Sunday, August 31, 2008

Cool Ain't it?!

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All Eggy

Dum Briyani
Just a sudden love with eggs and I wonder is it because I read & heard they are good for the baby...those DHA and omega 3 enriched eggs!


Bombay toasts
These few days, breakfast comprised of Bombay toasts and either orange juice or milk.

Aloo ke parathay

This time i tried making Aloo ke Parathe(Chappati stuffed with spicy potatoes)
It was a nice cold evening and i was in mood for some spice and experimenting so i embarked on making them.One thing I learnt from Mum, is that making rotis is an art in it’s truest form.Who ever has tried to roll them into the perfect circle with only the aid of a rolling pin, will know exactly what I mean. Mine didnt turn out to be circular like the moon or anything but well almost there...good enough for a novice really! Its so nice to have them with yoghurt :) i had 3 without any difficulty despite the little stomach space!!! :)

All boxed up

Most part of this weekend was spent packing...All i did was sit afar and watch Alvin do the back breaking job.He wont even let me near, forget about helping him out... we're almost done packing afterall we only have one more week before we shift so except for some essentials such as a weeks supply of clothes, crockery, ration and toiletries...everything has gone into boxes!

We're only left with the bulkier items such as the sofa, bed, tv console and dining table to dismantle...I'm so excited to move because its gonna trigger off a string of events.... excited yet a lil sad cuz i will be leaving Annebo and some very sweet and thoughtful neighbours especially Serene! Thankfully Polhems is not so far away so we will still be seeing alot of each other!

After moving to the new premises and settling in, soon i will be due and baby will be in our arms, then my parents will be visiting!I can hardly wait!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Pregnancy Humour

Some humourous questions and answers!

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the flu?
A: If it's the flu, you'll get better.

Q: What is the most common pregnancy craving?
A: For men to be the ones who get pregnant.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: The more pregnant I get, the more often strangers smile at me. Why?
A: 'Cause you're fatter than they are.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q: What's the difference between a nine-month pregnant woman and a supermodel?
A: Nothing (if the pregnant woman's husband knows what's good for him).

Q: How long is the average woman in labor?
A: Whatever she says divided by two.

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word "alimony" means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Does pregnancy cause hemorrhoids?
A: Pregnancy causes anything you want to blame it for.

Q: What does it mean when a baby is born with teeth?
A: It means that the baby's mother may want to rethink her plans to nurse.

Q: What is the best time to wean the baby from nursing?
A: When you see teeth marks.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kid is in college.

Week 31: Fetal Development

Our Baby's Development This Week: Activity in the Womb


As far as growth goes, our baby should approximately be measuring an impressive 18 inches and weighing more than three pounds. Before we meet, he would have gained at least 3-5 pounds or possibly more!?! His brain is working overtime these days,
developing faster than ever...our baby can now perceive information from all five senses....Of course he can't smell anything right now,cuz he is still submerged in amniotic fluid and needs to be breathing air to get a whiff of anything....

So what's our little dove doing all day while I'm busy feathering our nest for his arrival? Making faces, hiccupping, swallowing, breathing, pedaling with little hands and feet along my uterine wall, and even sucking his thumb. Did you know,that some babies suck their thumbs so vigorously while in the womb that they're born with a callus on their thumb (little suckers!)

Movin on up,my uterus can now be felt 4 inches above my belly button!This means tat my uterus is pushing all the internal organs that used to be there somewhere else. My stomach feels like it's in my chest and my lungs feel like… hmmm… they don't even feel like they're there anymore ;) ha-ha.

My growing uterus has compressed my lungs in accomodating for my growing baby...
limiting its ability to fully expand when I take a breath and causing me to feel like I've just run a marathon when I've only taken a brisk walk from the living room to the kitchen! I guess tat explains why I've been feeling a little spare on air lately...

On Rainy Days...

Autumn is here i believe...sunny days have been replaced with rain and its been wet and cloudy lately...Dips in temperature definitely mark the beginning of Autumn.

Rainy days are a great time to laze around... I dont think anyone would disagree to that.I used to hate waking up on rainy days back when I was schooling.
Its so nice to stay snuggled up in the comfort of the sheets that have been warmed up by our body's heat....

Its also a nice day to have soupy spicy food.Today was one such day and I decided to make fishball meehoon soup.Its not time consuming at all.The results are a healthy, spicy, hearty meal.

I used the mushrooms Fayvier gave me, the ikan bilis Victoria passed to me a few weeks ago and some veges i had on hand.
Namely- cabbage, carrot, spinach, chilli, ginger
Then i concocted this!

it turned out pretty ok but sumthin was definitely missing...it wasnt spicy enough
So i took some dried chillies(soaked for 1/2hr) garlic, a lil ginger and some salt
pounded them til a paste was formed and complemented my dish with it!
It was goooood...and above all effortless and healthy!

