radiating from front to back and my belly actually felt hard and tense. I was lying in bed with my alarm clock, turning on its night light whenever a wave comes. At one point, it was every 10min even if each lasted only a couple of seconds. After 2 hours or so, it tapered off. By then, I'd been alternating between sleep and wide-awake heart-thumping anxiety for 3.5 hours until day broke.

In the light of day, I'm just glad that it as a false alarm. But when it was actually happening, who could have assured me that?


microbeanie is 35weeks 5 days in utero

Let it be Braxton!

It is 4:21 in the morning and I've been woken up by what feels like a tummy ache. I remember rolling over and returning to sleep a few minutes ago but it came back again. Oh no, God, please don't let this be the real thing. I'll be going back to Singapore in just 2 days!

I'm hoping that it's just a little upset tummy or Braxton Hicks :( The truth is, even after having gone through one before, it's hard to remember what it feels like. And it doesn't help that there's a bit of lower back pain (a possible sign of labour!) which is unusual but which may be caused by us being out in town today. ....Please don't let it come so soon!!


microbeanie is 35weeks 4days in utero

Looking ahead

Less than 2 weeks to go before heading to Singapore to pop! I'm glad I'm at the final stretch. I've been feeling increasingly uncomfortable and tired... not least since I'm nursing a cold right now :(

And I'm constantly thinking have I made all the prep in Singapore and here when I return? For Singapore, I've made all the necessary appointments with dentist, obstetrician, pediatrician and even the hospital tour. And as for Chengdu, I've begun checking the how & where of vaccinations, stocking up of S-size diapers and stockpiling meat in my freezer. The last point probably sounded strange but if I find it a hassle going to the shops (even though in October, we'd have a driver and car at our disposal) even now, what more when a newborn is tethered to me?

Hence, thank heavens there's a Kiwi couple here who started a meat delivery service where they make *real* 100% meat sausages, cut sirloin steaks to your desired weight, make ready-to-eat pies and prepare roasts such as chicken rolled with dried fruits and nuts. Hmph, not the typical confinement food of ginger and pork trotters but that's ok. As long as there's warm food on the table that's easy to prepare, I'll take it :)


minibeanie is 2 years, 1 week & 4 days old
microbeanie is 34 weeks 1 day in utero