Decreased movement

This is pretty scary... I got a real scare from baby on Monday morning. Every morning, by 10am he would have given me 10 kicks or movements but on Monday, no matter how I move, lie down, turn left or right side, shake my tummy, he refused to move. I was using computer early in the morning after accompanying hubby for breakfast and our usual morning chat. Hubby left for work and I was so busy at the computer that I didn't note baby's movement. We are supposed to take note of baby's movement since we wake up and he should complete 10 kicks a day. So I got a bit worried, stopped using the computer, and lied down on one side. Usually when I lie on one side, baby felt uncomfortable, felt pressure on that side and will start turning around or kicking to protest. But this time, it's all quiet. Then I stood up, walk around, went toilet, shook my tummy, bounce my tummy, drank water, still no movements...

I remembered that on Sat, I saw greenish vagina discharge, put these 2 incidences together and got more n more worried, so I called clinic. The nurse advised me to go down.

Gynae did heart beat test, scan and vagina infection test for me. He said we have natural bacteria in vagina. As long as there's no inflammation and/or pain, it's ok. The test today showed no infection. Phew!

He said fetal heartbeat looks normal but he has patients whom even though normal, experienced lesser fetal movement n baby heartbeat suddenly stopped. So he told me to do heartbeat test again tml morning. I was so scared n worried when he told me that. He said if I felt lesser movement tonight, I must admit myself immediately, don't wait until tomorrow. If not, we'll monitor tomorrow. And coz my baby is considered smaller at 2.6kg, he's not sure whether he's a healthy smaller baby or smaller coz there's prob so it's better to deliver baby early if we suspect any prob.

On Tues morning, as scheduled I went to see Dr Ho again but this time with a lighter heart because last night baby kicked me a lot and with big movements! I'm so happy to be kicked! Lol. On Tues morning, he's also moving a lot and I counted 10 movements by 10am.

Dr Ho did a heartbeat test and said it's normal. He explained we cannot rely solely on the heartbeat test because accuracy is 1/400. I may be among the few, and with his experience, he has seen several cases where baby heartbeat suddenly stopped at late stage of preg. He cannot pinpoint a reason and he has to deliver the baby but with really sad news. He told me he once had a patient who did not feel fetal movements for many days and stayed for many days in KKH to test fetal heartbeat. For many days, everything is normal but one day, baby's heartbeat just stopped! They did emergency caesarean but could not save baby. His opinion is, dun just rely on tests, monitor baby's movements, report abnormalities immediately and deliver baby early if need be!

Today he also reminded me to watch out for signs of labour because now I'm approaching EDD, it could be anytime. Oh, I'm so excited and nervous to think of the delivery date!!! It's all happening soon!!! I'm wondering how my labour would start? Would it be water bag burst, regular contractions or bloody show followed by the earlier 2 symptoms or... maybe he just won't come and I need to be induced? Hmm... we'll know in time!

Busy preparing for baby's arrival

Baby is in his 29th week now! First day of his 29th week today :)

Since last week, he has been giving me stronger kicks and I can feel him turning around in my tummy. Its a unique sensation that only mummies can experience! Hubby enjoys speaking to baby and poking him when he pokes back. I wonder whether he knows someone is trying to communicate to him from outside his "world". haha.

We bought a headphone and we put the headphone on my tummy to let baby listen to whatever we want him to listen to (mainly classical).

In preparation for his arrival, and also because I recently feel like doing shopping for baby, I went shopping around Orchard after my prenatal yoga class and also went to the recent Taka baby fair. Bought some stuff there including a very cute romper that I intend to dress him up in during his full month anniversary. I am now left with matching cap and socks/shoes to buy. Perhaps a matching bib too? I also bought a swaddle (thought it'll be interesting to try with a modern ready made swaddle instead of the traditional cloth one with hood) and some newborn clothes for 3 for $10 coz the dino printings on it are so cute.

Shopping for second hand stuff in Mummysg forum and Motherhood forum gives me such a sense of satisfaction! Some of the baby stuff can only be used for 3-6 months, some only a few times, so it makes sense to either get it passed down from relatives and friends or to buy them second hand. So far what have I got...

Pigeon steam steriliser - $20, original price $120++

Baby bottle and food warmer - FREE given by kind neighbor at Punggol

Toy mega blocks - FREE given by kind neighbor at Punggol

Toy wooden activity block for use from 1 year up - $15, original price unsure but should be much more expensive

Yao lan with motor - $80, original $200++

Bumbo seat - $20, original $50/$60+

Playmat - $20, original unsure maybe between $50-$100+

Ergo Performance baby carrier with infant insert - $170, new set, original $200++

Baby pram and car seat - FREE, kindly given by hubby's uncle (not collected yet)

Baby high chair - FREE, kindly given by a friend (not collected yet)

Lots of used newborn and baby clothes from parents' neighbors - FREE

A kind mummy in forum who is giving me her used glass bottles to store frozen breast milk.

