My Baby Girl's 4D Scan at 31 Weeks...

Just a night before my husband left for Angola, we've managed to book a 4D scan to see our baby! It was the most wonderful bond we've ever had with our baby (even before birth).. Feels so amazing...

Sharing the photos with you is my great pleasure, as a very proud mum! We gonna be seeing her in a few weeks time, about 7 weeks!, can't really wait...

I've Been Experiencing Lower Back Pains, Have Found this Natural Remedy

Back pain is very common in pregnancy as pregnancy hormones relax your joints, ligaments and muscles. Your increasing weight will add to the problem, especially as it is natural to want to push your bump forwards which puts greater strain on your back. Walking, prolonged sitting or standing in one position may make your back pain worse.

How can I prevent it?
Try to use your body more efficiently. Stand up straight and tall, ensuring your chin isn't tilting upwards. Avoid standing for too long in one position. If your job involves standing for long periods, keep changing from one foot to the other, sit down when you can and take a walk at lunchtime. In bed, use plenty of pillows for support; keep your thighs parallel to prevent your top leg twisting across your body (recovery position). When getting out of bed, roll onto one side, push yourself up to a sitting position, then slowly stand up.

Don't carry heavy shopping - shop online instead, or ask a friend to help you. Avoid carrying a baby or toddler on one hip, as this puts great strain on the back. Ask for help with housework and chores, or hire a cleaner for a few months, if you can afford it. Wear comfortable shoes with broad supporting heels and adequate straps to prevent your feet from slipping about and twisting your ankles. Wear a well-fitting supportive maternity bra with wide straps and adequately sized cups, to avoid extra strain on your shoulders and rib cage.

At work, you could ask your employer for a lumbar support or an orthopaedic chair, and avoid crossing your legs. Check the position of your computer screen and mouse and adapt these if necessary; leave your desk regularly to move about and get some exercise and fresh air at lunchtime. When driving, make yourself comfortable – and then adjust your rear view mirror so that you do not need to move your head to an unnatural position to see out of the rear window.

Self-help suggestions
Exercise
Gentle exercise, such as walking and stretching, may relieve stiffness and pain. However, don't force yourself to keep walking if you experience pain. Take a rest, otherwise you may strain your ligaments further. Swimming can help too, but avoid breaststroke unless your face is completely in the water, so that your neck and spine are in a straight line. Yoga, tai chi or relaxation classes may be helpful, but always let the teacher know that you are pregnant.

Massage
Gentle massage can ease some backache, but the effects tend to be temporary. If your partner gives you a massage, don't let him massage deeply in the dimples either side of your lower spine, as there are acupuncture points here which can stimulate contractions. If you have sciatica, avoid massaging directly over the affected area until the true cause is known, as this can worsen the condition in some women.

Aromatherapy
Relaxing in a warm bath with essential oils of lavender, ylang ylang or marjoram (for muscle pain) may help. Lavender oil should be used only occasionally in the first trimester, as there is some evidence that it may stimulate contractions (Cavanagh and Wilkinson 2002). Don't use more than two or three drops at a time.

Alternatively use a warm (but not hot) water bottle, or make a compress by adding two drops of each essential oil to warm water. Soak a cloth in this water and place it over the small of your back.

Homeopathy
If the pain is made worse because of injury or strain, gently rub homeopathic arnica cream into the area. Other homeopathic remedies which can be useful include nuxvomica. Try taking it in the 30c strength, if the pain is aching, dragging and bruise-like, but you have constipation and you are irritable and refuse to "give in" to the pain.

Sepia may work if you feel as if you have been "hit by a hammer", are run down, exhausted and feel worse when you are bending down or sitting, better if you walk about. If your symptoms do not improve after a few days, consult a registered qualified homeopath.

Herbal remedies
Herbal remedies which are popularly used to treat backache in non-pregnant patients, such as Devil’s claw, should be used with extreme caution as there is insufficient evidence regarding their safety in pregnancy (Gagnier et al 2004; Ernst et al 2006).

