27 weeks and showing...

Paolo and I together with our friend Tet went to FV yesterday for my monthly check-up. I was supposed to have my glucose tolerance test but since I went in late for the day, my doctor suggested to reschedule it for a Friday morning instead.

Here is what is happening inside my belly and to my body according to Baby Center


How your baby's growing:

" This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. Unfortunately, the cramps may get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too."

So when we arrived home, Paolo and I decided to take a shot of my growing belly :) this is the first try as I have been hesitant to take photos of me showing the bump. But i felt that now, on my 27th week, i'm getting more confident with how my body has changed so far.

(I'm in awe at how much the bump has grown compared to how it looked when i was back home a month ago!)

(hello there baby girl!)

The doctor said that the baby is doing very well and she is happy with how i manage the weight gain (she said it is still acceptable!:) which made me so happy as well meaning that the baby is getting all the nutrients from the variety of food i am eating. Her movements continue to become forceful everytime and Paolo is getting more giddy whenever he is able to feel them especially in the middle of the night!!

I'm almost on my third trimester, so i'm getting really excited every minute!!

Some catching up to do...

Best thing about going back home is you get to see people who are important to you. Not only the family but friends who you rarely see and speak to. I was lucky enough to have a month and half vacation to be able to spend time with our families and friends and do some catching up about things and what-nots!

Over the summer, I met with a few of my university girlfriends despite of the schedule they have at that moment. Most of them are also teachers like me and in the Philippines, school have just started. So when we finally agreed to meet, I was very excited! Sad that not all of them were able to make it because of time and work:( Anyway, we had a blast! Betina brought her lovely daughter Sofia whilst Sharon stuffed us with juicy news about her adventure in Indonesia and her newfound love! <3 Marlyn , on the other hand, was still the same cheeky lady telling us the accident she has had with boiling water! :( It was a really good time to see them and I was kind of sad not being able to see the rest of the girls again before i flew back here. Trixie, Christian and I are friends since we were in secondary. Our friendship have been tested many times but we managed to stick together and enjoy every moment that we have. Trixie is now a doting mother to Travis and I know that she is enjoying every minute of it. So when she called up and said that she was free to meet with me, I did not hesitate and immediately agreed! We had a fantastic Japanese lunch and she treated me for a nail spa session at Posh Nails . I was in heaven the whole time we were together and we managed to talk about a lot of things from high school gossips to motherhood!:)

Christian really tried his best to see both Trixie and I despite his busy schedule. He booked us a buffet lunch at Sambokojin and we couldn't agree more that their food was really GOOD!!! He nd I met at around 11am and we started without Trixie as she was still at the hospital with her son for his check-up. She arrived at lunchtime and we managed to stay until 2pm!!!:) I enjoyed the numerous meats available that you grill yourself and some other tasty food on their buffet table. I wish I could eat all those without complaining of tummy ache and weight gain:)

My whole summer break was fun and it was because of these people whom I love dearly. I can't wait to see them again when I go back with a baby in tow!:)

Baby stuff on SALE

When I went back to Manila last month, I started buying some things for the baby. Stuff which i know i would have a tricky time buying here. My sister who is based in the US is also sending some big equipments like the playard, stroller and rocker for our precious little one:) At that time, we haven't confirmed whether the "little dot" is a girl or a boy, so I opted to buy things in colour white. And when I came back here, we got the news that what's inside me will be wearing pink!:) yay!

So as I started going around the city again, i can't help myself but to buy a few pieces of pink clothes for the baby. But i was good because I was able to control it a bit and thought of waiting for a few more months for care packages from our families:)

The city is having its end of season sale at this time of the year, so I was able to grab a few things that i forgot to buy back home. I was surprised that I was able to buy them cheaper than what it is priced in Manila.

I got the SwaddleMe from one specific shop that sells imported stuff from the US at Saigon Square 2. This particular stuff i bought for 300,000vnd (about $14.40) which is less expensive than the one i was supposed to buy back home. It is priced at around Php895. *smile*

The second one i bought from BabyLand at Saigon Tax Shopping Center is a Nursing Wrap. At the moment, this particular shop is having a big sale on its The First Years brand. I bought the Nursing wrap because I would really like to breastfeed my baby as much as I could and if we are out of the house, at least i am prepared to do so without feeling timid about exposing myself. Its original price was 300,000 but after a 50% discount, I was really happy to have purchased it. They're also selling their own swaddler which costs 160,000vnd after discount.

My sister bought me some feeding bottles but i did not pass on the chance of getting me a few The First Years Breastflow bottles and nipples. And for half the price, 145,000 (original price) i reckoned this was a chance not to be missed.

So if any of you living in Ho Chi Minh City and is expecting like me, troop down to any Babyland outlets and find something for your or your baby to buy. Try the 2nd floor of Saigon Tax .

Happy Shopping!

6 months on the way

Today marks my 6th month of pregnancy and I can't believe that it has been that long that i am carrying a life inside me:) I am getting more and more excited everyday knowing that it only takes 3 more months for us to see our precious little darling.

According to Baby Center:

" Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.
Most women have a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between now and 28 weeks. This test checks for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy-related high-blood-sugar condition. Untreated diabetes increases your risk of having a difficult vaginal delivery or needing a cesarean section because it causes your baby to grow too large, especially in his upper body. It also raises your baby's odds for other complications like low blood sugar right after birth. A positive result on your GCT doesn't mean you have gestational diabetes, but it does mean that you'll need to take the glucose tolerance test (GTT) to find out for sure.
Finally, if you don't already know how to spot the signs of preterm labor, now's the time to learn. Contact your caregiver immediately if you notice any of the signs mentioned below."

I am very fortunate not to experience difficulty in my pregnancy. I am really hoping that this would continue until the day i give birth. So far, the only complain that i have is that i frequent the toilet more than usual, which is very normal. I have been eating quite well which is a good thing since i am away from home. I think i can say that i am a "well-behaved" wife to Paolo as I have never craved for some foods or things unusual which could drive him crazy! :)

I am itching to buy more stuff for the baby as i did not purchase much when i was back home. I have been telling my sister how much I love to go out and buy baby things but finds it hard to source the things i want to buy here. For now, I'll just enjoy the days that i don't need to be up early to go to work since i still have 2 weeks more before school starts again!

My Pregnancy: 23 Weeks

(Image and information courtesy of BabyCenter)


How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.

I can't believe that I am almost on my 6th month of pregnancy. The morning i found out I was pregnant is still fresh on my mind and now i only have 3 months to go before we welcome our baby girl! :)

Tiny Dot is a GIRL!

I just came back from a month's vacation in Manila and I can say that it was an excellent time to relax and be with my family and friends and connect with them about what is happening to me. And so just in time, I had my follow-up checkup and 2D echo with my doctors at FV Hospital and they confirmed that Paolo and I are having a baby girl!! woohoo!! And to make ourselves more excited, we were told that the baby is healthy and is developing well! We saw her kicking and moving her hands and feet as Dr Hang performed the ultrasound.

Paolo and I are extremely happy about this news and we can't wait to see and hold our baby! :)