Ready, Set, Go??!!!!!

There was a little commotion at home in Iloilo today. One of my sisters was a bit frantic. Seeing a missed call from my Mom at around 5 am this morning, she texted Mommy back asking how things are. Turns out the immediate thought that came to her mind was that I already went into labor and that my Mom was calling to tell them the good news.

But no sister dear. My last trip to the OB did not yield any signs that I am delivering Maia soon. So for one week now, I have been doing a lot of walking, stretches, massages and indoor exercises with the hubby as my assistant. We look funny doing the stretches and the massages but its all for the best. My OB wanted me to be prepared as much as possible for the hardwork that is soon approaching. After the good news from the diabetologist last Friday, we are again pursuing our initial goal of going for a normal delivery.

Emotionally, I am ready. The tension however seemed to have shifted to the hubby. Now it’s him who assumed the overly anxious, worried expecting parent role. With his current emotional state, you can just imagine how relieved I am now to have my Mom around while we anticipate Maia’s arrival.

Now that we are on our 37^th week (and a lot of people kept telling me it seemed like I’ve been pregnant forever already) we’re definitely all set to go. Our hospital bag is all packed. We’ve considered and rehearsed some of the possible routes to the hospital.  Only thing left for us to complete/finish would be the renovations at home before our little angel’s arrival. Both the hubby’s and my family’s been very expressive of their excitement lately. It’s funny because the uncontainable exciting mood seems to penetrate through my swollen tummy. The baby seemed pretty active lately. It’s as if she’s telling us how enthusiastic she is to join us out here.

Hang in there sweetie, Mommy and Daddy and the rest of the family eagerly awaits your arrival. …For the meantime, please help Mommy and Daddy pray for your safe delivery.

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Update on Maia's progress:

YOUR BABY THIS WEEK ...Week 37

Your due date is so close that you could easily deliver at any time! Chances are very good that delivering from this week on, your baby will be healthy. Take a deep breath…labor, delivery and motherhood will all be amazing and wonderful experiences!

Your Baby: Baby's weight continues to increase, reaching around 6.5 pounds (3.2 kg) now. While baby is about 21 inches (53 cm) long, his limbs and tummy are all growing rounder and chubbier every day. His skin is less wrinkly now and most of the redness has turned to a hue that reflects your baby’s ethnic heritage. By this time, most babies descend down into your pelvis, head first, getting ready for birth. In about 3% of pregnancies, babies turn in the other direction, a situation known as a breech presentation. If this is the case for your baby, don't worry as this often changes—sometimes just hours before labor!

Heading for the home stretch....

Today marks the completion of 8 long months of my body manufacturing its own version of tiny bones, organs, and muscles. Sometimes, the hubby and I can’t help but stare in awe at my very swollen belly. All the fears we have when we were just 3 to 4 months along seemed to have just melted away. Haha. At long last, just one more month of uncontainable excitement and we will finally see the tiny version of our genes combined. 

After confirming my pregnancy, I have been rigorously educating myself on how to keep myself healthy all through out my 40-week journey to motherhood. As my pregnancy progresses, so does the readings. Sometimes, the hubby would comment that this seemed to have become an obsession for me especially since I would always share with him whatever knowledge I have acquired during the day. There were days when what I read would really fascinate me. And then there were days when they would stir up the neurotic in me. But regardless of the mood that they were able to set me on a particular day, I always felt those things I learned were really fun, helpful and useful facts of/on life.