Yup, if breast milk are to be stored in freezer, they cannot be stored using the normal breast milk storage. Must be glass bottles. I dunno where to get the caps though. She said I could buy from hospital pharmacy... hmm...

I've already got breast pump, bottles, teats, milk storage cups etc from Philips Avent, thanks to a friend who had a friend working in Philips and could get 30% discount for us.

Initially wanted to get a playpen but the seller sold it already... too late. Its only $50 and it comes with colored balls. What a pity. But hubby said we don't really need playpen... true. We only have 1 baby and 1 baby room, the whole room can be his playpen. Not to mention the new Punggol flat's rooms are so small, its not a problem running to catch baby when he's about to hit a wall or something.

Still need the following stuff:

baby wash cloth (intend to buy cheap ones)

nappy cloths (as mother in law wants to use nappy. Will leave it to her to buy)

Bumwear one size diaper and inserts (Will use when baby is pass her first few months. Intend to visit the shop in United Square to take a look)

Diapers (for emergency and when mummy and everyone else are too tired to keep changing and washing his smelly nappies. Friends recommend Pet pet and Huggies)

Baby wet wipes - Pigeon $19.95 for 3 packs of 82 wipes

Cheap baby rocker, the kind that I grow up sleeping on, those with breathable yao lan netting.

Baby mattress but not sure whether we can just use the adult size one that my parents bought.

baby bibs (when he start solid food? Does baby need bibs when he's only breastfeeding?)

Full month celebration stuff... haven't gone into the details yet...

Clay print for printing his foot. Wanted to get the gold one but hubby says its a waste of money.

Decals for his baby room

Clip on Fan for his baby pram

Some toys to clip on to baby pram

Educational toys

As for myself:

More nursing bras. The weather is unbearably hot lately. Bathe and change clothes lots of times!

A dental visit, before I give birth.

A bigger shawl for breastfeeding... I think I can dig this out somewhere in my drawer.

I guess that's all we really need. Seems like a baby need so much stuff! When I told my mom, she was surprised. She said she didn't really prepare so much when giving birth to us! Haha. I guess babies and young parents nowadays have so much more for convenience's sake but really, what we really really do need is so minimal.

I'll urge all relatives and friends who are attending our baby shower to not buy any soft toys or display items. Storing them will be a headache for us and I dun like clutters so I dun like displaying out everything in display cabinet. I hope our display cabinet can display stuff like pottery, nice art pieces, precious photographs instead of small keepsakes and figurines like in parent in law's home. Looks too cluttered.

Hmm ok, right now, shall go back to doing housework, and rest for awhile before I go out to collect one of the second hand things I purchased :)

Baby's kicks

Baby is 21 weeks 6 days today. He's supposed to be 28cm and 425g. I love feeling the kicks from him because they tell me he is well and active.

I realised there are 2 kinds of movements. One kind is when baby rolls around or toss and turn, I can feel it like something rolling against my insides. In the earlier days, I felt this kind of movement most often and I often mistaken it for stomach growling. Now, as baby grows and the movement is stronger, I know very well, its my baby turning around inside. Another kind of movement is sharp kicking. Baby rarely do this but when he do it, it's much stronger than the first kind and I felt my stomach bulge up more. Often, when I am sitting upright or standing still, he kicks the lower organs and caused some discomfort. Maybe because my uterus is vertical, baby tend to be in a vertical position as that gives him more space. Sometimes he kicks my bladder and makes me want to pee!

My body is adjusting better to the changes. I learn to adjust my life habits to suit the pregnancy symptoms. Thank goodness I'm not working now, so I could sleep past 10am most of the days. When I manage not to eat anything before 10am, the nausea and vomiting do not trouble me. However, if I don't eat well or if I eat too full or am hungry for too long, the nausea came back and its upsetting. I will feel tired and bloated and feel like vomiting the whole day. That was what happened yesterday. I ate my breakfast too late. I have to wake up at 10am for breakfast or else... Sometimes, I also get diarrhea. There's no predicting when it would happen. I just had diarrhea. Felt much better now and baby is kicking me again as I am typing this :)

Appetite wise, I am eating much more and not as choosy with food as in first trimester. Its near July now, and I am moving into third trimester in August. Just a few weeks more. I am talking to baby everyday, singing nice songs and reading meaningful scriptures to him. I am so looking forward to my baby boy's arrival!

Hubby said he wants to smell baby everyday before he goes to work and before he turns in to bed. He wants to put baby on his chest and let him sleep. I am so happy that I have a loving husband and a soon-to-be-born cute baby.

I do not want baby to be the smartest, the wealthiest, the highest achiever, the best in everything. I want him to be happy, healthy, mentally strong, and with all the right virtues to become the future leader of our world. As natural resources in our world depletes, the elitist and materialistic mindset of our current generation will no longer be adequate for survival. In a world like that, our future generation has got to be more open-minded, more flexible, more creative, and have more love in their heart in order to lead a happy and fulfilling life. That is what hubby and I believe in and that is what we will prepare our younger generation for.