Week 10: PRUNE

PRUNE. Prunus domestica. For this week, my baby's size is that of a prune. According to books, this week marks the beginning of a critical period of my baby's development when all the vital organs have formed and are starting to function. I am almost at the end of my first trimester and sooner I will start to "look" pregnant.

My clothes are starting to feel a little snug, well partly due to bloating gained from hormonal changes in my body. My hormone level is rising and so are the side effects. I have constipation, indigestion, nausea and worst of all my body is in general malaise. With all these, I have to keep myself awake at work as I am always drowsy and sleepy. Good heavens, I'm robbed off of my energy. I had to drag myself to work.

On a positive note, my cousin sent me a pregnancy journal and that bestseller "What to Expect when You are Expecting". I've read from ew.com that a movie version is in the works with JOE MANGANIELLO as one of the expectant fathers. wowza. The journal is much like a day to day info on  my baby's development. The best part is the "about your pregnancy" section as a prologue to the journal. I'll share some of the questions with my corny/mushy answers here.

ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY

Was your pregnancy planned or a suprise?
It was planned, but 'surprisingly" it came too soon :D

When did you suspect you were pregnant?
When I didn't get my period after a bottle of beer . ( tsk tsk , i know i know)

When your pregnancy was confirmed, how did you react?
Stunned, surprised, anxious and happy <<< in this order

How long did it take to become pregnant? Did it seem quick or slow?
Very very quick *wink

What is the best thing about being pregnant?
Other than tax deduction? kidding aside, the idea that I have a functioning ovary!! seriously, to experience motherhood.

What challenge did you foresee with this pregnancy?
adjustment when winter comes, cold turkey'ng coke and coffee and telling my boss that I am pregnant.

What are the most important qualities you can nurture as a parent?
Fear of God, respect for parents and elders and perseverance

Have you picked out any names? What names would you consider?

Boy: Zigmund Seth ( hubby picked this)
Girl: Sophia Leigh ( i am open to more suggestions)

Week 9: GREEN OLIVE

Hear ye hear ye, my baby is now the size of a green olive. Gosh, I only like green olives on my martinis. Other than that, its vile.

My baby green olive has graduated from a mere embryo to a fetus. Like its now starting to look like a.. b a b y. Too bad I wouldn't be able to hear his/her heartbeat yet as I am not slated to see my OB till August.

On the other hand, my waistline expanded! Although I still don't look like pregnant, but I feel like I have this muffin-top figure already. or may be i'm exaggerating. Also, I feel tired easily, like i ran a bloody 20-mile marathon. My sibs and mom used to call me a sloth but pregnancy made me even more lazy. I just had enough energy being glued to the couch with the remote on my hand. If I'm not at work, I usually list down the things I need to do. But it's now a feat  if I scratch at least two items on the to-do list these days.

While I lay aimlessly on the couch, I couldn't help but cast my eyes on the carpet and how I want to vacuum the bedroom. But on top of low energy, my smell is soo uber keen like I thought i've metamorphosed into a bionic woman. I can smell every freaking bloody stink. Hence, the Lysol obsession.

so much for "joys" of pregnancy. oh well, just enjoy the ride I guess.
i need my rest. ciao for now.

WEEK 8: RASPBERRY

As I've said in my previous post, you get all imaginable produce compared to your baby. This week , its the size of a RASPBERRY.

I had all these abdominal cramps and a massive heartburn. I have a history of GERD but this is different. I tried on taking some TUMS but it says the maximum I can take is only 3 tablets. 3 tablets! I was supposed to watch HP-DH2 on its opening day but maaaan, my heartburn cancelled out my plans.

Then I got a call from the medical clinic that my OB will not be around by August so they have to postpone my appointment to a later date. This irked me coz its too late for my FIRST prenatal. So I argued and got a new OB. The price of free healthcare.

WEEK 7: BLUEBERRY

One thing I've noticed, pregnancy apps and websites compare your baby to all fruits/produce imaginable. For me this week 7 :

Baby's now the size of a blueberry!
Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- is growing fast, generating about one hundred new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!) is now in place.
 


AS IF I didn't have any nocturnal peeing problem already,  my blueberry makes me pee a gazillion times more in a day!  There are 3 things working here: 1. my HCG ( pregnancy hormone) level increases blood flow 2. my kidneys are more efficient coz im peeing for two and 3. the growing uterus is pressed down on my bladder.

Oh well, consider this the joys errr juice of pregnancy.

Week 7: Pregnancy Workout Video

Weeks before I found out that I am on the way, I saw on TV the Insanity Video by Shaun T. Back in the Philippines where you can buy any dvds that you want, I had a copy of the Hip Hop Abs of Shaun T. It has hip hop movements and without bent-knee curl ups!

I've downloaded the Insanity workout video and tried it. The video assures you that: If you commit yourself to the workout regimen, you will have "insane" abs bod. On top of that, the video came with a nutrition guide and diet plan too-- cool eh? 

BUT. I got pregnant and it would be "insane" to use that workout video. It's scary to think of miscarriage and split abdominal muscles. So I surfed and found this Teletubbies-looking fitness guru Kathy Smith back in the day.

Essence of a Woman

I am running out of time. I gotta catch the bus at 13:14. Transit buses here are on time ALWAYS. So cant mess with it otherwise, have to wait for another 30 minutes.

So eversince I found out I'm pregnant, I'm reminded of Sushmita Sen. I was still 13 years old when this pageant was staged in the Philippines. Back then, I didn't get what it REALLY means.