My greatest realization though is that through out this whole experience…I have become more patient, more cautious, and a lot more cheerful. This pregnancy has sort of led me to finding the better version of me. I guess, I might not be really consciously aware of this before but I think it is now the right time for me to affirm that this is one experience where I found the real purpose of my existence. J

Make Way for the Clumsy Mama

 

The Second Trimester is Officially Over...and now my old highly emotionally-charged self is back. It's almost like the First Trimester again, only that my belly's now really swelled up and I can't see my feet anymore. The unexplainable burst of emotions (usually crying fits), constipation, heartburn, sleeplessness, the periodic pee trips to the bathroom are all back. Plus the previously clumsy me has now become the clumsiest buntis in town. But I can't complain. Seeing my belly grow is kind of therapeutic. It definitely soothes the oftentimes neurotic me. At least I am assured that I am giving Maia the nourishment she needs to grow from a mere bud to an actual person inside my tiny(but still trying to stretch) belly.

Now that we're counting the remaining weeks till we finally hear our baby's first cries, we thank God for giving us the 'almost' worry-free second trimester that we prayed for. The past three months was definitely one of the most exciting journeys of my life (and I bet Tibs will agree it was the same for him too). We saw ourselves grow emotionally as we prepare for this new addition to our family.

From baby gaga: 

Fetal development in pregnancy week 27 Your not-so-tiny-anymore brilliant baby (about 2 pounds and 14.5 inches long!) is slowly rotating in preparation to “head out.” Obviously, this doesn’t happen overnight, but when you start to feel an unfamiliar pressure on your cervix, you’ll know you’ve got a fully flipped baby locked and loaded for the countdown to their birthday! Even now, at the beginning of the third trimester, their little lungs are already capable of breathing air while the pulmonary vascular system can provide sufficient gas exchange and the central nervous system can generally regulate rhythmic breathing as well as their basal body temperature. For what it’s worth, at this point in a healthy pregnancy a premature child (with intensive care) could easily win on the show: “Survivor: The Early Years".

Articles on Pregnancy Sickness

Hi Mae!

 

sharing these articles i found in baby fit. dunno if nakakabasa ka pa nyan but just in case...hope this helps :) in my case kse, i get a lot of comfort from pregnancy books and reading online. di naman kse 24/7 nakatutok OB.

 

hope your ultrasound turns out okay!

 

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Pregnancy Sickness

Symptoms, Triggers and Food Options for Morning Sickness
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed and Registered Dietician

Although it is most often called morning sickness, a more appropriate term is "pregnancy sickness," as it can occur morning, noon or night. If you experience it, you're not alone. 50-90% of moms-to-be are affected by nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The condition is annoying, unpleasant and unpredictable for most. However, it can be a serious and life-threatening condition for those who end up requiring hospitalization due to dehydration and malnutrition.

Current theories suggest that pregnancy sickness is related to an increase in various hormones that are present during pregnancy. The three main hormone suspects are: progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin, and estrogen.

Pregnancy sickness usually subsides and the symptoms lessen by the end of the first trimester. However, for some moms-to-be the symptoms can remain until the baby is delivered. Symptoms can include:

·                                 Nausea, queasiness, vomiting

·                                 Possible headaches

·                                 Dizziness

·                                 Heightened sense of smell

·                                 Irritability

·                                 Increased salivation

·                                 Dry mouth

·                                 Motion sickness

·                                 Parched, dry, cracked lips

·                                 Shivering and chills

It is important to try and identify the symptoms you have and locate the triggers of these pregnancy sickness symptoms. Then by alternating your schedule, routine or environment, you can avoid or eliminate them. For example, some of these triggers may bring about a pregnancy sickness response:

·                                 Fatigue

·                                 Being suddenly awakened by the alarm clock

·                                 Morning breath of your bed partner

·                                 Bed movement caused by your partner

·                                 An empty stomach

·                                 Certain smells (either food or non-food)

·                                 An airtight room with little ventilation

·                                 Certain foods

Try to get the nausea under control and then return to your normal, healthy eating plan. What "sounds" good to eat? Does it help to settle your stomach? For some, this might be cheddar cheese and Granny Smith apples; but for others it might be potato chips and lemonade. Remember to include a beverage to help rehydrate the body. The minerals sodium, potassium, and magnesium are critical for muscle contraction and stomach emptying. Many have found relief with:

·                                 Lemons (to lick or smell)

·                                 Tart lemonade

·                                 Salted potato chips, pretzels, tortilla chips

·                                 Saltine crackers

·                                 Fresh watermelon

·                                 Dill pickles

·                                 Tart Granny Smith apples

·                                 Tangy ginger ale

·                                 Frozen grapes

·                                 Mashed or baked potatoes

·                                 Water with a lime twist

·                                 Gatorade

·                                 Ginger tea

Do not hesitate to discuss the topic of pregnancy sickness with your health care provider. Ask for a referral to a Registered Dietitian who has experience in dealing with the nutritional care and management of pregnancy sickness. If your pregnancy sickness is severe and consistently prevents you from eating, drinking or keeping down nutrients, talk to your doctor about Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Check out this web site for additional help and support: www.morningsickness.net/.

 

 

Menus for Morning Sickness

What to Eat When You Are Feeling Nauseous
-- By Karen Gardner, Parenting Writer

According to the Mayo Clinic, over 70% of all expectant mothers experience nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of their pregnancy. That’s the bad news; the good news is that there are some foods that have been proven to have a soothing effect on nausea, making those early childbearing days more tolerable.

Ginger
A recent report in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has confirmed that ginger can help manage morning sickness in the first four months of pregnancy. This is something Dr. Susan Lanni has known all along. Dr. Lanni, an assistant professor of maternal fetal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center recommends a variety of non-pharmaceutical solutions for her obstetrical clients, and ginger is among them.

“Ginger is absorbed into the G. I. tract, and it works quite well on low-grade nausea,” says Lanni. “You can get ginger in a million different forms. Women can put a slice of fresh ginger between their cheek and gum and chew on it throughout the day or they can nibble on small pieces of crystallized ginger. They can also go to a Chinese food store and get a container of pickled ginger, which is moist and has a very stomach soothing effect.”

Women suffering with morning sickness might consider starting their day with cold or hot cereal topped with crystallized ginger slices, whole-wheat toast topped with ginger jam, or a cup of tea made from steeped fresh ginger slices, honey and lemon.

Nausea Breaking Foods
“I tell my patients they can eat anything that doesn’t have a skull and crossbones on it,” says Miriam Erick, a perinatal dietician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It would be great if I could get them to eat something really healthy, but a lot of times they just need nausea breaking foods, something to break the cycle.” Erick, author of Managing Morning Sickness: A Survival Guide for Pregnant Women, considers morning sickness a very individual condition with different phases.

“When she feels fine, a woman might ask for something completely different than she would when her nausea is worse,” says Erick. “Therefore, the pickier a woman can be at that point in time, the more you are looking at the solution as opposed to something that isn’t going to work or something I think she should eat.”

To help women identify what foods relieve their individual nausea, Erick came up with a list of adjectives to describe foods and the sensations they create. The list includes salty, sour, bitter, sweet, crunchy, fruity, wet, dry, hot, cold, bland, mushy, earthy, spicy, and fizzy. When a woman is asked what she wants in terms of the list, her answer is typically the food that will break that particular cycle of nausea.

Mother Approved
As every woman’s morning sickness is different, so are the foods that relieve it. Listed here are some foods that go outside the cracker box, and have reportedly brought comfort to nauseous moms-to-be.

·                                 Potato Chips

·                                 Lemons

·                                 Lemonade

·                                 Gelatin

·                                 Watermelon

·                                 Raspberry tea

·                                 Ginger snaps

·                                 Avocado

·                                 Popsicles

·                                 Graham crackers

·                                 Yogurt

·                                 Peppermint

·                                 Baked potatoes

·                                 Rice Cakes

Resources

·                                 Managing Morning Sickness: A Survival Guide for Pregnant Women by Miriam Erick

·                                 Take Two Crackers and Call Me in the Morning by Miriam Erick

·                                 The Morning Sickness Companion by Elizabeth Kaledin

·                                 The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth, and Everything in Between by Ann Douglas

·                                  

More Than Morning Sickness

What is Hyperemesis Gravidarum?
-- By Tanya Jolliffe, Nutritionist

About half of all pregnant women experience morning sickness. For the vast majority of women, morning sickness isn't a serious condition, and it doesn’t pose risk to their babies. However, a severe and serious form of pregnancy sickness, known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum, can pose health risks to both mother and baby.

