OB/GYN Check-up

Gynae estimated fifi's weight to be about 4.5lb (2kg) now from squeezing my tummy.
Length of uterus is 35cm which is right on the spot for 35weeks.
At 35 weeks, I have already gained 37lb (normal for whole pregnancy should be 25-35lb) but she said it's ok since I started off underweight.
There is no cure for my sciatic nerve pain and piles, except to do stretching on my back and watch my posture when I walk and stand.
The fortnightly check-ups are going to be weekly from next week onwards so that means I'm in the home stretch! Yikes!
Ultrasound next week to check fifi's position!
Current weight: 130lb (~59kg)

Sciatic Nerve Pain

Thanks to Jiejie, I finally know the technical term of the pain at the back of my thighs, near my buttocks - sciatic nerve pain. The doctor only told me they were caused by fat fifi's weight pressure on the nerves in that area but didn't tell me the name. I need technical terms! How come the books talk about backache, swollen feet, water retention but I have never heard of this until now?!

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, providing sensory and motor function to the lower extremities. This nerve provides sensation to the back of the thigh, lower part of the leg and the sole of the foot. Sciatic nerve pain is a periodic severe pain that occurs throughout your legs.
What causes sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy?
The sciatic nerve runs under your uterus to your legs. The cause of sciatic nerve pain is thought to be associated with pressure on the nerve caused by the developing baby.
What can I do to treat sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy?
The simplest remedy is to lie on your side, opposite of the pain. This may help relieve the pressure on the nerve. Avoid heavy lifting and minimize standing for long periods of time. If you experience pressure while standing, try elevating one foot and resting it on something. Swimming may also ease discomfort. You may experience relief by applying heat or cold to the troubled area.

No swimming for me because it's winter and the nearest indoor pool is half an hour's drive away. Boo. The pain is coupled with my piles, which are back in the third trimester, with a vengence. I walk with my legs a little far apart now- waddle.

To Bumper or Not To Bumper

Bumpers prevent an infant from crashing her head into the crib wall. Bumpers are cute and cosy. But bumpers may cause SIDs.
To bumper or not to bumper?

Outgrowing My Clothes

With about six more weeks to go, I am outgrowing those supposedly looser pre-pregnancy clothes which I continue to wear during my pregnancy. The few maternity tops which I have reluctantly bought are starting to stretch. The patented belly bands on the two exclusive maternity pants I bought for work are really being put to the test now. I can no longer button or zip up my jackets. I have nothing to wear to work!
Current weight: 127lb (~57kg) and counting...

Sleeping Habits

Nowadays I find myself:
1. Waking up two or three times a night to go to the bathroom
2. Waking up and wait for five minutes before there's consciousness in my body and legs before I can move and shuffle to the bathroom
3. Waking up and realise I have flopped to my back.
4. Sciatic nerve pain!

Nursery ready!

It was time to set up the nursery since the crib and wall decals have finally arrived. The crib and wall decals were gifts from the baby shower too. It was really fun putting up the stickers.

The animals, the tree and its curly branches and leaves look so pretty against the fresh green wall! I especially love the expressions and big eyes on the owls. There is no mattress for the crib yet - did not manage to get a gift of that during the baby shower. Heh. So I am putting lemons and tangerine peels inside the crib instead to soak up paint smells from the crib.

We went out to Ikea and finally decided on a dresser with a suitable height which we could place the changing pad on. Dressers can be so expensive! But this one was within my budget, just have to take note to be gentle with the drawers and not place too many heavy items inside. We also bought a cheaper alternative of an armchair which rocks slightly. It is just like my favourite old chair at the hillside, although I don't remember that one having a rock. It was really hard work for dd since he had to put the crib, the not-so-user-friendly Ikea dresser and chair together all by himself. I hope fifi will have a whale of a time in her new room.

The Peter Rabbit Themed Shower

A&J were very kind to offer to organise my baby shower for last Saturday. I suggested a theme of Peter Rabbit and J went forth and bought a Peter Rabbit party kit. It came with a garland, fancy carousel centrepiece, pretty printed plates, cups and napkins and even a Peter Rabbit soft toy.

A made some pretty tissue paper pom-poms for decoration. We met on Friday night to decorate our living room and A taught us how to make her pretty cake cones which was stuck in a pretty cake box tower. We even hid a "U're a winner" paper in one of the cones as a prize.

We prepared fried rice, chow mein, baby quiches, puff pastries, konnyaku jellies, salad and fruits for that day. About twenty-five guests turned up and surprisingly, everyone had a dish to share. So my every counter and tabletop in our dining room and tiny kitchen was used to display food. Even the electric stove was not spared. There was so much food that we had lots of leftovers.

J planned four interesting games for everyone to play. The first game which was played throughout the baby shower was not to say the word "baby" otherwise they would have the stickers on their clothes stolen by the one who caught them saying it. The second game was to guess the brands and types of chocolate which melted into six diapers beforehand. I think someone even tried to lick the chocolate from the diaper! It was hilarious and rowdy as everyone scrambled to guess the chocolates on each of the diapers. The third game was to list down as many baby items as they in three minutes. The fourth game was a row of able-bodied men trying to finish half a milk bottle as quickly as they can. They even had to squeeze and crush the poor bottles to get the milk out from the stubborn nipples.

We ended off with the unwrapping of gifts. Nice. There should be baby showers in Singapore too. We picked amazon for our baby registry and we received most of the baby supplies delivered to our doorstep before fifi's born. What a lucky girl!

My hand-made baby shower favours

Parenting

With just about eight more weeks to go, parenthood is just about to start. I wonder how it will be. If I were to put myself into the shoes of my parents, I gather it will be a lot of happiness, some anger and fustration at times and maybe some heartache. It's a whole new world being responsible for a new person, constantly looking out for her. As the youngest in the family, my parents and sister are always looking out for me. And now, it's my turn. Will I be a good parent and set a good example? Like brush my teeth every night before I sleep? I hope to be someone that fifi can look up to and be the first one she will run to for advice.

But I like to think that now I'm already trying to be a good parent. Eating regularly and nutritiously and looking out for sharp spots that could hit my belly.

Fifi and the Flowertots

There's a cartoon called Fifi and the Flowertots. And Fifi is a forget-me-not!