This is it

I've been having contractions on & off since this morning but they have been irregular. No need to push the panic button yet. After all, they last barely half a minute and they feel like mild menstrual cramps.

Not just any day but any time now.

10 minutes ago as I was putting 2 yoghurt bars into The Bag for the hospital, a sudden wetness was felt. It was the water that had been cocooning microbeanie for the last 38 weeks. It wasn't a gush but it wasn't just a little either. And from what I learnt the first time, this is it.

Funnily enough, dada is still in the gym. No need to run to get him. I can wait and so can microbeanie :)


minibeanie is 1 year, 1 month & 1 week old
microbeanie is 38 weeks 3 days in utero

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

Sleepless

I'm exhausted. I can't sleep these days. I'd be so tired by 9pm that it would be an effort to trudge upstairs to tuck minibeanie in (even though he says so endearingly "mama mama" and points at the stairs in front of him) but once I lay my head down on the pillow, it'd take a long time before I fall asleep.

One major reason is, I can't get comfortable. From the fifth month on, it only means 1 sleep position - on the side! Turning is practically a pain. Imagine hoisting a watermelon to the other side in slow mo because of a sore pelvis. I haven't slept through the night for a very long time. Yes yes.... this is perhaps God's way of preparing soon-to-be mothers of newborns for the challenges ahead... but that is not in the least bit comforting at the present because I AM GRUMPY AND TIRED!

And as if I don't have enough discomfort in bed, gastric reflux from the obligatory suppers I have these nights make it worse :(

Then, there are the things that go on in my head - things to do before the birth, minibeanie's birthday part next week, worries about the baby and even the fact that I can't sleep. It seems as if the moment the lights go out and all's quiet, my mind runs at warp speed. Great, making mental notes and worrying don't exactly make for a relaxing bedtime routine.

My fuse is <----this----> short today. Just as well I don't drive because I'm positive I can kill someone with my bare hands if he cuts into my lane without warning.... which in China is as commonplace as "你好".

ps. "insomnia often occurs in the third trimester." (source)


minibeanie is 1 year, 11 months, 2 weeks & 3 days old
microbeanie is 30 weeks 5 days in utero

Pre-birth pains

I was awoken this morning by a sharp pain that felt like a bad contraction. It was different from the dull ache that accompanies my sleep these days. My thought sequence ran from contraction-preterm labour-Chengdu-gasp*. The conclusion of that jolted me wide awake at 5am. The pain subsided but I felt a sort of mild cramping every now and then. Sleep evaded me at that point so I thought I'd sit up and read up on contractions, false labour & preterm labour from my trusty pregnancy bible, What to Expect during Pregnancy. The pain and cramping went away either because I was distracted when I was reading or due to the change in position. It was Braxton Hicks after all.

Braxton Hicks, a sort of practice labour, are more common in subsequent pregnancies. Well, the fact that they didn't intensify was proof enough that they weren't the real thing :) If I'm paranoid now, it is probably because the first time round with mb, I mistook the real thing for Braxton ;) That, and the fact that at the back of my mind, I've a fear of the delivery unexpectedly happening in Chengdu.

Another sign of the pregnancy advancing is the dreaded leg cramps! The first time for this pregnancy happened a few days ago at the cottage. And just like before, it came on the minute I woke up. Stretched my legs as a reflex and the calf muscles tensed up in a knot refusing to let up for minutes. They get so horribly painful that sometimes I'd to wake DH up to massage my calf muscles and I got them so frequently with minibeanie that I've developed another 'reflex' to counteract these rude awakenings - flex my feet upwards to stretch those muscles whose circulation has been blocked by the uterus during the night.

And my final grouse is that my tailbone is aching now. Lying on my back (accidentally) in my sleep makes it worse than sitting for long periods. Again, I think it's the simple fact that I've now got a basketball-sized belly that isn't just pressing on the nerves, blood vessels, organs, bones and what have you. Little wonder why women can't wait to get their babies out by the 40th week ;)


minibeanie is 1 year, 10 months & 4 weeks old
microbeanie is 27 weeks 6 days in utero

Is it easier the second time?