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is frequently described as consistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that prevents the woman from eating food and drinking fluids. This severe nausea and violent vomiting prevent the body from retaining and utilizing food and fluid. Some common concerns associated with untreated hyperemesis include:

·                                 rapid loss of weight (sometimes more than 10% of pre-pregnancy weight)

·                                 dehydration

·                                 critical nutrient deficiencies in early pregnancy

·                                 metabolic imbalances, including ketosis

·                                 inability to participate in previous levels of activity, including daily living

How Do I know if I have typical morning sickness or hyperemesis gravidarum?

BabyFit Member, DeCole, experienced this condition during her second pregnancy.  "I was losing weight at a rapid pace and not enjoying any part of life," DeCole recounts. "I was not able to keep down water, ice chips, or anything they recommend to ease morning sickness. My job was suffering, my family was suffering, and no one knew what to do to help me." DeCole informed her doctor of her "severe morning sickness" during a routine checkup.

Morning sickness affects most women in the early weeks of pregnancy. HG symptoms are no different. The following symptoms are common in early pregnancy and are generally associated with morning sickness:

·                                 Food aversions

·                                 Increased sense of smell

·                                 Sensitive gag reflex

·                                 Excessive salivation

·                                 Difficulty sleeping

·                                 Vomiting of mucus in addition to foods/fluids

·                                 Constipation

Hyperemesis symptoms, however, generally begin between weeks 4 – 6 of pregnancy and lessen by the end of the first trimester. It is not uncommon for symptoms to last as long as 21 weeks before a woman experiences some improvement. A small number of women may even experience some symptoms throughout their entire pregnancies. The cause of hyperemesis is not fully understood and while there are various theories, most professionals believe it is a complex complication of pregnancy, caused by a variety of factors.

Contact your physician immediately for an evaluation if you experience several of the morning sickness symptoms (bulleted list above) in combination with several of these hyperemesis gravidarum symptoms:

·                                 Dry, furry tongue

·                                 Excessive thirst

·                                 Loss of skin elasticity

·                                 Pale, waxy, dry skin

·                                 Headache

·                                 Extreme fatigue

·                                 Secondary anxiety, depression

·                                 Intolerance to motion, noise, light

·                                 Vomiting blood

·                                 Body odor due to rapid weight loss & ketosis

·                                 Fainting or dizziness

·                                 Rapid heart rate

·                                 Confusion

·                                 Rapid weight loss (2 or more pounds/week) due to excessive nausea and vomiting.

Morning sickness CAN progress to hyperemesis as your pregnancy progresses. So just because your physician diagnosed you with morning sickness at 8 weeks, it doesn't mean you won't develop something more serious at 10 weeks of pregnancy or later. If you are concerned, CALL your Doctor’s office and speak with a nurse. It is always better to be safe rather than sorry and suffering.

If you are diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, your physician can develop a treatment and care plan to promote a healthy outcome for you and baby. Early diagnosis and intervention are important in preventing complications related to excessive vomiting, such as gastric ulcers, esophageal bleeding, malnutrition, and poor fetal development.

What treatment could I expect if I have hyperemesis gravidarum?

During her appointment, DeCole's doctor asked her a series of questions before diagnosing her with hyperemesis gravidarum. Together they worked out a treatment plan that involved medication and daily IV's.

