First Trimester Happenings

From my first blog post about how I got pregnant and what I felt etc, I think most of you can glean what I went through but I just wanted to list down some of the major/common thingys I had just so it's easier for new moms out there:

1. Butterflies in the tummy (probably hormones tickling the stomach/uterus lining)
2. Wind in the tummy (cos I didn't know how much to eat and when to eat - basically eat whenever you feel you MIGHT be hungry and know your frequency - I knew I had to eat approx every 2 hours and never get caught without food - like in a traffic jam....always have some biscuits at hand and try not to drink too much if you don't have access to a toilet cos you need to gooooooooo)
3. Not having much of an appetite and not being able to eat very much at all.
4. Increased urination
5. Backpain (I had to shift around alot when I was driving but this could also be because I have a history of lower back pain)
6. Throwing up (nothing to do with the normal nausea, which I didn't have much of, but I always threw up when I brushed my tongue and sometimes felt like it when I just brushed my teeth - try not to think about it but it's difficult to quell once the feeling has taken over your tummy and twisted it into knots - really that is what it feels like)
7. Not liking fish anymore and char kuay teow which are usually some of my favourite food. Until now, I don't really like fish so I take extra supplements so the baby has enough DHA etc. I also cannot take much spiciness anymore.
8. Not much temperamental moodiness - due to a very supportive husband and support unit like my in-laws and family
9. Anxiety about the baby, about changes to my life and our marriage.
10. Boobs increasing in size.
11. Not too much in terms of cravings but I did note an increase in preference for ice-cream and coke.
12. Not really tired/sleepy.
13. Advised not to exercise yet due to the fragility of the foetus in the first 3 months.

Baby's Age

Ok, I may not be as good a mum as I want to be - I can't quite figure out how old Baby Boy is. Hahhahaha - I think he's 22 weeks old and sis thinks he's 23 weeks old. (yeah, I know my baby ticker says 21w2d.)

But anyway, I read that at 26 weeks they can really 'remember' voices already - in the sense that they hear and retain an auditory memory of the tone/pitch/cadence of the voice and when baby is born, they recognise these voices and they can calm the baby down! I must get Ju Han to talk to the baby cos apparently, babies can recognise their dad's voice in a roomful of voices immediately after birth! And if they're irritated/annoyed or upset, their dad's voice can calm them down cos it's familiar! Initially I thought that dad's voice would be easier for babies to hear from within the womb cos dad's mouth can be closer to them but no!!! I also found out that a mother’s voice comes to the womb through her own body and it is stronger, richer and less distorted when it reaches the baby than outside sounds. Many sounds and noises travel to the inner ear through vibrations in the baby’s skull.

A newborn baby may show preference for their mother’s voice, but a father’s deeper voice travels well through water.

How cool is that????!!!!!! :)

Baby Shopping

Today I measured the baby room in order to get ready planning for it. I have scoped out some items and am really excited that as of today at least I have a mental image of what I want the room to look like! I need to buy chests of drawers, a sofa bed at the very least.

And guess what I found this really interesting site that converts your ultrasound pictures into wall art! Just check out prinz-prinzesschen.de. The small ones cost 44EUR which is approximately RM174 and it goes up to RM376 excluding 19% tax - not sure if postage is another price. Ummm... it is not in English so ummmm....just use the Google translator..

I also love these maternity t-shirts - look here. Don't know where you're supposed to buy them though - of course cos the site is a Trend Hunter site, maybe it's just announcing possible hit trends and not really mentioning where one can make purchases.

Dreams and Nightmares during Second Trimester Pregnancy

This is one thing I have noticed quite consistently through my second trimester. Don't remember having much of it in my first but recently......

This is what happened in the first trimester that I do remember - I used to get up and go to the bathroom alot during the night - like 2-3 times and used to prefer not to get up because I didn't want the baby to get used to waking up in the middle of the night. Hahahahha....; I also had a lot of tummy butterflies which got me really upset; wind in the tummy from not knowing how much to eat and when; increased urination. I still had good skin though.