Friends have asked if the second time round is easier. Hmm. Well, I kind of have a little experience so I suppose that makes it a little 'easier'. Then again, every pregnancy is different. But having to take care of and nurture a toddler entering his "terrible twos" is a another game altogether.

Instead of sitting on my arse in conference call meetings, it is reading-lego-playground duty, sometimes in swift progression ;) But I really shouldn't complain as I'm lucky to have all the help I can get. Our domestic helper who now comes in every weekday for at least half a day brings minibeanie down to the playground to burn all that energy that will otherwise have driven me crazy. And really, although he has his moments, he doesn't really have them all too often and if I can rise above the occasion by adopting a zen attitude, it usually passes without much fuss.

Therefore, I guess there's no simple answer to the question. Just because I've popped one out before, it doesn't make it easier. It's not like baking cookies. And you can't apply "economies of scale" (unless you count the toys & clothes that can be shared); in fact, I think there's dis-economies of scale! There, I think that's my answer :)


minibeanie is 1 year, 9 months, 3 weeks & 2 days old
microbeanie is 22 weeks 5 days in utero

#2 on the way

It's official! Numero deux is very much on the way :)

Today, we just did our third ultrasound and the first 4D ultrasound in Chengdu (more on that later). Everything is going ok. So here's presenting ....... microbeanie (no surprise there! :D)

So in keeping with the new chapter, there's also going to be a new look for the blog. Oh yes, if any of you are wondering, it's now 21 weeks and 1 day.


minibeanie is 1 year, 9 months, 1 week & 4 days old

Baby's First Taste

Apparently, a baby does taste the foods that her mum eats in utero, twice in fact. The first time through the umbilical cord and the second time, through the amniotic fluid when she discharges her waste. (Alright, don't think too much about this ;) moving on...

Here's an interesting anecdote. We've a friend whose baby proved that she actually got accustomed to the things that her mother ate when she was pregnant. During pregnancy, the mum (Finnish parents) had cravings for reeeeaally spicy foods so her husband who had lived in Thailand for 6 months and who out-ate Thais in a chilli eating contest (that's another story) made Thai Green curries that would make any Thai sweat behind his knees. The effect of this became apparent 2 years later. When Liinu, the little girl, refused to eat the bland mash potatoes and meatballs in her daycare, her dad advised the frustrated daycare provider to put some Tabasco sauce in her mash. Bewildered, the poor lady gave the tip a try and Liinu promptly lapped up everything :)

This morning, right after my early morning visit to the little girls' room, a daily routine now, all hopes of returning to sleep vanished when I'd a vision of Lor Mai Fun (glutinous rice). I laid in bed for awhile hoping for sleep to overcome me but soon decided that resistance to any cravings is futile. So by the time DH puts his alarm clock to snooze for the 3rd time, I was already prepping for my lunch by laying out the dried shrimps, mushrooms, glutinous rice and garlic. I was even prepared to go the extra mile, literally, by walking in a 15c light drizzle to the supermarket for a bunch of spring onions. imagine...

I think minibeanie liked the Lor Mai Fun as much as I did :D Next, I'm going to let him/her taste durian. There's a bag of frozen durians at the back of my freezer. Yumm!

M, almost tired of saying "any day now"
39 weeks 3 days

The Bag

Made a list last night and finally got around to setting the things aside for The Bag. Gosh, can't believe D-Day is drawing near... feeling a little apprehensive.

Here's a brief of what are on the list & a bad picture below-

• muesli bars
• nighties
• bolster (mine)
• warm pack (for pain relief)
• DH's swimming trunks (just in case we get to have a water birth)

Seems like my sweet tooth finally got the better of me. A trace amount of glucose was detected in my urine on my last visit to the neuvola (clinic). I think it was the muesli I ate for breakfast. Anyway, a follow-up blood & urine test today gave the all-clear. phew! .... still, I couldn't resist a sumptuous piece of almond-rum cake at the cafe with a few friends today. I can just imagine my midwife shaking her head. me bad..

M, a sucker for indulgent cakes
37 weeks 6 days

3 weeks and counting...

I can't believe I'm past the 37 weeks milestone. Technically, minibeanie's full term now :) And in preparation for this little person to join us, DH had been up to his neck with laundry, laundry and more laundry this weekend. 6 full loads - mind you, it's an industrial sized washing machine in our basement - equivalent to what we normally do in 4 months!