Prenatal Vitamins

A pregger co-worker told me that she is taking Materna vitamins. I was  looking for a prenatal vitamins and I have no idea what to get. I am currently taking Vitamin E and this is for my skin. As they say, we have to take care our skin as gravitational pull ( aka wrinkles) comes with age. I found out Materna is by Centrum and it prevents Neural tube defects. Honestly I never heard of this birth defect so i consulted google and found out it occurs when tissues of the brain and spinal cord fail to develop properly. damn scary eh.

So here's what Materna got for me:

Beta-Carotene (a source of Vitamin A)	2500 IU
Vitamin A (Vitamin A as acetate)	1000 IU
Vitamin E (dl- tocopheryl acetate)	30 IU
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)	85 mg
Folic Acid (folate) Learn more	1 mg
Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate)	1.4 mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	1.4 mg
Niacin (niacinamide)	18 mg
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride)	1.9 mg
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)	2.6 mcg
Vitamin D (cholecalciferol)	400 IU
Biotin	30 mcg
Pantothenic Acid (calcium pantothenate)	6 mg

MINERALS

Calcium (calcium carbonate)	250 mg
Magnesium (magnesium oxide)	50 mg
Iodine (potassium iodide)	220 mcg
Iron (ferrous fumarate)	27 mg
Copper (cupric sulfate)	1 mg
Zinc (zinc oxide)	7.5 mg
Chromium (chromium chloride)	30 mcg
Manganese (manganese sulfate)	2 mg
Molybdenum (sodium molybdate)	50 mcg
Selenium (sodium selenate)	30 mcg

Pretty neat huh? Now on to my eating habit.

My Pregnancy Checklist ( thanks to thebump.com)

Estimated Due Date: February 18, 2012
Days left:  227

My current tasks:

1. Schedule first prenatal check-up.
2. Get eating on track.
3. Start prenatal vitamins.
4. Start or continue exercising.
5. Pick up some books on pregnancy.
6. See baby's heartbeat on ultrasound.

Week 1: ( or so I thought)

Its the nicest time of the year here in Winnipeg. Its summertime. If you've lived in Asia like me, this is no big deal. However, for people from here: frozen tundra, its a cause celebre'. For me, it feels like 'home'.

Having been here for 4 months, we had a lot of plans to do for the year. There's painting the house with green ( ha! this is my house too), renovating the kitchen, road tripping to the nearest US state and watching concerts.

We went for the U2 concert and had so much fun. I had taken on a job which still makes me talk and talk some more but its not the kind of talking I used to do. Whenever I go home, it wiped me out that I had forgotten to keep track of my period. So I said to my hubby, after 15th of June if I will not get it, I will buy a test. He said it will be a waste of time since we were not even trying. I know we are going to have a baby at some point in the future, especially when people keep pointing out that I am already 30, I thought it might take a while. SO we didn't really concern ourselves of getting pregnant right away.

We found a sale on patio set from WalMart. Because it was new and we're cool like that ( haha), we dined and had beer ( yes I had beer!) in our backyard , one beautiful evening. I usually drink beer whenever I feel bloated and it follows that I get my period the next day. I don't know any scientific explanation for that or may be it just has a placebo effect on me. But a week after that dinner, I still didn't have my period and I started to notice that I had been having frequent trips to the bathroom.
This is it, I gotta get that test. I passed by Rexall drugmart on my way home. I chose the cheapest pregnancy test because I'm frugal like that and in case it's not positive then I wouldn't throw away $20 to the trash bin.

They said, for best results, you have to do the test early in the morning but I couldn't wait. The moment I got home , I went to the bathroom, did the test and took a deep breath. It was the longest minute of my life as the stick starts to form one........then two lines. The second line was kinda faded. My mouth was dry, eyes grew in disbelief. Voila, there's  a second line. Since it was a buy one take one test, I took the test again. But even Maths will tell you that two positives do not make a negative. I AM FREAKIN PREGNANT!

When hubby got home, I told him the news, he was sooooo happy like he just won a lottery. On the other hand, I was like " it was just a one shot deal". Uh uh. And then I recall my new bike, my new 5-inch heels and the plan to go NYC. Erase, scratch, erase, scratch. Thanks to two lines on a plastic stick, my life has been changed in less than a minute. I AM NOW A MOMMY. me a mom?? so surreal. im freakin out, its sooo surreal.


I instantly went online,  looked for OB-GYNE clinic and scheduled an appointment. They will not take me in till the first trimester. I had to wait till August 10 to see an OB doctor. I TAUGHT DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY for quiet some time but I felt like I have to learn all new stuff again. It's a monumental obligation to really carry a life other than your own. I told family and friends about this new "development" and whenever I'm asked how far along am i, I don't have a clue.

Thanks to google. I was reminded that we count pregnancy not by months but by weeks. Pregnancy will lasts for 40 weeks and that countdown started on the first day of your last menstruation ( uhm... weird isnt it). Technically, it's just 38 weeks since it will take 2 weeks for the ovulation to occur. I did the Math and I am on my WEEK 7!

Now this means a lot of things.
1. No Caffeine and that includes coffee and coke. The two beverages I drink other than occasional water.
2. Stop the Insanity by Shaun T workout  that I just started.
3. No less bike rides.
4. Drink Milk. yuck. milk. but yah HAVE TO.
5. Eat veggies.
6. Worry-free, stress-free life.

Here's to a new adventure! ( drink the champagne for me :))