Starting to get a teeny bit nervous

At this stage, which is already about 29 weeks plus going to 30 weeks for me, I'm starting to feel a teeny bit nervous. In about another 10 weeks or less, I should be going to deliver my baby already. Gosh...I think it has not really settled in yet, but I think to some extent, I feel excited and also nervous and scared. Not sure what to expect is the main fear I guess. Also, I still have not fully finish buying stuff that I may need for the after birth!

Also today I experienced some slight pain around my tummy too. Not sure if it's some form of false contractions. It happened about twice so far today. Once around noon, and something similar, though for a short while only around evening. Just pray that it's nothing serious at the moment. Baby, be guai ok!!

Oh yeh, I'm still very amused by my baby's movements in me. I quite enjoy just staring at my tummy and see it move when he move his arm or leg. Haha. Can't really see the shape of course, but can see a movement outwards....hehe :)

Sciatica

I experienced this slight pain in my right bum area these few days, but more so on Friday, which I could not figure out what was it. It only happened at certain angles that I sat/walked and the pain would be slightly acute and sharp. Not something that unbearable but something to make me feel uncomfortable. It felt like you needed to rub the pain area or stretch it such that the pain would just go away. Anyway, I brought this up to the physiotherapist after our antenatal class today. She suggested that it could be some form of Sciatica symptom. She said it does happen in some pregnant women, so nothing to be too alarmed about. Unfortunately, nothing could really stop it until after pregnancy according to her! I can only do certain stretching exercises to help at the moment.

Well, I then came across this article in babycenter, so thought I'd share some excerpts of it here. But some of the facts don't quite tie in with what the physio said. Hmmm.....

What is Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve is a large nerve which comes from your lower back and travels down the back of your legs and then branches out to your feet. It allows you to feel sensations and move muscles in your legs. Sciatica is where inflammation or pressure from the back causes the sciatic nerve to become painful. Sometimes, the function of the nerve can become impaired resulting in weakness or pins and needles. Sciatica can be present with or without backache and can send pain down the back of your leg.

Why might it happen in pregnancy?
Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to suggest that sciatica is caused by anything specifically related to pregnancy. Pregnancy related changes can cause pelvic pain and back ache, but not sciatica. The majority of women who think they have sciatica during pregnancy actually have a condition known as Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP). Sciatica is not caused by the baby pressing on a nerve. In younger people, it is often caused by damage to a disc leading to inflammation around the nerve or direct pressure from a prolapsed or 'slipped' disc. In older people, it may be due to compression from a ligament or bone. Neither of these situations occur more frequently in pregnancy and the chances are that if you do have sciatica during pregnancy, it would have come on whether you were pregnant or not.

Self-help tips

• Applying a heat or an ice pack to the painful area for ten minutes can provide relief and is safe in pregnancy.
• Wearing flat, soft shoes may help prevent jarring of the spine when you walk, however, some women find that wearing shoes with a bit of heel helps their back pain. Ask your physiotherapist for advice.
• Keep mobile and avoid sitting still for long periods.
• Listen to your body and stop doing whatever is causing you pain.
• Watch your posture and try to keep your back as straight as possible. When seated use a small bolster cushion or a rolled up towel behind your back to support the spine.
• Use pillows and cushions to support your bump in bed.
• Avoid heavy lifting -- if you do have to lift anything, always bend from your knees and keep your back straight.

Source: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/physicalhealth/sciatica/

Well, for now I would say that my condition is not that serious, still ok, the pain does occur once in a while. Just pray that it will not get worse.

Oh yeh, the antenatal class today focused on the stages of labour and breathing techniques to use. It also highlighted about the pain relief methods. To be honest, I have not fully decided whether or not to take an epidural. One part of me want to experience labour in full and just go through without it. But as I think more and more, I probably want to have the epidural in mind to take when I should....even though the thought of the jab itself is also pretty scary!! Oh gosh, I think no one can really explain to you the feeling of labour till you experience it yourself....

Having Preggie friends

Found out this week that another friend of mine is also pregnant and will be due sometime in Apr 2008. Really happy for her and found it all so interesting that I would then have another friend to talk about preggie stuff, in addition to Tracy whom I've been getting tips from :) Oh ya, thanks Evonne for tipping us off about this free baby journal set that the National Library is giving out. Well, next time our kids will all be around the same age so they can play together when we meet up. He He...

