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[ View the Fotopage entry | View the complete Fotopage ]
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| Wednesday, 30-Apr-2008 21:37 |
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The Waiting Game Begins....
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Your pregnancy: 38 weeks
How your baby's growing:
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
How your life's changing:
For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.
Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.
3 Questions About... Preparing to breastfeed
Q1. Why is breastfeeding considered the best way to feed a baby?
Breast milk is nature's most perfect food for babies. It has just the right proportion and types of proteins, carbs, and fats, along with almost all of the vitamins and minerals that a baby needs in the first six months of life. Dozens of studies have confirmed the benefits of breastfeeding and new ones are published all the time. Here's a look at some of the highlights. Breastfeeding can:
- help protect your baby from diarrhea, respiratory problems, and ear infections.
- reduce your baby's risk for allergies, leukemia, and possibly obesity.
- reduce your stress level and risk of breast cancer.
Q2. What can I do to prepare for breastfeeding?
You can set yourself up for breastfeeding success by reading about how to breastfeed and learning where to turn for help if the going gets rough. Here are four key things to know:
• Insist that you and your baby have skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth (unless either of you has a medical complication) so you can start breastfeeding as soon as possible. If you have a c-section, ask that your baby join you in the recovery room as soon as your surgery is done.
• Realize that nursing doesn't come naturally to every woman, and if you're feeling discouraged, you're not alone. Get help early while you're still at the hospital or birth center to make sure you and your baby get the hang of breastfeeding before you go home.
• Nurse your newborn frequently — eight to 12 times every 24 hours. And unless medically necessary, your baby shouldn't get anything but breast milk until breastfeeding is well established (for the first few weeks at least).
• For more information, see BabyCenter's comprehensive breastfeeding area.
Q3. Does breastfeeding hurt?
Just because breastfeeding is the most natural way to nourish your baby doesn't mean it's always easy. For many women, breastfeeding can be uncomfortable or even painful at first. Don't suffer in silence. Pain is often an indication that your baby isn't attached to your breast properly. Her mouth should cover a large part of your areola (the pigmented skin around your nipple). Your nipple should be far back in your baby's mouth. If nursing hurts after your baby's first few sucks, break the suction by inserting your little finger between your baby's gums and your nipple — and try again until you find a position that's less painful. Talk to a lactation consultant before you leave the hospital to make sure your baby is latching on to your breast correctly. If your hospital doesn't provide lactation support or you encounter difficulties after leaving the hospital, you can contact La Leche League International for help.
Some women are totally comfortable breastfeeding in public, while others feel self-conscious. If you're worried about it, carry a jacket or extra blanket with you when you go out with your baby. That way, if he needs to nurse before while you're out, you can drape it over your shoulder and your baby's head for privacy.
This Week's Activity:
Start reading up on baby care. If you haven't already, now's the perfect time to switch reading gears from pregnancy to baby. You won't have as much time to read after your baby's born, so learn all you can about the first few weeks now. A good place to start is BabyCenter's Preparing for a Newborn area.
source : www.babycenter.com
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It is now nearing the end of the line, and the waiting begins.... with much suspense!!
Reading the article above, it kind of set of LOUD alarms in my head as my feet have suddenly swelled to almost double its usual size, my headaaches are still as sever and persistent as ever, and last night hubby almost drove me to hospital as I had horrible abdominal pains  My face also appears kind of puffy in the morning, which never happened before, not even when I sleep for less than 2 hours!!!
So, to put my mind at rest, went to the clinic and checked my BP. Turned out to be very good (says the doc) so I basically had nothing to worry about. The swelling of my feet can't be helped especially at this late stage of pregnancy, and all that I can do is to make sure I put my feet up ALL THE TIME Not an easy thing to do especially when I imagine myself seated at my chair and heaving my legs up, and consecutively toppling off my chair onto the hard floor  Now, THAT would be a totally hillarious, not to mention kind of pathetic, sight to behold!!!
BREASTFEEDING
I guess this is one thing that most, if not all, women expect to want to do exclusively as it is the best source of food for a baby for the first six months of its life.... I would LOVE to have the opportunity to do this but am not sure how it is like with our local hospitals. I have read mixed reviews about this, and how co-operative or unco-operative nurses can be, especially if a new mother had undergone a c-section (which is a huge possibility for me)
* can I expect to breastfeed my baby almost immediately after its birth?
* can I expect the best possible support from the staff?
