Straight As

Mr and Mrs Tan was looking at their son's academic report card and were shaking their heads. "Joe, why can't u get straight As like your cousin Mark?" "This is very disappointing... u know?"
'What is it that he has that you don't have?"

Joe simply looked at his parents and without batting an eyelid said "Hmm.... Different parents..."

My babies are coming!

I planned to have a c-section this coming Monday on the 28th April at 4pm to deliver the babies. I would have like to have a natural birth but seeing that they are both breeched as of today, it is highly unlikely that they will move to be engaged by next week. Anyway, I think that the lack of space makes it hard for them to move much except to kick and punch... oof!

Elective caesarean then! Checking into the hospital at 10am. Only allowed toast and milo at 9am.... so sad... I will soooo hungry. Anyway, I am sure I will survive. Marido initially did not want to be with me during the op. I think he does not want to freak out but I insisted that he be there for support... after all this is a 2 person effort, right?

The gynae was suggesting that I sud do a c-section next friday but I am already so big that I dunno what will happen by next Friday. I think that a planned c-sect is safer than an emergency one (which is what will happen if I wait for the contractions to come). So I asked to be cut up sooner. Since the doctor said that the babies will not likely need neo-natal care.,... it's ok... yippee!!

They will be small .. as babies go.. abt 2.6kgs but combined.. they are a whopper! In fact, my father-in-law's waistline is the same as mine! Har har. And a friend of mine solemnly said "It is interesting to note that at one point in time, ur waistline is larger than mine."

Well... so in total, I gained about 19-20 kgs... not bad considering I did not bloat up that much. I kinda looked like I put on about 4 kgs overall and everything else went to the kids.

Okie.. babies.. mummy is looking forward to meeting u... man! Is my life going to change.... phew!

Weight and Waistline

1st month - 50kgs and about 26 inches in waist
2nd month - 48kgs and about 25 inches in waist
3rd month - 45 kgs and about 27 inches in waist
4th month - 50kgs and about ????
5th month - 53kgs and about ????
5 1/2 month -55kgs and about 34 inches in waist
6th month - 56 kgs and about 38 inches in waist (yicks!)
7th months - 57 kgs and about 40 inches in waist (measured at 28 weeks)
8th months - 60kgs and about 42 inches in waist (measured at 32 weeks)
9th months - 64kgs and about 44 inches in waist (measured at 36 weeks)- stretch marks starting to show

As you can tell, I am very very tired of being pregnant already. I can hardly walk and it hurts to move around. I was like practically begging the doctor to deliver my babies earlier.....

7 things I could not have done without during pregnancy

1) Belly Support Belt
My good friend in Australia bought me a support belt and it was such a godsend. I got Marido to buy another for me to for rotation.... and it really helps with the aches of the back and also with the weight of the babies since they are heavier than normal singletons. It's a wonder why women don't get them.. for the RM100++ they are worth it....!! Rather than suffer the aches and pains.
2) Ginger tea
Man! I was throwing up so much that anything that helps with the nausea - I would take it. Ginger tea in any form, powder, home made, store made...etc. It takes the edge of the nausea. Problem is you gotta down it all the time.. and ginger is 'heaty'.
3) Assam boi
I just had a funny tongue throughout most of the pregnancy so the asam boi certainly helps. I bought like 300 biji of asam... yummy! Bought them from Old Town PJ for a song!
4) Bread +Dry Crackers
Ok.. so I developed a huge liking for bread.. and the dry crackers were helping during the nausea stage. I like pizza too.. anything bready! I think that the body was just craving for carbohydrates since I threw up so much and pretty much had nothing in the tank!
5) Fajitas
Another carbohydrate filled food... but I loved it! It was like one of the only things I could stomach during those hazy days of nausea. However, until now, I still associate Fajitas with my early pregnancy.... yuck!
6) Barley, Cincau, Coconut Juice
When I could not stomach plain water, I seem to get some hydration from these traditionally 'no-no' drinks. My smum always scolds me when I drink these 'bad' drinks but hey.. my body seems to like them.. so take lah.
7) Bio Oil
I started rubbing Bio-Oil since my 2nd trimester. And I have not stopped since.... twice a day.. and I had a smooth belly until yesterday.. sob!! I guess the trauma of having 2 babies was just too much even for Bio Oil.

Waddling like a duck and feeling like a beached whale!

I have always wondered why pregnant women waddle like a duck... I now wonder no more. Somehow, the weight in the front shifts the centre of gravity for the person to the front and we find it hard to walk like we normally do. Also, the legs cannot seem to close nicely so we have to walk terkangkang.. which is soooo ungraceful. Really look like either a duck or penguin! Ok.. at least they are cute.. I dunno if I look cute or just clumsy! Fortunately Marido is very very patient with me when we walk together... I take 4 times the time to get to a place then I used to.

