Newborn budgeting & safety

Up to week 31 now, start reading & learning more about newborn, as I can imagine I won't have much time to read when the baby is born.

There's a useful budget calculator from babycenter.

And a lot of safety issue:
- Sleep the baby on its back on a firm mattress, never on a soft pillow to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Prepare the nursery to be fire-safe, install fire alarm
- Floor is clear of wires...etc that could trip you over, use a night light
- Secure unstable furniture, hanging picutres or decorations
- Make sure change table have a saftey strap
- use layer outfit or a one piece outfit for sleeping rather than a blanket which the baby could trap in

Finally bought Pregnancy without pounds, as I'm up to 31 weeks and have already gain 13kg of my original weight, and it'll keep going during the third trimester. I'd really like to get back into shape or even better to impress after birth. And my back pain is killing me, I can't turn at night. It also show some techniques to decrease labour pain, skincare, prevent stretch marks, sagging breast..etc.

Muscle pain

My tummy is getting bigger and my back is hurting a lot, can't seem to turn when I'm sleeping. I went for reflexology (as the accupuntuist recommend not to get treatment in late pregnancy) last week and it gets better, and this week I went for a pregnancy massage and it's a little bit better, I think I'll need a massage everyday. And my groning is hurting as well, especially in the morning after a full night's sleep, the midwife said it's because the baby and the uterus has put pressure downwards so it's normal. With all these pain, the Braxton Hicks seems to be nothing uncomfortable at all.

I found walking quite helpful to the muscle pain, the groning pain seem to disappear if I walk more. Also some yoga pose & stretching are helpful to release the tension as well.

Also reading a book on back pain, they recommend massage, exercise, relaxation, rest and by chiropractor and all sorts. But one thing interesting that I've never thought of is that the best way to stop back pain is to prevent it from happening. But how to prevent back pain? By using correct posture in everyday activities. It's easy to say that to lift with bended knees, not to drag heavy things when climbing up a stairs/ ladder, use the whole body's weight or kneeding instead of bending when doing the garden...etc. But am I really aware of my posture when doing housework and at work? I guess no, maybe that's what gets added on the back pain.

Pregnancy Stress

Have been having bad dreams lately, I guess it's the worry that we won't be able make it financially, and won't be able to cope with a newborn. And all the rumours heard about the staff's attitude in Auckland Hospital and many untrained student working there.

That stress eases a bit after attending the prenatal class. Jotted down some points to remind myself:

- We naturally know how to take care of our baby, just follow our gut feeling & connect with the baby
- Delegate and don't be afraid to ask for help, kindly accept help from others
- Learn to say no if work is overload, hey pregnant women got all the right to have a relaxed life!
- Go shopping for some new clothes, buy something for yourself, you're worth it!
- Muscle ache (stress in the body) will cause stress, go for a massage or ask my partner to do a massage with relaxing oil or even just baby oil.

Talking about shoppping, just been to Egg Maternity, they're doing a sale at the moment and their outfit is nice and comfortable, the pants have a support system for the tummy which I like. Should also start to shop for some baby clothes, car seat and brest pad....etc for the hospital.

Gestational diabetes glucose test

Phew, my midwife called me for the result of my 2-hour glucose tolerance (GTT) test, luckily she said,'only calling to inform you that you're ok.' I was so worried as we had diabetes in the family and the chance is quite high that diabetes is "in my gene."

Luckily it's over, as gestational diabetes will store too much sugar in the bloodstream and might cause an oversize baby that are too big for natural birth. Not sure if it's the psyllium fibre and Weet-bix I took the night before or other factor. After testing for the 1-hour glucose test and found that my blood sugar level is too high, I started reading more about diabetes before my 2-hour test.

I learned that any food that digest quickly, like anything made from white flour: white bread, pasta or sugar or carbohydrates...etc will cause the blood sugar level to spike. Anything that digest slowly is good, like Weet-bix (97% Whole Grain Wheat) or high fibre food like beans.

I also learned to read the label, a lot of food that name "Wholegrain" was actually made from wheat flour and not really wholegrain. I'm quite surprise to find that most food on NZ supermarket shelves are not the real thing. A lot of them contain less than 15% wholegrain but with the name 'healthy wholegrain' on it. I don't usually eat Weet-bix and this NZ favorite is actually the only thing I could find that contain real fibre.

Changing the diet and regular exercise will help with diabetes and I tried to walk half an hour a day during my lunch break. At first, I didn't know we have to book for the 2-hour glucose test, I took a morning off work and went to my usual Diagnostic Medlab (GTT instruction) and they said I need to book! Then went off to another one nearby and said the same thing but gave me an earlier day. But I can't take another day off, luckily called the one in Ellerslie and they had the drink available. The experience there was so nice, the nurse was so professional, I didn't even feel a thing when she inserted the needle. And she advised me I had 10 minutes to finish the bottle, instead of 'drink it and come back in an hour, and don't eat or drink and do any exercise during that hour' with the one I went for the first test.

Who knows? Maybe because I sip the drink slower for the second time, or had a comfy sofa to sit on or didn't have any breakfast or even the Weet-bix or psyllium fibre that I took the night before or the exercise or eating less sugar that make me ok for the second test, maybe not. But I'm glad that I don't need to go to the doctor every week to monitor my blood sugar level.

Week 28 - life as usual

Busy busy at work, now to week 28, the past few weeks seems to past so quickly. My friend told me to keep my job until 2 weeks before due date, just to have some activities. And more exercises will help ease with labour. I'll keep this in mind and try to walk whenever I get a chance. However I'm planning to take my maternity leave 1 month before the due date.

Notice more leg cramps, heard that caffeine will actually intensify leg cramps, ok, guess will have to cut down on the decaf mocha then! :-) Everything as normal, a lot more kicking and starting to go to the midwife every 2 weeks from next visit.

Pregnancy music

It's now week 27, my tummy is getting so big that whenever people see me, they'll say, it's really getting big now. And glad that people know that I'm pregnancy instead of that 'you've gain a bit of weight or not?' look. Starting to find it hard to balance. And trying to play some classical music for my baby. It's interesting, sometimes when he/she is kicking so hard, when I play the music, he/she seems to slow down a bit. But sometimes when he/she's not moving (sleeping maybe), when I play the music, he/she will wake up. :-)

Also starting to collect relaxing music for my labour & breastfeeding after birth as suggesting in What to Expect When You're Expecting. It's quite funny, I'll try to pick the cheapest or the product on special in a supermarket, but for these kind of things, I just buy it without question. Maybe it's just human nature of wanting the best for our children.

Some of my collection for the baby:

Quick Recipe

Just found this on the web for some quick recipe:

http://www.kidspot.com.au/recipe-finder-kidspot.asp

I also found pre-preparing all the food during the weekend helpful as we need to work during the week and it's so tiring to have to prepare to cook, it's much easier to have everything ready and just simply re-heat or fry/bake...etc.

Other useful links:
New Parent's Survival Guide

Pregnancy Photo Gallery
Patrick Bellett - Nelson Street, Auckland
Stephanie Creagh
Sonia Gilchrist
Jo Frances - 1/2 price when mentioned BabyWebNZ
ImageMe
Designer Portraits - will do make up & hair as well, & a complimentary sitting with baby before 3 months
Amanda Haynes - specialising in maturnity (Christchurch based)

Birth Announcement