And now I either don't or I get up just once throughout the night but the new development is that I have started to have either insomnia or terrible terrible nightwares or dreams that are just plain weird. I can't really remember them but Ju Han says that one time I told I dreamt of green people standing on a playground and of course I had my normal dreams about worms too and then once about a cockroach that I couldn't escape from cos I was held down. And definitely definitely awful nightmares like me getting unspeakably FURIOUS with my nanny - 2 TIMES!!!!!

I want to try not to get so upset during the dreams for fear of spreading bad vibes to the baby but oh my god! I've never felt so angry before.....The dreams about the worms, yeah, I have felt so scared before but the anger is the one that frightens even me.

The more normal stuff is just when I wake up (don't have so much problem Falling asleep) but then I wake up in the middle of the night, either from a dream, or toilet break, and just can't seem to get back to sleep. I have read, watched TV for hours on end and just can't seem to get drowsy again.

I have found out on the internet that it's normal so please - if any one of you out there is experiencing it, don't worry too much unless, I think, you have a recurring theme. Then perhaps you ought to study it a little bit more because it could be your sub-conscious or God trying to tell you something. Hahahahhaha - yeah I think God speaks to us through our dreams sometimes.

Sweet Cherry Strollers

Ok, so today I checked out some Sweet Cherry strollers. At One Utama where there is a sale going on - but am not buying yet cos there will be another sale in December before the baby is born, and cos I am not sure yet which one I want to buy, and cos I am also not sure yet if this is the brand that I want.

The strollers seem ok to a naive new mother like me. I have several models I like which I tried to find out more about online at http://www.sweetcherry.com.my/ and couldn't really find. Also, will need to check out some forums and see what other mums say.

Basically the most popular model the SCR 5 - I don't quite like. It's slimmer (what if baby takes after dad and needs a lot of space) plus it's got the teeniest-weeniest basket ever as well as no cupholder. But! it can be reverse/foward facing and I can either use a carrier car seat or actual stroller seat (switchable/replaceable).

I like the C209 Nano Stroller Click one comes with a matching bag, cup holders, looks nice, ok basket, 8kg but the material I saw which was brown and beige circles felt a bit rough - which is a minor thing to remedy I supposed. I also like the TS012 Gra Stroller that comes with a huge basket underneath and 4 wheels which I prefer over the 3-wheeled ones. The problem (?) is that it doesn't face front and back and I am not sure if the wheels are wide enough to be steady.

The C918 Bingo Stroller faces front and back, has a large basket, looks nice and is extra padded for comfort (as is the TS012) but it's 9kg. Heavy?

And oh, The Gra comes with a single unlocking system - cos it's not two separate locks at both back wheels, it's one lock controlling both back wheels with a single step. None of the others has that.

So, of all:

C209 Nano looks the best but only faces 1 way
C918 Bingo looks second best but bulkier at 9kg
TS012 Gra looks most old-fashioned but has everything I want including the one step brake system.

Have to check with Ju Han.....sigh. Also can't seem to find any reviews. All my items no one want to use one . first years baby bottles and sweet cheery strollers....sigh. Am I a bad mommy for not buying a Peg Perego or something like that?????

I still also have not checked out how to open and close them, one handed or not, whether they fold standing up or lying down, covers are detachable and washable or not.

Btw, found this website http://thechildrenplace.blogspot.com/search/label/Stroller has discounted strollers. All from Combi brand but the Combi Urban Walker has gotten great reviews. Hmmmmm...the UR-300Y looks cool. But don't know if the padding is enough or not. Let me check it out......

Here's another online site http://mama-and-kids-junction.blogspot.com/search/label/stroller.