Also in office, here and there I've had the opportunity to talk to quite a few mothers on their experiences and picked up some further tips. Actually, for some of my current colleagues, I find it quite amazing that they have like 1 or 2 kids already. They certainly do look quite young! Since becoming pregnant, I really think that it's best to try starting a family when young if possible. The journey is pretty long and imagine after having your first one, you still need to spend some time with the child before you start on the next one and so on. Soon the process will repeat and gosh...it will be another 9 month pregnancy journey ok!!

Anyway, I shall not think too far first. This weekend Dear and I attended our second antenatal class. This session taught us about the right standing and sitting posture, and also various exercises to strengthen the abdominal, pelvic and calf muscles. The physiotherapist then got the class to try out the exercises while she came round to check if we were doing it right. Was a little bit tiring on the thighs for me as some of the exercise require bending of the knees. Well, I guess I will have to try my best to do these exercises regularly!

Check up at 27+ weeks

Went to see Dr. Goh for my monthly checkup this morning. Today I went on my own as Dear was not able to take the morning off. Well, as usual I got to see baby when he did the ultrasound scan. This time, can see that baby has grown bigger again and as Dr. Goh measured, baby is estimated around 1.3kg already. As for me, I've already put on about 10kg to date. That's just slightly above average according to the doc. I also highlighted to Dr. Goh that I seem to have some slight whitish discharge lately and he suggested doing some form of test the next month to check for some form of infection. He had a term for it, but I can't remember it coz' the medical term sounded a bit cheem. Anyway, according to him, it may mean that some form of antibiotics may be needed during labour if it is anything serious. Oh gosh, I certainly hope it's nothing much! But the test that he suggested doing seems a bit like pap smear, where I think he will need to get some vaginal swap. Sounded a bit intimidating, but he assured that it will be fine, not painful. Guess I can only wait till then to know....... : |

Feeling heavier

It happens as I go along in the pregnancy that I suddenly feel myself really getting heavier and things seem to get a bit more uncomfortable. Getting in and out of bed, sitting back and getting up all require a bit more effort than previously. Also, I seem to get this tight sensation around my chest and upper body area. It's like the body feels tight and the need to expand but can't really do so kind of feeling. Wonder if this is just part of the body growing and adapting or that the uterus is just pushing my organs higher and hence the body feels more 'squashed'.

Also, other than my bump that's getting bigger, my butt/hips area have definitely increased in size. Yikes! Haha..... guess it can't be helped, but even wearing my underwear requires me to sit down or at least hold onto something to steady myself! Feel quite clumsy indeed! And the back, yes the back still aches slightly each day. Really need the massage from Dear Dear almost every night now.....

But no matter what, I just have to think of baby and the experience is all worthwhile. Beginning to look forward till the day we meet with baby.....

Our first antenatal class

We signed up for a 6 lesson childbirth education course at Mt. A hospital and the first lesson started on Friday. The first session was actually a combined session for all the weekday and weekend classes and the topic was all about nutrition during pregnancy and also after birth. So there we were, in a seminar room full of expectant mothers and fathers to be. So many pregnant women at one time, I wonder if the babies can all sense on another. Haha...

Anyway, felt that the session was quite useful in re-iterating the various food and nutrition needed during pregnancy. It also made me a bit more cautious about the food I'm eating, though at times you just cannot help but dig into a bit more 'unhealthy food'. Over the weekend, Dear and I were even inspired to buy a cookbook for pregnancy and confinement so that we can show it to his mum to try cooking some of the dishes. Quite some delicious dishes that I found in there...pity I don't know how to cook them myself...

Oh yeh, this week also feel that baby seemed to be more active the whole time. Experience his kicks quite often in the day, be in early morning, or mid morning, then late afternoon and night. When we watched soccer on TV over the weekend, baby seemed to kick quite a few times too. Wonder if he can sense what I'm watching?! Maybe he will be into soccer too like his Daddy.....arrgh!! Hahaha...

Nagging ache on right upper back

I started to have this slight ache on my right upper back since Monday. Not sure how it came about, but it felt a bit like I might have over-stretched myself or as if I sprained it while doing something. I really don't know, but it's still there. Actually it's quite bearable in the day, but by night time, I really long for a massage and rub to that area to soothe the aching feeling. Thanks to Dear who helps me massage my back since this happened.

I'm also beginning to have more cramps in my calf. This usually happens in the morning before I wake and stretch my legs in a manner that triggers it off. Gosh, maybe all the weight is starting to take a toll on me gradually. Well, as long as baby is fine and healthy, will just bear with it all.....