Well... I feel like a whale esp when I am in bed trying to turn... I wonder why there is pain when I do so... the pelvic area hurts. And also when I am on my side.. which is the supposed best position.. I still feel like I am in pain. Yuck!


Tried watching some movies at the theatre.. managed to catch "Definitely, Maybe" - sad show.. divorces are always sad. And also caught "27 dresses" - now that was funnier but also Silly! Thank goodness the seats at the movies are comfortable. Otherwise I would have left halfway.

Hmm.. I have bitten my nails to the bones in the anticipation of the impending birth. Walau! Gross looking nails. Mantra "Not Long to go, not long to go,......."

Gestational Diabetes

In my last blog, I mentioned that I felt extremely thirsty all the time. I read up about that and it seems I may have gestational diabetes... oh dear.. I have to admit that I have since stop drinking plain water (my tongue wants to taste sweet stuff) and have been guzzling down soft drinks.. bad bad. that would have contributed to this. Also, readings says that I will also start going to toilet more often. and what do you know.. in the night, I had to get up 5 times to visit the loo. GREAT!!!

Today, I forced myself to drink plain water... yuck yuck.. which is abnormally not yuck for me when i am not pregnant... somehow the tongue has this icky feeling there.... cis!

Well, I must take care of myself.... must take care of myself... do not give in to the tongue... blegh!

On Maternity Leave

I will be starting my maternity leave on the 21st April. Nevermind if the babies have not arrived yet. I simply cannot walk or work without feeling tired and I would feel really bad about it.

So will be at week 36 during the 21st April week. This is actually very good news for me... that I have made it pass the critical 35th week. At week 35, the kidneys are fully developed, and the livers can process some waste products. Most of the basic physical development is complete —they'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight. Yippee.. what a relief off my mind. That would mean that if they come out now, lesser chance of being in the NICU. Phew!!

My big question is ... how do I know when to go to the hospital.. Doc said that to go when I am in pain.... but I have no idea what the pain will be like... some people tell me it's like diarrhea and others tell me it's like period cramps... some others tell me that they just feel some pain in the belly area... so I guess I shall have to find out for myself since every birth is kinda different.

Sleeping is getting harder now... I had to toss and turn (rather painfully too) to get comfortable. I feel that I am most comfortable sitting straight up but that is no way to sleep.

A funny thing today- I noticed that I get very very thirsty all of a sudden.. keep wanting to drink. Wonder why? And yet I don't go to the toilet that often... strange hoh?

My own baby ticker

Can't believe I am going to be a mother

Yesterday, while rubbing my belly with Bio Oil (for prevention of stretch marks and itchiness), the reality of becoming a mother hit me. The babies were moving quite a lot and I could feel them either pushing the uterus with their hands and legs.. what an amazing feeling.

I wonder about these 2 beings - who are alive and literally kicking in here. Wonder how my life will be like when they are out. As it is, my world revolves around them..

I can't go out much cos it hurts to walk to much,
I am not at the office working as climbing stairs may trigger contractions,
I find myself breathless all day (heart beat close to 200 per minute1-normal heartbeat is about 60-100 per minute) as the medication makes me feel this way, but I gotta take it as it's a tocolytic (prevent premature labour)
I can't eat much as they are crowding out my stomach,
I can't stand when I washing my hair as it gets painful,
I am scratching like a cat cos somehow, the body is finding it hard to cope with all the changes,
I tend to read more materials on pregnancy and baby raising cos I am a first time mummy and need all the help I can get,
I find getting comfortable difficult due to my burgeoning size,
I knock my tummy into things (and it hurts) as I underestimate the sheer size of the belly,
I waddle like a duck and look totally ungraceful cos of I can't seem to close my legs when I walk
I find my eyesight deteriorating, probably due to the hormone changes,
I roll my eyes every time my neighbour Matthew does a "Woah! Look at that size" when he sees me,

Sometimes when I look at my belly in front of the mirror, I am just bowled over by how the body is capable of keeping something akin to a huge watermelon in it. All round and smooth. The incredible ability of the body to sustain life... I am awed by the creation of God. How can anyone say there is no master designer..? I am so aware that each day I live and breathe, it's by His grace.

Well, not long to go now. Before I know it, they will be out, grown up and live their own lives and I will be wondering where the years have gone. But as for now, I am learning to appreciate the last few moments left of the pregnancy. It's tough, but not as tough as the 1st 3 months of the pregnancy. Nothing I have ever faced compared with that trauma of throwing up and feeling like I am losing my life. I wonder if I dare to venture that path again.

Well, here's to life and more lives.....

Nimbus's reaction to my little ones

I think about my cat and wonder if he will get jealous once the twins arrive? I would feel so bad if he got so distraught that he refuses to eat (read that cats may do that if they are very upset). Well... Marido and I have determined that the babies sud be in their own room across ours and Nimbus can continue to sleep in our bed tucked in cosily next to Marido.