Ooooh, reviews say they love the Urban Walker - mostly complimented the one hand fold/unfold. But most complaints about the tricky reverse steering so meaning even though it tells you it can do that.....it doesn't do it very well at all.....AHA! Hmmm...better go try out my Sweet Cherry one. Meaning if the reverse is also difficult - then the Nano will be the best bet....for me.....don't know about Ju Han yet. Though I know people using the SCR 5/6 and they did reverse quite easily lah - those aren't in my list though....

Listssssssssssssss

Here's what I need to plan for still:

1. Decide on stroller model
2. Decide if we need carrier car seat to go with stroller?
3. Decide if I want to have Malay post-natal massage and if yes, Find urut lady
4. Decide on baby bottle brands
5. Buy cloth diaper covers for lampin
6. Buy baby cot
7. Buy baby clothes and booties and mittens and blankets and etc. ARRAGHGGHHGH!!!!
8. Buy baby bath tub
9. Buy baby mat
10. Buy baby mobile
11. Buy baby proofing items
12. Love baby changing table seen at BabyJaya for RM500!!! But not buying cos waste of money?, space wastage?, no use?
13. Buy nanny mattress and bed
14. Figure out where to let confinement lady and nanny sleep
15. Figure out where to pump breast milk during office days and where to store in a non-baby friendly office/organisation - yeah I'm talking to YOU E-yore Bank.
16. Quit being paranoid about not eating well enough for baby and not taking any herbal por por stuff
17. Sleep more
18. Ask grandma for old sarong to place under baby
19. Design baby room
20. Buy sofa for baby room
21. Buy side table for sofa for baby room
22. Buy chest of drawers for baby room
23. Baby-proof house
24. Buy foldable play pen
25. Buy baby monitor
26. Buy breast milk pump if I am breastfeeding together with milk storage bags etc.- need to fit baby bottles
27. Buy baby wipes and all those thingys like rash cream, baby soap, baby detergent and etc.
28. Buy stainless steel pot for sterilising
29. Buy nursing bra if nursing, and disposable nursing pads etc.
30. Buy toys
31. Handle and manage and stay on top of all the etcs.

My First Favourite Baby Brand - The First Years

Like I said in my last post, I had been having such a worrying time trying to find 'The First Years' brands anywhere else but at Metrojaya. Well, I found them again - online! At the my.BBstore.com and I believe BabyJaya (physical store at Damansara Utama) also has them! But BBstore has a wider range - the only downside is that I won't be actually able to hold the items and touch them and try them out.....you know like how it feels in the hand and such.

myBBstore is having a sale now in conjunction with the Mega Sale and I hope they have it again at year end and then I can buy some stuff for baby!!!!!! Obviously if I breastfeed I won't be needing so many bottles (I think) and I just love their stuff - seems really well thought out like the handsfree baby safe gate and the bath tub, though a friend did advise me that if the 'hump' in the tub was removable, it would be easier for toddler to use. I also like the side bolsters which keep baby in place - yeah, it's just as easy to use 2 actual individual bolsters but....this one won't move! They are attached with a supposed great air flow mat underneath! Hehhehehehee..... The swaddle blanket also looks nice cos it has open legs - the ones I've usually seen has a pocket where the baby slides into it and then is wrapped up - I can understand the logic of that in that the baby is completely secure and doesn't slip out, doesn't kick out of the swaddle blanket but then in Malaysia - ummmmm.....just think the baby might be cooking in his own juices! :)

Well, I am a first time mum - don't know much about what is good or not for the baby. Just trying to see what catches my eye and what seems to make sense. Must get Ju Han in on this cos he always thinks of things I completely miss out! .

By the way, for those of you who are interested, BabyJaya has a gift registry - you know like wedding registries. Seems like a great idea cos people need to know what to buy you especially since this is such a personal venture....kinda like a housewarming gift - you wonder what the hosts colour schemes are like, what kind of decor they have etc.....But as usual, I think maybe for the Asian mentality - it still seems a bit much! I used to hate it when I saw wedding invitations with an attached pink card that thanks the guests for the gifts. Have you seen those? Or remember them? Yeah, I thought it was presumptous!