The other day i suddenly woke up with a craving for hot steamy Poori, spicy aloo gobhi and sweet sweet kheer.I had all the ingredients and mummy's recipe so i made them.Alvin was so surprised at lunch. He said it tasted just like mummy's and kept saying...feels like Diwali!Lol.mummy prefers to whip up vegetarian dishes on occasions like Diwali and the 3 dishes are a must on that day! no pics were taken as my camera was out of battery! but my poories sure puffed up well!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Fortnightly Reviews

I had my fortnightly appointment again today with my midwife Susan. Alvin wasnt able to bring me but luckily i have some very nice friends here and i didnt have any problem gettin to the clinic.Emily brought me to and fro and also saw the midwife with me :) Isnt she sweet;) I must thank god for having thoughtful and helpful friends around.

So here are my reviews:

Weight: 68.1kgs (i gained 3kgs in 3 wks! Oopssssss)
Fundal Ht: from 27 to 29cm gd progress on baby's part
Heart Rate: 136 which is gd (Emily said it sounded like a train!)
Blood Pressure:120/71 very good!
Xray reports: Good
Baby's Head Position: Downwards

So basically the midwife said that everything is looking great! Its a relief and i hope i continue to hear this till the end :)

I had a few questions for her today and here they are in case u want to broaden ur knowledge in Pregnancy and Labor.

What if the babys' head is not in the downward position when we approach labour?
In case he turns or shifts position, they will give an injection to relax the uterus and then the doc will try and move the head in to position or allow the fetus to move into birthing position on his own. As much as possible, they do not do C-sections. C-secs cause complications sumtimes and also make it harder for women to conceive easily in the future...so they are best avoided if possible!

My other concern was Episiotomy.
Episiotomy-an incision into the perineum and vagina to allow sufficient clearance for birth. She said this is the cause of worry for many first time mothers. Here they do not do episiotomy uless really required.Phew... bt wear and tear is unavoidable...it heals pretty quickly though and u wont feel a thing while in labour...u have bigger concerns at that time than to worry abt this ;Pbesides an anesthetic is given in anycase to numb the pain...

It was good to hear positive feedback from Susan. She's really nice and reassuring. I like the way their medical works here..For one,if u have an appointment at 93oam at 930am you are in the docs office chatting away with her...no waiting required!



They are friendly and very service oriented, fast and reliable...any concerns, leave them a voicemail and they get back to u almost immediately. There are times when i am a bit anxious during blood testing.. the nurses tell me to sing a song or talk to me to keep me distracted... in other places i know of, u will get "aiyoh! blood test u so scared how to give birth like that" kinda comments! Also if u do a blood/urine/glucose test, they give u the results instantaneously!

They believe in natural births and keep ultrasounds to the minimum.Xrays are unheard of during pregnancy elsewhere but here they make sure that ur lungs dun have any infection that u can pass on to ur child at birth.They explain every procedure to u and make sure you understand why a certain thing is being done... they take time to reassure you...

Its as good as it can get!
I'm glad and very thankful that i have an opportunity to give birth here in Sweden!

We went for breakfast at conditori after that... its been raining and what could be better than sipping on a mug of hot chocolate and muffin! :) I'd like to express my gratitude to Emily once again for being there for me and with me whenever the need arose! Thanks dear!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Surmising...

Here in Sweden, they do not practise disclosing the sex of the baby. Initially we didnt want to find out either...we thought it would be good to be surprised
It really doesnt matter if its a boy or a girl but knowing will definitely help in setting up the nursery and buying stuff.Also when we bond with our baby it'll feel nice to be able to call the baby "he/she" instead of "it" or "the baby."

I had a strong intuition before i went for my ultrasound that our baby is a boy... Just some kind of motherly instinct i believe.Then during the ultrasound we saw what looked like a male genital.Of course i asked the Gyn and she said "well looks like a boy but... it could be the umbilical cord or sumthing too". After the ultrasound i was more confident that i am right... so we are taking the chance and buying blue baby clothes :)

If i really knew for sure, i would be more than happy to announce it.
But since i'm in the 50/50 mode i thought its best to keep it to ourselves.so my dear family, cousins and friends, i am not in denial...I'm left hanging in the middle myself

i guess i will only really be able to confirm once he's born to determine how right my motherly instincts really were. Its only in about 3 months time that i will finally be able to confirm what i have surmised this far.

Maybe you would want to take a look at the ultrasound pic and make a guess and drop a tag on what u think is the gender!


It doesn't matter! I just want it healthy! the joy of having a healthy baby is absolutely boundless...After nine long months, it will be great to have a healthy and happy child in our arms :)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Pregnancy Dictionary

Came across this on the web, just for laughs!

Afterbirth
When the hard part begins.

Cravings
An excuse to hog, hog and hog your way through pregnancy.

Dilation
One of those things a pregnant woman has to take her doctor's word for.

Elastiphobia
Fear of making it into the Guinness Book of World Records for "Most Stretch Marks."

First Trimester
The first three months of pregnancy when you wonder, "Is it too late to hire a surrogate mother?"

Maternity Clothes
What a pregnant woman wears to show people there's a reason she's fat.

Miracle
1. The birth of a baby.
2. The fact that you lived to tell about it.

