My Birthing Plans

My OB is not really particular about birthing plans, but just to be safe, I'd to like to prepare my own birthday plans so I can discuss it to her the next time I have my prenatal checkup.

1. By all MEANS and as long as I can bear the pain.. I want to undergo a normal delivery.
   
2. If I can have a slight snack during active labor.
3. My husband doesn't want to have a camera inside the delivery room to give me privacy. But my OB says it's okay to have a camera inside.
4. No mirrors will be used during delivery. I usually faint when I see a blood, so as much as I wanted to see the "birth", I might loose my energy or faint in the middle of the birthing activity.
5. Pain medication will only be applied if I'm gonna request it. As much as possible, avoid the use of epidurals.
6. I'd like to have an external fetal monitoring at all times during labor.
7. Induce labor if needed.
8. Hold the baby immediately after birth. If possible, breastfeed right away.
9. I want to room in my baby if there are no complications.
10. Have a copy of my baby's finger and footprints.
    

Am I Having a Flu?

Two days ago, I woke up with a sore throat.

It's been very hot this past few days, so I tried to sleep (noon and night) with a full blast cool air and look what I've got, a very achy throat.

Then yesterday I was out in lagoon, doing my usual maternity walk and I got home with a flu. I was wearing a thin layered shirt, and was sweating hard. The problem was it was so windy I forgot to wipe out all the sweats.

I was too focused on my exercise that I forgot to take precautionary measures of avoiding getting sick.

Bad Momma.

38 Weeks - Big Bad Belly Shot

Yup, I've reached this far.

This has been a very interesting week so far. I've been experiencing stronger conractions and back pains a lot lately. There was alot of cervical pressure and alot of achiness in my lower back and pelvis with alot of 'braxton hicks'. It was the most uncomfortable yet. I can't tell at times if it's a prelabour state, since it's not that painful (or it's just that I have a high tolerance to pain). Another thing that's keeping me miserable s my PUPP. It's really horrible, and I find it hard to sleep with super itchy tummy. At the same time, it seems that every minute I find myself going to the bathroom to urinate! Live by the toilet as they say. This last month of pregnancy is sooo dreadful.

I went back to my OB a few days ago, and had my internal examination once again. No openings yet, but my cervix is starting to soften. My OB told me I might reach my 40th week, for an uncomplicated pregnancy, first time Mothers usually reach their EDD or even 41 weeks. She said that it is safer to have an overdue baby of days since there's a big chance of miscalculation of the time of conception. She also added that it's a good thing for baby to stay in tummy for a while to allow his lungs to mature on a perfect environment.

For my part, while baby M is still busy growing in my womb, I religious do my exercise in the morning, mostly aerobics and dances. Later in the afternoon, have my 12 rounds of walk at Lagoon.

Till then!

The Waiting Game Has Begun

Photo edits courtesy of Picnik.com

It's Official! We've Made It To Full-Term!

Yup yup yup! 37 weeks!!

Full-term?? It means that if little guido arrives now, his lungs is fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside my womb, even though my due date is still weeks away. So I had my ultrasound last Saturday, and will return to my OB this tuesday for another checkup. I've been having regular contractions already, stronger Braxton Hicks, definitely swollen hands (my wedding ring won't fit anymore) and face and ankles, but nothing at all to complain about. Per usual, I can feel the head putting pressure on my cervix which although a little sore and painful, I get very excited! It's slowly happening! I am very thankful that I have an uncomplicated pregnancy, and that my baby is cephalic ever since (heads down). It's hard for me to walk , climb up and down the stairs, to stand-up, to change positions while sleeping and to get up and down from the car since last week.

The last time I had an ultrasound was when I was 18weeks pregnant at Medical City in Manila, and it was detected that I will be having a little boy. Now on my 37th week of pregnancy, my OB required an ultrasound for the last time just for a Biophysical Profile.