Source: Baby Centre UK

Been Busy Decorating Our Baby's Room

That's hubby re-painted our spare room from cream color to a SOFT LIME and YELLOW combination. Though we already have an idea of our baby's sex, but still we want to have a UNISEX or NEUTRAL color which is fair enough. We both really don't want to have a very PINKISH or BLUESH sort of colors.

Photo below is he sort of color combination we both wanted except, the WALL IS LIGHT GREEN in COLOR. While all the beddings and accessories would be more likely these colors, more on with YELLOW or CREAM touches! Will post some photographs soon after we finish decorating.

Isn't it very refreshing and relaxing color combination?

Saving Money Using Restaurant Vouchers

Due to the credit crunch, our economic situation and soon to be an expanding family, we are trying to save up money by not dining out very often. I must admit that we used to go out and eat out at the restaurant before I got pregnant, however, it is now impractical for both of us to do it regularly. In fact, I am not on my last trimester on pregnancy and been busy preparing for her arrival, therefore, dining out is becoming so unimaginable.

But apparently, VoucherSeeker makes eating out in restaurants possible and saving money at the same time! Check out now to get vouchers on your favourite restaurants now!

AVOCADOS, My Latest Cravings

It's been almost 2 weeks now since I've been eating Avocados (this was right after I had a month cravings for Mangoes). Unfortunately, I am finished with mangoes! However, I'm afraid to say that, my baby fat size has been doubled since I started eating them! Oh dear... I have been told that this is very fattening, as this contains very high in calories. But I just can't afford to deprive myself, as soon as I think about my baby's sake!

I tell you what, I really wanted to stop eating them, but my baby doesn't want to!! lol....

Here are some of the benefits of the avocado:
• They contains around 25% of the calories and total fat of dairy butter, by weight.
• When compared ounce for ounce they provide more heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, and potassium than other fruits.
• Avocados are the number-one fruit source of beta-sitosterol, a substance that lowers total cholesterol better than a low fat diet, and even improves HDL cholesterol.
• It also provides vitamin C and vitamin B6, and about one-third of your daily requirement of folate, a nutrient that helps neutralize excess levels of heart attack-causing homocysteine.

Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Weight gain is a source of great anxiety to many pregnant women, like what I do sometimes! I'm afraid to say that I've earned at least 10-12 kgs and it's only on my 5th month of pregnancy, meaning I could still possibly gain double! Therefore, in 4 months time I will be almost twice as my original weight! OMG!!!! Shocking revelation isn't it?

You may worry about putting on too much weight during pregnancy, and not being able to lose it afterwards, or about not gaining enough, and how this might affect your baby. In fact, women vary tremendously in the amount of weight gain during pregnancy, and there’s no such thing as an ideal weight gain.

On average, a healthy, average-sized woman who eats normally in pregnancy will gain around 12.5kg, but women can gain anything from almost nothing to up to 23kg – and still have a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby. A lot depends on your pre-pregnancy weight, your metabolism and your level of activity.

The weight you gain is made up of baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, increased uterine muscle, enlarged breasts, extra blood, extra fluid and extra fat supplies (needed for making breastmilk). Most weight is gained between 4 and 7 months, although for some women the pattern is quite different.

Although the range of normal weight gain is large, there are disadvantages to being at the outer limits of it. At the lower end, a very low weight gain tends to be associated with lower birthweight babies, especially if associated with smoking, or poor diet, or drug or alcohol abuse. However, if you are a non-smoker, basically well, and eating a healthy diet, simply eating more will not increase the weight of your baby.

At the upper end, gaining a lot of weight makes you more likely to develop varicose veins and to have problems with breathlessness, heartburn or swelling. There is also an increased risk of developing complications such as high blood pressure, pregnancy-related diabetes or pre-eclampsia. This is why most experts would recommend that very overweight women try to lose some weight before becoming pregnant. If this is not possible, expert dietary advice may help prevent further unhealthy weight gain.