Diverted! Diverted! Ok, like I said in the title - this is my first fave baby brand - maybe I'll still come across others I like better....but somehow, the first time I laid eyes on it - the look, the feel, the products they produce just give me the impression that these people really thought about what a new mum and baby needs and the items look classy, colours are elegant and mmmm.....just nice lah. HHahahhahahaha For example - I really didn't like the NUK baby bottle look with the cartoon coloured animal cartoons all haphazardly strewn on it. MAM bottles look nice too but not best breast complementary and Avent, what can I say, ....BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a zygote - embryo - foetus - BOY!

Yeah, you read right! I'm 5 months pregnant! HMmmm....how can it be that long?? I last wrote in April, that makes it - May, June, July, Aug, Sept.....WOW! Time flies when you're having fun! Hhahahahaahhaa....

Well, yeah we started fooling around in let's see March but that was kinda all off in terms of timing. And then in April we went to Redang right, with Ju Han's parents.....and in May, we went to Singapore and Universal Studios with my family - I rode the roller coaster twice! My friend Thing May says that it was the turning and twisting of the ride that aided the little soldiers! But now, having just outlined it above, I guess Ju Han's main men didn't need any help at all cos we probably made the baby in Redang eh??? :) HAhahahhahaha Ok, he is going to be all grossed out about me writing this online!

So, I pretty much felt like I was pregnant when I missed my period in Singapore. And when we came back I still waited a few more days before testing because the month before, I had wasted a test after being late for a week! So, I waited a few more days just to be sure. But I had already noticed some changes in my body - noticeably (to me only) my boobs.

I tested before work one morning because they said that's the most accurate time to test eh - what with the high concentration of pregnancy protein. HAhhahahah - and it was POSITIVE! I wasn't sure what to think because yeah, we'd talked about it at length, about whether this was the time to start a family or not besides the fact that I wasn't getting any younger.....I woke Ju Han up and got him to come take a look - his joy was instantenous! And then after a little while, I can still remember, the reality of him becoming a father sank in, and he quieted down and kinda just whispered it to himself! It was a heartwarming moment.

People stated the fact to me that I must be so happy and I was - but at the same time I was also cautious, as in I wasn't sure what really to feel...pregnant, my life was going to change, can I be a good parent? Do I know how to parent? Do I want my life to change? What about the world of two of us? I never was the "OOCHI-WOOCHI-Oh-You're-So-Cute" type and this development in our lives also had me kinda scared.

We decided not to tell anyone yet and to make an appointment at a nearby hospital to get it all checked out. Actually the first person we told was Dr Sharina from our local clinic because we went there first to get the results of our blood test (just to test that we were healthy before we started having babies....) and she calculated that the Estimated Due Date (EDD) was to be 18 Jan 2011!

I scoured the internet, as I am wont to do when making life changing decisions hehehehhehe, and we decided on a prominent gynaecologist from a nearby hospital. I was abit worried about the expense of it but well, Ju Han in his wisdom, emphasized that we wanted someone and somewhere good for the baby and having the hospital nearby would be a boon should we need to make a mad midnight dash to the hospital to give birth! :) I love that man!

So, we got an appointment made, saw him and then it was quite exciting to see the little kacang putih (peanut) on the ultrasound! Baby boy was literally a peanut in my uterus! We heard his strong FAST heartbeat and after that during dinner, broke the news to everyone in the family - parents, siblings and it was just a hoo-ha! My dad started addressing himself as Ah Kong (Grandfather) already! :)

A couple of months passed, I was lucky with not very much morning sickness at all - in terms of nausea. I threw up like 3 times; wasn't very sleepy or tired but I did feel lots of tummy flutters. I don't know how to describe it but it was an uncomfortable feeling and I called them the butterflies. I didn't know how to eat my food portions and very often ate too much at dinner time - making myself full to a point of discomfort (I didn't have much appetite too) and then at night I would get hungry and get wind in the stomach which felt awfully bad too.