Baby M's head.. the guy got some round cheeks like his Papa

As of 37weeks, the estimated weight of my baby boy is 5lbs and 9Oz. Good!! He's not that BIIIGGG as I expected hehehe... madaling ilabas. But I think I needed to eat more pa, it's better if he weights around 6lbs. Also, I have an adequate amniotic fluid and baby M has a good and healthy heartbeat. Whew! Hirap nyan ha, for 9 months, I have been working hard to take good care of baby so I was kind of rejoicing hearing and learning about this excellent result. It means, I have been a good Mom even though he is not yet out here.

The hospital bags are almost packed. For this week, I have to install the crib, and pack the last minute stuff like cameras, books, cellphone chargers etc needed at the hospital. And of course, check the required documents needed by the hospital upon checking.

PS. I already made my baby a birth certificate hahaha... just to make sure that everything is not mispelled in case I am in my "bangag" state when the record section checks for my son's information.

36 Weeks - Bad Belly Shots

I've made it to 9months! Wow!

Things are little getting a little bit worst now. I'm a bit sore, and bad news is, I developed this rash on my belly and it soooooo itchy!!! My OB says that this is normal, and the lesions will basically disappear after giving birth. That's fine with me, it's better to have it than stretchmarks that will permanently leave a scar on your belly. But the itch is realy bothering!

Known as PUPP or Puritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy is a skin eruption that usually starts on the abdomen and sometimes appears on thighs, arms, buttocks of expectant mothers. The good thing, it doesn't recur in subsequent pregnancies and it is safe for both baby and the mother (thank God!). It's actually like a "bungang araw" that's located on the abdomen.

So to alleviate the itch, I try to avoid chicken, eggs, pork or anything that could trigger the itch (foods that could cause an allergy) and I'm watching my abdomen using the Lactacyd Blue. I once had a rash in my arms, but that was last summer pa. My OB in Medical City prescribed the Lactacyd Blue as my daily bath. After two weeks, the rash disappeared.

I'm a user of Lactacyd Pink for 5 years, and haven't heard of Lactacyd Blue until baby Yannah arrives. My SIL uses this as her baby's bath soap. I was surprised that the Lactacyd Blue is also used as facial soap (and body soap) for adults who are suffering from acne, dermatitis, eczema and puritis (itchy rashes). It really works, but it can make your skin dry.

Now as of my last prenatal checkup, my OB did an internal examination already. Gulay! It's was... well painful. Twa's my first time and though I've heard a lot about pregnant women getting IEd, I didn't have that clear idea of how the OB is doing it. Hahaha.. now I know! Shacks. According to the result, I don't have an opening yet, that means, baby M still has a few more weeks inside my belly. It seems he is enjoying his stay there. Well that's good, since he is not yet in "full term". I've read that the longer the baby stays in Momma's belly, the more he'll become healthy (as long as he's no overdue).

My "walking in the park" does seem to help, but I think kulang pa. The weather was bad last week, so I didn't reach my 8-10 rounds of walk daily. When I reached 37th week, I'm gonna take that exercise seriously na to induce labor hahaha.

Few weeks from now, I'm going to be Mom. What would my life be?? I wonder.

Hello 9th Month!!

Shiela, Yannah and Me at Lagoon

I'm on my 36weeks of pregnancy, the last month of the third trimester. This is the month the I've been waiting for, been working for since I those two pink lines.

Nowadays, I keep myself busy and preparing myself for the labor. As seen on the picture, with me is my SIL and niece Yannah. We're in Bacolod Lagoon, and I was doing my routine 8rounds of walk. Yes, I've been doing a lot of exercise to help me with my labor.

My face is showing signs of swelling already, luckily my feet and hands are still in normal condition. I will have my checkup tomorrow and most probably my OB will conduct an internal examination already (IE). I hope my baby is engaged already so I can go into labor on my full-term (37 week... and yes, that's next week already!). I really wanted to give birth between August 8 - 15, para hindi na ako masyadong mahirapan, mabigatan sa baby and mainit. I hate to wait, it's really agonizing.

Final completion of check list will be completed within this weekend, and by next week, I'm all set and will just be waiting for baby M to arrive.