Do not be surprised if, after your initial visit, you are not routinely weighed during your antenatal checks. Research has shown that weighing during pregnancy is often inaccurate, a source of considerable anxiety, and unhelpful in clinical terms. Routine weighing is now generally reserved for women who are significantly over- or under-weight (although some pre-eclampsia experts still recommend weighing as part of routine screening for this condition).

What can I do about it?

• Rather than worrying too much about precisely how much, or how little weight you have gained, the important thing is that you eat well. Pregnancy is not a time for dieting, nor for eating too many empty calories. Both you and your baby need to be well nourished. Eat a full and balanced diet, and your body will take care of the rest.
• If you have a pre-existing weight problem – either too heavy or too light – ask your midwife or doctor to refer you to a dietician for guidance. Many women in these situations benefit from specific dietary advice and/or expert counselling.
• Some women weigh themselves regularly at home. If you chose to do this, do not weigh yourself more than fortnightly, and try to standardise when and how you weigh yourself, in order to minimise the normal fluctuations that occur during each day.

Weight gain alert

If you notice that you are putting on weight very rapidly in the last three months of pregnancy, tell your midwife or doctor. Sudden weight gain may indicate acute fluid retention – a possible sign of pre-eclampsia.

Hubby Bought Me This Support Pillow Back/Body Cushion

I started having difficulties in lying on my sides as soon as I was as early as on my 14th week of pregnancy (about 3-1/2 months)! You'd be wondering why not using a pillow instead to support my tummy? Yes I could do that really, but this has special features which is totally different from normal pillows (read below).

We bought this on Ebay UK, which only arrived the other day. I love this really, it has the same texture as duvets....I cuddled this for two nights now, but only on early evenings. I still love to cuddle my big baby LOL...
This Body Pillow may help relieve:

• Fibromyalgia, arthritis and osteoporosis pain
  
• Back, neck and shoulder pain
  
• Restless sleep
  
• Maternity discomforts
• Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction
  

This full length V body pillow can be sculpted into various forms depending on your needs. Gives great support for pregnancy, giving support to your back and bump at the same time. Won't shift in the middle of the night, as may happen if using multiple pillows to get comfortable. This is a great sleeping support for anyone with problems getting comfortable.

Measurements: Approximately 63" long and 2ft wide (each arm 1ft wide). Filled with high quality polyester hollow fibre, complying fully to all furniture and furnishings (fire safety) regulations (BS5852). Washable at 40ºC.

Books Hubby To Read Whenever Baby is Awake

We just bought these two books for my hubby to read on my tummy. I have been asking him to sing but funny as he doesn't know how to sing, so he talks to our baby instead!... I even suggested to buy some children's books and read every morning or whenever I feel baby is awake! This is one of way of recognizing dad's voice while still inside....and we finally did!

Made me realize in the end that we bought these girly books, though we weren't sure if we are going to have a baby girl! Do our instincts have had said so?

10 Ways To Make Life Easier During Pregnancy

These tips brought to me by Babies R Us Shopping for Mums-to-be, and this is where I am going to buy most stuffs for my baby as soon as I start.

1) Personal Shopper Service - A FREE service which I could make an appointment or simply visit the nearest store to get guaranteed satisfaction from their knowledgeable, highly trained advisors on all baby purchases.

2) On-line Shopping - shop from the comfort at home, and for quick shopping I can just simply key in the reference number from the catalog in the search box to see directly the product I want.

3) Free Expert, Friendly Advice Leaflets - all the tips and guide on how to use baby stuffs especially for first time mums....

4) Bottle Warning Service - they help too..

5) Fully equipped (private) changing facilities - what a delight!

6) Free Baby Gift List - It's absolutely free! by making one, I can inform my families or friends who wanted to buy something for my baby - a list where they can access anytime.

7) Delivery Service Online - they deliver to our home for FREE upon spending £150 or more online.

8) FREE Mother and Baby Club Membership - by joining the club it'd allow me to SAVE ££££ on all essential purchases.

9) Gold Card Savings - I can receive up to 50% of my total spending back in money off coupons when I apply and use card for my purchases.

10) Gift Cards - an ideal gift to someone else.