Enough of suds talk, we can't believe that in 3 weeks or so, there will be 3 instead of 2. Scary thought.

M - never put away so 'much' baby clothes in her life
37 weeks 1 day

Nesting

Is insomnia normal in this late phase of the pregnancy? It's past 4am and I'm wide awake when by all accounts I should have dropped to bed like a log a few hours ago. I kept thinking of the things I need to do tomorrow, like putting things away and cleaning the surfaces. (Meanwhile, DH will be doing quite a bit of legwork and putting our station-wagon to good use by getting our crib, baby car-seat, Ikea drawers & carpet and night light - some muscle work involved!) Yes, I've this mental list of "Things to do Before Baby comes" and I go check, check, check. ...drives DH crazy :D

M who thinks maybe a glass of milk may put her to zzz mode
36 weeks 2 day

If there's time for only 1 pregnancy book, it has to be "What to Expect when you are Expecting" (Murkoff et.al.) It's mandatory reading even for dads. Ok, DH hasn't had his nose glued to the book for the past 7 months but now that the birth can happen anytime in the next 20 odd days or so, he's been catching up on the Labour and Delivery chapter.

And he's been offering "tips" and sometimes "naggings" on what I should/have to do (most times hilarious)

On perineal massage
DH: Are you massaging it? ...massage it.
me: wanna help me?
DH: eeeww. (and that was the end of it)

On how to distract oneself during labour (presumably between contractions)
DH: do puzzles & play games.
me: give me a dart board and an air rifle. Puzzles??!!

And my favourite "tip" from DH on what I can do while in early labour before heading to the hospital besides doing the last minute packing, showering etc.
Make DH a sandwich to take along.


M who's still not used to Thursday not being a work day
35 weeks 5 days

Antenatal class in Finland

Today marks a milestone. It is the beginning of my maternity leave as well as the last session of my hospital's antenatal program. It is always so hectic the day before one leaves on a long hiatus - a wrap up meeting with my boss in the morning followed by a frantic round of emails and goodbyes.

Most of you are probably curious about the process of birthing in Finland. For starters, I was offered the Katilöopisto Sairaala (literally "Midwife Institute Hospital") by our local Neuvola (health clinic where I go for my checkups). I just went along with it because I heard that it was nice :) Anyway. I have been really impressed with the prenatal program offered by the hospital. There were 2 sessions. On the first session, the midwife covered the basics - when to call the hospital, pain relief methods, delivery positions and a tour of the family and delivery rooms. For the second session, it was about taking care of the newborn (changing the diapers, soothing a colicky baby). And finally, it was a 1-on-1 discussion with a midwife concerning the birth plan.

Why was I impressed? well, it's really pro-family and about choices. I mean, if someone wants to go natural for pain relief, there's the water tub for relaxation and something that I've never heard or read before, using saline water to create blisters on the back's acupressure point. Interesting! Hmm, not sure about having blisters though... The payoff for that 15s of burning pain is supposedly 2hr of pain relief.

One can request for a family room where DH can stay for the night (& help with the diapers!) with a double bed, attached bathroom, armchair, crib & changing table. It's got a warm homey feel to it - pastel coloured wallpapers and wall-mounted lamps. The birthing room feels equally homey. The only 'hospital' feel to the room is the adjustable bed and the knobs and plugs in the wall (1 for the happy gas, I suppose). Other than that, there's a low double bed on the floor for laboring in comfort or for DH who needs a nap (kidding), attached bathroom and depending on luck, a birthing pool.

Onto the birthing options. Choices range from the usual inclined bed to the less conventional birthing stools, birthing pools, squats and going on all fours doggie-style. I guess, whatever the labouring mum thinks is the best way to get the baby out, man!

As said, we just had our personal birth plan drawn up with a midwife. I thought it'd only cover the obligatory preferred pain relief methods and birthing positions but no, the first question we were asked was what was our perception/attitude towards docs, nurses & hospitals. Other questions that followed were - what were the dad's fears? how much experience do we have with newborns? (i.e. how much advice do we need from the midwives?), what food allergies do we have? Very progressive.

~ M with a mild heat rash
34 weeks 5 days