I wonder if our idea to keep the babies in their own room will work. I just read in "The Baby Whisperer" book that babies below 6 pounds/2.7kgs will need to feed every 2 hours... Astagfirrullahhalazim... I would be like a cow feeding them. I may have to move to their room to minimise movement on my side. But hey... I will share more with u about that later.

This is a photo of Nimbus which I love.. there are many more but this one of him looks so ...er.... how sud I put it.. serene. He is truly a darling cat. Now.. tell me how many cats will allow you to shower them without scratching you or even putting up a fuss. He really is a gentle giant for a cat... 5kgs... about 30% larger than most kucing kampung.

Another week at Home

Saw Dr Guna again this morning... that is him on the left but it's not my baby. He is such a pleasant doctor... anyway my CTG shows that my uterus is relatively calm but he is taking no chances... another week of bed rest for me and still on Terbutaine -2.5mg (Britaline) but on a lesser dosage.. twice a day. Man.. that is still going to make my heart palpitate and me feel ill.

After this week - I sud be 35 weeks old and he will not stop if the contractions come. Ooh.... i am going to have to feel the pain of labour... ai!!

According to many readings on the net, it would be normal to have crying bouts in the last few weeks.... wow! I certainly don't want that. Nevermind... i think I feel too tired to be bothered. Right now, I am still working from home but resting every 2 hours or so.

But I can see my work plans slipping down the drain.... oh dear.. too many things and so little time now.

Scratching like a dog or cat....

Another ridiculous thing happened to me last night.. I started scratching like crazy.... I am not sure what happened.. I just woke up scratching my hands, palms, arms.... very itchy. Apparently it is called "obstetric cholestasis" which is a rare condition in late pregnancy that is caused by bile salts being deposited under the skin. If it gets very severe, it may lead to maternal jaundice, liver failure, premature delivery and even stillbirth.. great! .. another thing to worry about!

I wonder if this is similar to something that Goat had.. where she kept on scratching and scratching and driving herself crazy.

Will check with gynae when I see him next this week. Due for CTG tomorrow anyway.

What harm can 16 flights of steps do?

On Wednesday, there was a huge thunderstorm that somehow shortcircuited my offices security system and also the lift. So I had to walk 3 flights of steps down that evening. On Thursday, I had to climb up that 3 flights of steps (not to mention the 1.5 flight from car park to ground level) and climb down again for meetings with merchants and then up again, then down again... all in all, about 16 flights.

At 6pm, I went to the toilet and to my surprise.. after I had urinated, I found my pants wet.. cud not tell if it was urine or amniotic fluid.. (nose not that sensitive!). I quickly drove home, took a shower and washed the hair, ate my dinner, called the hospital and after getting the advice from a staff nurse to come for a CTG, we drove to the hospital at about 8.30pm.

The CTG showed contractions that were one min apart.. not huge ones but mild ones that were dangerous enough. Unfortunately I could not feel anything since my skin was already so tight. I spoke to Dr Guna on the phone and he advised me that I am to be admitted, put on drip (to stop the contractions), given a steroid jab (to mature the babies' lungs), antibiotics (Augmentin- to prevent any infection) and to be monitored all night until he sees me in the morning.

Off I went to the labour room and got all that done. During the night, I heard screaming women and crying babies.. soooo disturbing.. what to do, I was in one of the many labour rooms in the maternity wad... I could hardly sleep... with the constant interruption of my CTG monitoring and the screaming women.

The uterus calmed down after one hour on drip .. amazing! In the morning, the doc told me to stay another day for monitoring. So I was wheeled in bed to a 2 bedded room which was already occupied by a new mother. Again, sleep was elusive as the new born baby cried almost constantly and the husband of the women slept with her and snored all through the night. I definitely must have my own room when I deliver!

On Sat morn, doc was happy to let me go with strict instructions not to climb more than one or 2 flights of stairs in the day (the stairs in my house sud be ok) and must be on bed rest for a week. Sigh! So boring to be at home. But at least its home and not at the hospital where I chalked up RM1800 in terms of bills for just 2 nights. Wonder how bad it would be when I stay in a single room for up to one week.

I am still on medication - Terbutaine 2.5mg (Britaline) which made me vomit the last time I took it but thankfully I only feel a little strange now..and Augmentine.

Ooh... so tired now.. going to rest a bit before lunch. So glad I have a helper who is busy in the kitchen preparing lunch.

More updates later. Good thing the babies have not arrived.. I believe that the human incubator is much better than the hospital incubator. Babies are very active since the incident... I feel pulls and stretches so muc more now. Very uncomfortable. Well, doc did say that if I rest.. I sud keep them in there till week 37.