As of the moment, I am busy reading books and magazines for tips and ideas of having a healty pregnancy.

A Bag of Freebies - Mum-to-be Essentials

I have claimed my Mum-to-be Essentials (freebies from various companies hosted by Bounty), given free to all mums-to-be here in the UK! I was really excited, though these may not cost a lot, but the fact that I am a first time mum-to-be, these products would definitely give me ideas what to use as soon as my baby comes out - then this makes a lot right?

Basically, this is to introduce different baby products or assorted baby essentials mums-to-be or mums might considering of using like pampers, baby wipes, cream for rashes, cheap books' collection, drinks, soap powder, etc...

I am pleasantly surprised to discover how they look after mums-to-be, by way of giving health and living advise.

Got My Midwife's First Visit Today

These are what I've got from my Midwife's first visit today. Guides and tips, diary, subscriptions, Bounty club membership form, shopping vouchers, etc...

She was very helpful and it took us more than an hour to have filled all the forms for my future scans, and she gave us all the information as to things that needs to be done during my whole pregnancy. In fact, she managed to book me for a scan this coming Wednesday in Dover (only an hour drive from where we live). I am so excited really.

She also had that radio thingy to hear the baby's heartbeat (I don't how to call it), geezzz it was twice faster than mine. I was staring at hubby's face, made him smile lol...

Like I said, since she knew that I am already on my 13th week of pregnancy that needs to be taken care of soon, so she made herself available only for me (which I never supposed to get an appointment this week) as she was fully booked! Lucky me huh.....

Managed To Get A Medical Appointment At Last!

As you know that hubby has been working abroad for at least 10 years now, so he is not updated with their medical support matters. We did phone the Surgery clinic, and advised us both to go and see her, which we did! It was 2 weeks ago. Then we only managed to see her at the beginning of last week. We then given forms (1 set each), to register for their record purposes, and after 3 days we got mails containing their confirmation that we are now in their database and just to get a medical appointment through phone or visit them.

Our main concern was, if I will get a free medical services the fact that I am not a resident yet nor applied for my "Indefinite Leave to Remain", meaning we were worried to have not been qualified. Talking about my visa, we are going to apply as soon as I am okay or safe to travel up to London, to go backwards and forwards to comply my application.

Anyway, we decided to see them last Friday! Good news!!! They said that they are not fuzzy about red tapes, in short, they don't require any documentation to testify my identity (allien) lol, here in the UK. Meaning I was accepted and open to be given free medical services too.... Thanks God for this news...

We managed to get a slot for this coming Friday only - for general check ups... What about seeing a Midwife? She was fully booked, and not free until first week of April.

Hubby explained my case, and they thought I needed to be checked soon! So they have arranged themselves for me to see her tomorrow! This is another good news, from there we don't know if I will my baby scanned or if to see her/him through ultrasound.

It not we are going to arrange ourselves for a scan from a private one, the main thing is, I get to be checked soon, to see the condition of my baby...

This Is Now My 13th Week of Pregnancy - Fetal Devolpment

I am so happy to have been surpassed my delicate FIRST TRIMESTER!

The fetus is now nearly 3 inches / 7 to 8 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighs nearly an ounce / 23 grams -- about half a banana. Its unique fingerprints are already in place. It says that when I poke my stomach gently and she feels it, my baby will start rooting -- that is, act as if she's searching for a nipple.

If you're having a girl, she now has approximately 2 million eggs in her ovaries; she will have only a million by the time she's born. She'll have fewer eggs as she gets older, and by age 17, the number will have dropped to 200,000.

As for you, the fog may be lifting, so to speak. For many women, the side effects of early pregnancy -- frequent urination, intense fatigue, nausea -- diminish sometime in the second trimester. Your uterus, while large enough to announce to onlookers that you're indeed pregnant, isn't so huge that it gets in your way. Even though birth is months away, your breasts may already start making colostrum, the fluid that will feed your baby for the first few days before your milk comes in.

Source: Baby Centre UK

Fruit Cravings - A Sign of Having a Baby Girl?