But it's true, after 3 months, all that passes and it's hey-ho now! I have gained about 3-4kg in 5 months of pregnancy which I think is quite ok seeing as I am supposed to gain, ideally, 13kgs only throughout the entire pregnancy. And my tummy is now at 35inches around. It's very sharp in shape.

I kept referring to the baby in the feminine standards at first like "I hope she'll like this" or "I wonder how her body is forming now" but sometime around the 4th month I kinda stopped that .....firstly, cos Ju Han advised that if it was a boy, I'd be super confusing it! Which scared the hell out of me! And also, cos I think I kinda felt like it WOULD be a boy! I looked just like I always do - no bleahness and my tummy was sharp so yeah, I thought - it's gonna be a boy!

At our last checkup, the gynae showed us his "rocket". Hehehhehe. It looks HUGE!!!! And my dad is super excited and happy it's a boy cos having had two girls, I guess this one would be someone in his camp! :) Ju Han loves the idea of an elder brother who can take care of his younger siblings if we have any more.....and my mum in law said that knowing his gender really brought home the fact that she's going to be a grandmother!

We've gone around a bit looking for baby stuff but have not bought anything yet. We found quite a nice looking cot and kinda know what pram we wanna buy. I love 'my first years' feeding bottles which are supposed to be best for complementary breast-feeding but am a bit concerned that they seem to only be available at Metrojaya.

I can now feel him moving around my uterus, shifting places and all that but have not felt him kick or felt an elbow poking out etc yet. I talk to him, hold him alot and his dad sometimes whispers to him that he loves him....... :)

I have a bit of back ache - god knows I've had them since my teens.....and I breathe a heck of a lot louder now...hahhahaha....but everything else seems the same except that it seems different too. It's just wonderful.

And we are surrounded by such a wonderful family unit. My sis bought me maternity tights from Paris! Mum said I look so ready to be a mother, dad thought my tummy would be out to THERE when he first saw me at 4 months.....father in law has already hired a nanny for his grandson and mum in law spends loads of money buying fish and juices and vegetables and fruits to make me healthy. And Ju Han, well he's just been my rock - my husband, my friend. I feel like he has changed so much since when I first knew him....but maybe he hasn't changed at all - maybe this is the way he always was and I just didn't deserve to see it til after we got married, til now....when I have grown and matured and am better towards him too.

So, here we are - our own little fmaily unit - Dad, Me and Baby.

Mummy at 18 weeks

Our Experience at Redang!! First time Ever!

Ok, a bit lazy to write the whole bit so here goes:

1. Berjaya Air plane was quite ok - they give water and wet towels - better than Air Asia but it costs RM500 per person to fly to Redang Island. Though the fact that they fly directly ONTO the island is a GREAT thing....unless you Like transferring from different forms of transportation several times to go enjoy your holiday and then transfer again several times at the end of your holiday .... in Malaysian weather no less - by which time you'd need another holiday to recover.

2. Flight back by Berjaya Air was delayed by one hour I believe - no explanation, no announcement.

3. Flying from Subang Terminal is great! Shorter travel time to and from airport - cheaper taxi cost.

4. Berjaya Redang Resort - when we first arrived, we were not attended to. We got our welcome drink but then we had to ask to check in even though there were many assistants assisting other guests to sign in. No surprise that the rest were foreign tourists. When we approached the desk to check in, we were told to wait while they served other customers - even though we could have been given the forms to complete. Yeah, this is a holiday destination - no multi-tasking is allowed! hehehehehe

5. The lady from the hotel who met the flight in and conducted the airport transfer to the hotel was really great though - good attitude, cheerful, helpful.

6. The hotel looks oklah....the normal kind - like Avilion in Port Dickson and somewhat like my 6-star hotel in Bali - can't remember the name of it though.