Pregnant Pause
The amount of time it takes for a nine-month pregnant woman to get out of a chair.

Prenatal
When your life was still your own.

Pushing
Final effort to get a ten-pound baby through an opening the size of a dime. }

Second Trimester
The time when you ask the question, "Will my husband notice if I eat this gallon of ice cream and the dish of biryani before he gets home?"

Third trimester
The final months of pregnancy when you wonder, "How much longer can I keep from waddling?"

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

What have i been up to?

I've been missing in action for quite some time now...so while i eat out of my Haagen Dazs tub of choc choc chip, i decided to update a little.
Not that i've been busy or anything like that but i've got myself into a routine now... a habit of taking power naps every afternoon. My naps last anywhere between 1 to 3 hours! I guess its my body's way of making up for the sleep i cant get at night...Also i guess in the near future, i have to take naps when our baby naps... so its nature's way of making me get into the practise now ;)

Sleep at night is usually distrupted trips to the kitchen for some quick snacking or by muscle cramps and pulls.The uterus puts a lot of pressure on the bladder and can send one to the restroom frequently.If i were to note the number of times i visit the toilet, and the duration spent in there, I believe it would take half of my day.
Can u believe that the uterus has actually grown 500 times its original size throughout one's pregnancy!

I've not been going for frequent walks anymore... because its been raining lately.
Temperatures are slowly dipping...from 24degs to current lows of 14 degs.
Autumn is around the corner ;)

Besides finishing up chandini's scarf... i'm happy to have mastered the basics of knitting...also been reading up on labor and breastfeeding.
I've also decided to catch up on some VB scripting...Dad needs a solution for storing his cash flow data for the SRFoundation and i have undertaken the task of helping him come up with a simple way of doing it! I cant tell u i've surprised myself again with my abilities ;P in fact i seem to love doing it!

We've done a whole lot of shopping for baby til now besides the bigger items like the crib and other furnishings which we'll purchase once we shift to our new apartment.Yes we're shifting from Annebo to Polhemsgata~busy busy busy!!!

Pregnancy Updates

I'm on the 208th day out of the total 280 days.
I'm 29 weeks pregnant.There are 72 days until our due date!

Our baby will grow rapidly from now until week 36, and then at a slower rate thereafter.Baby's eyelids are now open; its eyelashes and eyebrows are visible as well. It weighs about 1.4kg;total length is about 38cm long, two-thirds its final size.

Our baby will continue to open and close his/her eyes in the womb and may be able to see silhouettes of objects or even people in the right amount of light. Baby now `practices breathing` to get ready for life outside of my womb I sometimes can feel the hiccups that he/she has if she swallows the amniotic fluid.

Space in the baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so i've been feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. kicks are much more vigorous than before because our baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli.My husband is amazed and excited at every movement the child makes. He always rushes to my tummy when i tell him baby is active now...just to feel the kicks and nudges! ;)

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

The 2 hour Glucose Test

Normally, this test is the STANDARD glucose tolerance test to test for regular diabetes in people who are NOT pregnant. In most parts of the world, however, it is considered the preferred test during pregnancy.
This test is done to determine if you suffer from gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance of pregnancy. I was strictly told not to have breakfast prior to this test...You arrive at the clinic, consume the Gucola-a drink with 75g glucose load within 5 minutes and wait

After a 2 hour period, your blood is drawn from finger sticks to be tested for the level of glucose. 140 and below are considered not gestational diabetics, anything above this reading will usually be sent for further testing.

After a sleepless night and no breakfast, I thank god for the good news. My results were 82mg/dl...My haemoglobin levels had decreased at the previous testing infact they were marginal from the very beginning. Normal levels should be 116 mine were 115then it dropped to 114 but during the glucose test,i found out that it had improved to 118 ;) couldnt be happier

Adding spinach to my diet really does help!!!

Monday, August 04, 2008

Looking Good!

A recent pic taken after a long day out... hehe still looking good eh ;)

Frequently used words

Here are a list of most frequently words used in my blog. I was reading Sunita's blog and she had this interesting link there.Wordle

How far along am I ?

27 weeks have whizzed by... 13 more to go...

I’ve worked hard, done my research, endured a plethora of symptoms and would like nothing more than to have our wonder-baby on the outside.
Well, i'm all ready and digging in for the final endurance round and saying hello again to the familiar but not-so-lovable faces of fatigue and aches
Rapid weariness is caused by including the proverbial weight gain, shortness of breath and of course, sleep deprivation.


Yes, peeps, i’ve finally reached the infamous “live-on-the-toilet” stage. my feet are bigger, my belly is bigger, even my baby is bigger—and something’s
gotta give. Annoyingly, nature didn’t choose my butt and instead opted to compress my bladder, which is now being completely squashed by my baby.
So my best shot is to just accept the fact i'm going to need to urinate every 10 minutes (and if I manage to go longer, thank the good lord).
Besides tolerating the summer heat, I feel like I live in a sweat factory as a result of increased basal body temperature. Thank to our baby: this temperature increase stems from their body heat coupling with my own, which of course all adds up to one hot mama!