* how do I ensure that the staff will at least attempt to allow me breastfeed first before giving my baby any kind of formula?
* if I do end up with a c-sec, how soon can I expect to breastfeed, and what is the best possible solution if I can't?
These questions haunt me a lot lately, and I really have to make it a point to discuss this with Prof when I see him at my next appointment.
Here are some pics of more gifts for baby. Before jumping up and down at seeing the pink rompers, I also have a whole set of blue 'boy' ones which were given to me by friends from the office. I have only just let on on baby's sex so some friends know and some don't, and are just taking guesses. To me, it's not a problem  Things will always work out, and as long as baby's healthy, I'm more than happy!!
Today, there was a farewell at the office as I will be moving to a new department effective Friday, which in a way is kind of befitting since I am supposed to already be on leave next week (which I have not applied since I don't know who's supposed to approve that leave!). Then I go off on my maternity leave (Insya Allah) and will be back mid or end July to start my new stint in the new department -- fresh start all the way! Great timing, huh??!! 
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BEBELAN HARI INI
Ni dah lama tak bebel-bebel so ingat nak la melalak sikit sebab menyampah memikirkan 'prosedur' di dalam kerja.... yang mana sekali sekala sepatutnya ada sedikit BUDI BICARA
Baru-baru ni kita memohon permit untuk pembantu rumah asing, dan dalam borang tu ada senarai check list untuk supporting documents yang perlu ada contohnya salinan surat beranak anak-anak dan laporan doktor (kiranya mengambil pembantu rumah untuk membantu menjaga orang tua yang sakit). Dalam senarai tu, langsung tak disebut "sekiranya mengandung, lampirkan laporan bla bla bla....." jadi berdasarkan pengalaman kawan-kawan, kami pun sertakan 'laporan' berbentuk scan terakhir berserta tarikh jangka melahirkan anak, dan dalam scan report tu mestilah ada maklumat seperti nama dan nombor kad pengenalan patient.
Masa che abang pergi hantar borang tu, tidak pulak pegawai kat kaunter tu cakap tak sah ke apa laporan tu, jadi kami pun ingat semua dah selesai....tinggal tunggu permit lulus untuk dihantar ke indonesia untuk tindakan selanjutnya.
Tup! tup! pagi ni che abang cakap pegawai jabatan berkenaan menghubungi dia untuk meminta 'surat rasmi' yang mengesahkan saya mengandung sekali dengan tarikh dijangka melahirkan anak Saya pun telepon klinik, meminta surat tersebut. Tak lama kemudian, che abang telepon lagi, katanya surat tu mesti daripada pakar sakit puan!!!
Masa ni yang kita terfikir.... piagam pelanggan jabatan-jabatan kerajaan dan kementerian-kementerian kita ni bukan main lagi user atau consumer friendly, tapi bila bab nak menjalankan sesuatu tugas tu, terlalu rigid sampai tak boleh nak guna sedikit pertimbangan dan budi bicara.
Laporan berbentuk scan dah dilampirkan sekali, apa lagi yang tak lengkap? Kalau klinik panel Qualitas tu tak bole dipakai laporannya, kenapa boleh pula diterima medical report yang dibuat untuk tujuan recruitment? Sedangkan doktor di klinik tu memang pakar dalam bidang scanning ni, siap ada sijil pun!
Nasib baik che abang nak kena selesaikan beberapa hal di luar pejabat hari ni jadi sempat dia singgah ke hospital untuk mengambil surat daripada doktor pakar sakit puan di hospital swasta tempat saya pergi sebelum ini.
Lagi satu yang 'seronok' dengan prosedur ni kan, kawan saya ada juga yang buat permohonan permit macam dalam kes saya, dan katanya permit tu akan siap dalam masa tiga hari bekerja. Pegawai yang berurusan dengan che abang saya pulak cakap ia akan mengambil masa tujuh hari hingga dua minggu!! Apa cerita ni??!?!?!  Macam tak ada keseragaman, kan?
Kita ni macam at the mercy of pelbagai prosedur yang adakalanya mengelirukan dan tidak jelas. Ini tak termasuk lagi arahan-arahan dalam cara-cara mengisi borang dan sebagainya. Memang pening bila baca, terasa macam 'tak pergi sekolah' pun ada  
Sekarang ni, kita berdoa sangat supaya pembantu yang kita bakal dapat ni OK, dan serasi. Tak perlulah nak pening-pening lagi lepas ni!
OK.... settle bebel-bebel untuk hari ni.... 
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