Every woman and pregnancy is different and so is every treatment plan. The following is a general guide that many physicians follow when treating hyperemesis gravidarum patients:

·                                 Admission to an inpatient medical facility: Room assignments can have major effects on treatment outcome. A private room is recommended to maximize treatment by limiting noise, light, odors and stimulation from others. Fatigue worsens HG, so sleep is the most important treatment.

·                                 A full assessment of general metabolic and hormonal status: This requires frequent blood monitoring.

·                                 Ultrasounds: This can rule out gastrointestinal, gall bladder, or pancreatic disorders.

·                                 Close monitoring of food/liquid intake (and output)

·                                 Urine testing for presence of ketones

·                                 Careful re-hydration through IV's: Until a woman can tolerate foods by mouth (with little or no urine ketones), she can utilize a variety of IV options to receive food, fluids, and vitamins.

·                                 Antiemetic prescriptions: These medicines are prescribed to prevent nausea and vomiting.

·                                 A multidisciplinary approach: Other professionals such as physical therapists, registered dietitians and other medical specialties such as gastroenterologists are typically included in the care of a woman being treated for HG.

·                                 A woman who receives aggressive treatment at the onset of severe symptoms can prevent life-threatening complications and have a healthy pregnancy outcome. Post-pregnancy care is also important because it helps mom return to her pre-pregnancy states of physical and psychological health, preparing her for healthy future pregnancies that may occur.

DeCole worried about her baby's health as a result of her condition. "Would she be okay, is she getting the nutrients that babies need? Was I harming her in anyway? I was assured the baby was getting nutrients and that she was perfectly healthy." At about week 25 DeCole started eating more and gaining weight.

How can my family and friends help?

"I was shocked at how little research had been done on hyperemesis gravidarum, said DeCole. "So many people do not understand what this is like and I got very little sympathy. It is a real disorder that they are trying to figure out why it happens."

Many times the family and friends of woman suffering from HG feel extremely helpless and frustrated because they don't know how to help. Sometimes in their frustration, they may remark that things would get better if you tried harder and weren't so sensitive.

It is normal for those around you to feel helpless and even hopeless in their inability to "make it better" for you. Encourage them to visit  http://www.hyperemesis.org/family/faqs.php to learn how they can support you during this difficult time in your pregnancy.

DeCole tries to use her experience to help other women. "BabyFit and Hyperemesis.org have become very important to me because of the support I found from other Moms while I was going through this difficult season in my life. I can only hope that I can offer that support to someone who may need it now. You guys are important to me and together we do make a difference!"

A not so great birthday surprise

Just when I thought things are turning out great and this trimester's going to end smoothly, I got a surprise this morning.

A trip to the bathroom this morning sent me that familiar chill once again upon seeing that dreaded brown spot . Since I was already at the office, I just confided to some of my officemates this recent mishap. Concern crept into their faces and they all went about finding me a makeshift footstool so I can elevate my legs. But unlike my first bathroom incident...this time, I don't feel panicky and scared anymore. I know my baby's gonna be okay. I just felt her kick awhile ago.

But to be really sure though, I texted my doctor. She told me to come visit her at her clinic so she can really confirm that the baby's okay.

So now, I am off to the doctor. All I can do is pray hard and trust that my little angel is alright. I am not asking for anything else on my birthday but to have one healthy and safe pregnancy. Need your prayers too friends.

Almost out of danger...(or so I hope)

Two weeks from now I will be halfway through the pregnancy...and out of the danger zone based on my research.

Frankly, it was only towards my 12th week that I started to feel really pregnant. I'm trying to stay happy and optimistic on this but I get scared that I still might not reach full term. I just hate to be disappointed. I know that no pregnancy is really safe until the baby's been delivered and declared safe from harm but I could not help but envy those expecting moms that breeze through their pregnancy smoothly.

But I'm thankful at the changes this whole experience had on me and Tibs. We've become a lot more closer to God. And I think that's taking our marriage a level higher. :)