Thoughts, Feelings, & What I Learned.

I’m giving myself a pat on the back for publishing my first blog post postpartum! With a newborn, this takes daysssss. Having journaled Pregnancin: Trimester 1 & 2, the OCD side of me can’t move on to the next chapter without first completing the final piece of my pregnancy journey. So here we go!

In case you don’t have the patience to go through this entire entry (not like you have thaaat many things to do at home during MCO 😜), I’d like to highlight 3 important things for mommies to look out for in their 3rd trimester. Vaccines – While it is a doctor’s job to ensure that you’re covered, trust me, they forget too. I renewed my Tdap/tetanus jab at the last minute to be safe. & dads, take your vaccines too. 70% of babies who get a cough, etc, are infected by their own family members. Next, a visit to the dentist. Yes, it goes hand-in-hand with pregnancy (read up about it). Even if you have perfect pearly whites, it is still a good effort to make, seeing you most likely won’t have time for ‘teeth TLC’ postpartum unless things get serious. Lastly, remember to reserve emotional energy for your partner before your baby arrives!

 

Week 28 (in Japan): Baby is a lettuce

Feeling:

• Occasional mild contractions.
• The need to pee more frequently yet not much yield every time.
• Itchy tummy with patches of light pink – not sure if it’s because of the winter?

Thoughts:

• Flying with a baby in my tummy is such a special feeling – our first flight together (with no crying baby)!

What I Learned:

• Avoid ladders & shoes with lousy soles as clumsiness increases.
• Take a breastfeeding class in month 7. I registered (& paid) for month 8 but the lactation consultant canceled her once a month class, leaving me with the only option that is month 9, 2 days before my EDD. 😐

 

Week 29 & 30: Baby is a cauliflower – broccoli

Feeling:

• Strong jabs in my tummy/at my ribcage.
• Pressing pressure at the bladder.
• The weight of my belly as I sleep on 1 side.
• Nagging stubborn pain on the left side of my uterus that literally made me say ouch in public or every time I get in/out of a car.

Thoughts:

• Will this pain lasts till the day of delivery?

What I Learned:

• This is an important time to feed baby lots of omega-3s, as his brain development is fast-tracked.

 

Week 31: Baby is a coconut

Feeling:

• Very sleepy – can’t get away without a nap.
• Nauseous whenever I get stressed/upset.
• Flaky dry skin.

Thoughts:

• Where did all my energy go?

What I Learned:

• Finalize your birth plan if you haven’t – pain management, push positions, cord-cutting, any birth wishes – yet keep it flexible. Print a few copies to be brought to the hospital.

 

Week 32: Baby is a cantaloupe

Feeling:

• More moments of imagining meeting our baby – makes É & I smile every time.

Thoughts:

• I didn’t realize how long my toenails have become – better cut ’em before I can’t see my toes!
• Pregnancy (& its privileges) are coming to an end . . .

What I Learned:

• A tetanus shot has to be renewed every 5 years. I got my Tdap shot renewed on 17th Jan ’20. If you need to, get it in your 7th month of pregnancy. Better safe than sorry.

 

Week 33: Baby is a butternut squash

Feeling:

• Sleepy in the morning.
• Hurray! Finally – the 1st day that dull pain since Week 29 went away, magically!!!

What I Learned:

• Antibodies are being passed down to the baby. 🙌🏻
• Visits to gyne are now every 2 weeks.

 

Week 34: Baby is a pineapple

Feeling:

• The baby being tight in my tummy, pressing against the bladder.
• Popped belly button – red, irritated, hurt, stretched, hence I removed my belly button ring temporarily.
• Slightly swollen legs – although not visible, the flesh on my legs doesn’t bounce back quickly when pressed (that’s how you know).

Thoughts:

• My face looks rounder – I can’t tell if it’s fat or swelling.
• I don’t recognize my ankles/feet. My thighs are rubbing against each other for the first time in my life!

What I Learned:

• Using a face massager helps. Swimming 30 mins every day does it for the feet.
• A popped belly button will revert after delivery.
• Drive only short distances. An hour+ trips can restrict circulation.

 

Week 35: Baby is a spaghetti squash

Feeling:

• Nasal congestion.
• Burning acid coming up my esophagus with every burp as if my stomach moved higher.

What I Learned:

• Baby has settled into the right position for birthing (usually between W32 – 38).
• The best baby position is called occiput anterior, where the baby is facing your back. Find out from your gyne if your baby is occiput anterior or posterior (the latter just means labor might take longer).
• Constipation can weaken pelvic floor muscles, so stay hydrated.
• Get tested for GBS but ONLY after W35 or it won’t be accurate.

 

Week 36: Baby is a bunch of kale

Feeling:

• Baby squirms a lot at night.
• Lopsided when lying down sideways.
• Heavy to get up from the couch every time.
• My feet shuffling against each other or the floor.

What I Learned:

• Start perineal massage! Be careful not to irritate or damage the area.
• A visit to the dentist should have been done in month 4!

 

Week 37: Baby is a melon

Feeling:

• Hollow at the rib cage – baby has dropped to the pelvic area.
• Short of breath – huffing & puffing subconsciously with every move.
• Very big & heavy – walking with lumbar pushed forward, which is bad.
• Like nesting – tidying the house to the minutest of details as we were getting closer to the date!
• Counts of baby kicking finished very early in the day.
• Anxiety – Every time I am very stressed, a condition called Morsicatio Buccarum revisits me, where I bite my inner cheeks until ulcers pop up.

Thoughts:

• Don’t come out so soon! There are many things mummy hasn’t done yet, like finish reading The Baby Book, attending a breastfeeding class, get eyelash extensions done . . .

What I Learned:

• Think/Plan ahead – stock up the fridge with frozen fruits for smoothies (if you’re like me) & freezable meals like soups or chili con carne.

 

Week 38 & 39: Baby is a watermelon – honeydew

Feeling:

• Very irritable.
• The sole of my feet hurts.
• Tummy space is tight – baby barely has space to move.
• Every little movement requires a tremendous amount of effort & by little, I mean getting up from the sofa. Swimming 1/2 a lap feels like 1.
• 25 Feb – I had a sudden short cramp turned nausea, which disappeared instantly.
• 26 Feb – Due to tight tummy space & an active baby inside, my entire tummy cramped, this time accompanied by a sharp pressure at the bladder.
• Baby is squirming more at night accompanied by cramps, sending sharp pain to the VJJ.

Thoughts:

• Don’t come out yet!
• Why is everything falling around me?!

What I Learned:

• How to control anxiety – calming myself, introducing breathing exercises, reading up about any matter that bugs me, & being aware of own behavior when an old habit (Morsicatio Buccarum) triggers.
• Only at the completion of W38 is a baby considered Full Term.

 

Week 40: Baby is HERE!!!

Baby was born a day earlier, on 8 March 2020. 🤗