Someone told me that I am having a baby girl because I crave much on fruits!

While hubby's family wanted to have a baby girl, for the reason being that I tend to feel tired quickly and more often. Whichever of these theories are true or not, we just have to wait until I have my next ultrasound..

My cravings is pretty much changing every single week! But luckily, I don't crave for junk foods, chocolates, cakes, etc. I have been craving for various fruits like mad since I learned I was pregnant, though changes every week!

During my first few weeks of pregnancy, I was eating GREEN APPLES at least 2 in the mornings and another 2 in the afternoons! Mind you hubby was craving of apples for me too, please read "Hubby Have Some Cravings For Me". It went on for at least 3 weeks, then I was admitted at the hospital for 11 days and all I wanted during those periods were BANANAS AND APPLE MANGOES. It also went for 3 weeks, though I love so much eating CEREALS in the mornings with bananas. However, I don't eat green apples anymore! Weird isn't it? The moment I finished with one fruit, I feel sick every time I think about it.

When we first arrived here in the UK, I remember that first fruits I was looking for were ORANGES and GREEN GRAPES plus YOGHURTS, and I had to eat some of Alfie's oranges and his deserts. Poor little boy, but at least my mother-in-law has been very considerate of offering me what I'd wanted to eat, and we had to buy a packet of green grapes every day! It went on for only few days, and right after I changed to PINEAPPLES, KIWIS and TINNED JACKFRUITS, while it only lasted for a week! Week after that was STRAWBERRYS with ICE CREAM...

You'll probably going to ask me now, what I have been craving at the moment? It has changed again I tell you. I am now been having GREEN SWEET MANGOES (imported from Brazil), yummy.. In fact, I always have two every day, and this has already been on since two weeks ago.

By the way, when I said FRUIT CRAVINGS - this is eating in between meals, in short, my snacks!

What to eat on big meals depends on my taste as well. When I ask hubby what does he fancy for lunch or dinner, he always ask me back what do I fancy...

Pregnancy Accessories Shopping Online

Yesterday we were out again shopping! Tops is not a problem for me at the moment, they still fit me, only I needed couple of trousers since my baby bump is getting really bigger every week! My old trousers still do fit on legs section but not from hips to zip. That trousers at the bottom end, I bought 2 pairs with different colors, and since I like the top, so I decided to buy as well.

So I decided to buy some online. I bought some from Amazon and some from Mothercare...

Plus some essentials of pregnant women especially STRETCH MARK CREAM which I believe I needed it, got this idea from Rose of Rose's Obstacles and Glories, thanks a lot sister for the tip, also Prenatal Fitness DVD so I will be doing some exercise soon as soon as I get it.

I Am 12 Weeks Pregnant - Fetal Development

Yes this week is my 12th week, I am so happy that I am close to the end of my first trimester now!

It says that:
1) My baby's face is beginning to look more human, even though she is only about 2 inches / 5.5 centimetres long from her crown to her rump and weighs slightly less than half an ounce/ 14 grams.

2) The eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together.

3) The ears are almost in their normal position on the side of the head.

4) The liver is making bile and the kidneys are secreting urine in the bladder.

The fetus squirms if your abdomen is prodded, although you cannot yet feel movement. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and synapses (neurological connections in your brain) are forming. The fetus has acquired more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench.

The midwife can now feel the top of the uterus, also known as the fundus, low in the abdomen. As I enter the second trimester, I may find yourself donning looser, less restrictive clothing. Soon I won't be able to fit into my regular clothes any more. But have been using new clothes since I was only 8 weeks pregnant though...

Note: Experts say every baby develops differently - even in utero.

Source: Baby Centre

Previous Posts from my Personal Blog

You may have noticed or these four posts may have looked familiar to you and you may have left your comments, which I've had extracted them from my personal blog. Therefore, all comments are still in there, I only wanted to share them here too, to have a complete story of my pregnancy - from the very beginning until he/she comes out.

Please join me as I go along with my journey to "Parenthood", giving you my day to day updates of "THE BABY INSIDE OF ME"....