7. Similar concept to hotel in Bali where our Hillview Rooms required either a walk or a buggy - I requested a quick check in - since we arrived at 8am while check in was 2pm.....and roooms close to the lobby by virtue of my parents-in-law who couldn't walk too far (kononnya....hehehhehhehe). So, good, active listening here cos we got the very first two rooms nearest to the lobby. All seaview rooms were fully booked for a wedding going on there. Too bad it rained that evening....hheheheheh...but it didn't look very nice, so for those going for a wedding there, ummmm...I would strongly suggest that you visit while there is a wedding going on and figure out if that's what you like.

8. Days spent snorkelling, braving the waves. It's the end of March so Neptune was still playing around with his wave wand. Very cool cos we'd stand there and try to stand our ground while the strong waves 'bring it on'! hehehhehe

9. There is a library at the hotel so bring a book to exchange.

10. Snorkelling was cool too - we paid extra for our snorkelling trip - since the ocean was still choppy, locations were cut to 3 vs the usual 4 and charged at RM75 instead of RM90. First we went to a coral graveyard - wow, the sea was quite deep and there were some fishes, then they took us a place where some coral still grew and there were different sea creatures. I didn't see any sea cucumbers at the first place I think but there were more at the second site. We also had bread to lure the fishes with. Then the third place was full of coral - Ju Han was afraid he would try to stand up and hurt his feet on the coral. Then it started raining and a large group came from Laguna edang - aiyo, 4 boats full!!!!!!!! The sea looked like a scene from the movie Titanic!!!!! There were so many people that they scared all the fish away - there was so much bread floating on the surface of the ocean cos no fish was around to eat it.

10. Be careful not to swim too far away cos the current can get quiteeee strong and sweep you away while you are trying to get back to the boat. A good tip is to explore further away while you are fresh on the trip,....as you on into your snorkelling, you get more tired so stay closer to the boat so you won't get stranded far away (or swept out far away) and the boat has to come get you....embarassed and tired and all.....

11. Try to eat at both the hotel and outside - there are local cafes just outside the hotel....Walk aways and you can find at least 3 different stalls. We ate alot at the 3 one, yeah, the one furthest away from the hotel. But the thing is when you arrive at the airport terminal, you need to pay the Marine Park fees and that's when you do get some promotional brochures. Call the numbers and they'll send a van to pick you up from the hotel!

12. What I really enjoyed was the snorkelling and the fact that there wasn't MUCH sun.....so I didn't get too brown and Ju Han didn't burn!

13. There is a gym at the hotel if you are the sort. Next time, we will stay on Pasir Panjang - Long Beach - and experience the different more happening side of Redang. At Berjaya, it IS quiet....so make sure you know what you want to experience from your holiday. Also you need to go out into the sea to see marine life....which is different too from the more populated side of Redang Island.

14. See pictures for COOLEST THING EVER!!!!!!!!!

Here are some pics!!!!! :)

PICS of Redang WATCH FOR THE BIGGEST SURPRISE!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD!!!! TWO HEADED GOAT!!! We came across this goat when we were walking towards the makan shops outside the Hotel. There were many goats (dirty) and THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN!!!! THANK GOD WE HAD OUR CAMERA WITH US! I can't believe we saw a two headed goat - the second head was coming out of the goat's tummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know why no one has reported anything about this goat! I mean usually this would be big news right????? Maybe they were trying to protect the goat and the island's relaxing atmosphere???? But well, I SAW IT! I sent the picture to THE STAR and was trying to keep it in until they published it but so far no news from them and I couldn't wait any longer!!!

Maybe they had to go to Redang to find the goat and get their own evidence!!!!!!




Our balcony with wonderful deck chairs - which were never used except when I climbed on them to peek over to the next balcony - belonging to my PIL.


The Lobby
I love this part of the garden!






Mum In Law and me

The Berjaya Air plane
Hey Look, Ma! No propelling! How are we staying up???? :)

Oh by the way, here is a more zoomed out picture of the goat again!!!!!! Heheheheheh