children! never-ending learning experience!

right now i am resting at home cos i am down with flu. due to the bad weather and haze, my gynae gave me 3 days to rest at home. can't nap at all with the heat! then started looking thru all the pregnancy books i bought and was given. decided to look through all the books as i have been really religiously reading only 2 books to keep up with whats happening to my baby belly and me! glad i did cos i learn new things again!

1st of all, before expecting, there are things to learn. how to take care of oneself. eating the right food esp taking folic acid, having the right care, exercise (took up a few lessons in pilates) and massages worked very well for me! right mind and attitude, guess we were really ready to settle down after all the fun we had.

then comes the good news and more to learn about one's body and the little one in the baby belly for the next 9months! of cos it doesnt end! when the baby is born, each and every month the baby grows there are new things to learn and experience! then comes other decision-making time, which nursery, where to hold bdae parties! endless...

for what i have learn so far, some things i know and some things surprised me! gx is also learning! amazing things happens but sometimes weird and unexpected things happens too! i am very thankful that i have aunts who passed down their books to me and one book i loved reading most - What to expect when expecting! its a good book to have! i am reading it slowly, by month and whenever i have questions and need an answer, this book works wonder!

well, amazing thing of cos has to be how a baby grows in the belly! every month, there are new things happening to me and to baby. the best thing that happen so far in these 5month+ is able to see baby move in scans and then of cos feel my baby move everyday! so far its gentle ripples. i was warn the ripples can become big waves! the thing i hate so far in my pregnancy is, not the morning sickness, being tired most of the time, nothing that i already know or expected or common problems beats me...

the one thing i didn't expect was skin pigmentation. i was aware that the moles, face, areolae of the breast, will be affected and will be darkenen. i am fine that its common and it will happen but the only area that i hate and didnt expect that pigmentation might hit was the armpits! hate it cos it looks ugly!!! i love sleeveless! but no choice i gota live with it for another few more months and i was glad i found the answers in the different books cos i dun want to ask my gynae about it! apparently, after giving birth, the pigmentation will go away! i sure hope it does!!!

the other book i like reading is pregnancy and childbirth, i bought this from popular bk store. this has a more asian touch and answers that we asians esp chinese need! unlike the western food list, in this book, it consist of asian food whats good and what to take less during pregnancy. the heavy hardcover Conception, Pregnancy and Birth book has the most images. its a good detailed book but i drag reading this book unless like now, pulling all the books out to flip thru! its HEAVY to read it everyday at nite! everynite i would flip either of the 2 books and read a few paragraph till i fall asleep!

as for the cookbook, started looking at it as i want to find what might help with water retension, as my legs are starting to swell alittle. also i wanted to find out if what a collegue told me was true. she recommended me to take barley water to ease my leg sores. What i found under Ginko Nuts and Barley Soup was this recipe is able to cleanse the urinary tract, getting rid of the toxic in the body.

In another book, it says Oats, of the barley family helps to maintain blood sugar levels. it helps keep one regular and boosts energy. contains more protein than other cereals and helps lower cholesterol. also it high in Vit B1 that is essential for healthy function of your nervous system and newborn baby's heart! also its high in fibre which is good for those who gets constipated easily during the pregnancy. not a fan of oats but seems like i gota give it a try! i am now afraid of getting gestational diabetes. so hearing that oats helps maintain blood sugar levels, i hope this helps me to maintain and i dun get diabetes! gx is very worried cos i have been having too much sweet during the cny.

since i can't sleep or lie down long in this heat, i am also going to prep the list of things needed for the hospital stay. found the list in 2 books and i am gog to take all the good advices and put it into my own list! still waiting for the mummies' replies to my baby survey! if you interested in taking the survey which i set up let me know! i will email it to you! elsie_thng@yahoo.com.sg it a survey where you can advise me on different baby items, from cot, pillow, mattress to mittens & botties to milk time (breast feeding and bottle milk formulae) to diapers! it would be great to hear all the advices and your very own experiences! children: never-ending learninig experience!