Overcome Swelling feet

1. Brisk Walk or have a short walk after meals

2. a) Lay down on the bed.
    b) Raise your hands and legs
    c) Do a "twinkle twinkle little stars" (clasped hands and open) simultaneously with your feet pumping up and    down (10x per set, do as many sets as you deemed fit.)

The above works for me, especially for 2).
Anyone has different method?

Phlegm =(

I am developing lots of phlegm in my throat recently and I suspect this is due to frequent consumption of lime and honey sweets (Hacks and Hudson) in my first trimester. Urgh, can't be helped, gotta eat some sweets to get rid of the nauseous feeling. Now it's drinking lots of plain water and avoid any sweet stuff. Guess I have to cut down eating oranges from once a week to once every 2 weeks or even a month. =(

Baby Position

Baby is still at breech position which is not good news to me.... but then again, I should not panic too much else it might make things worse. *Breathe*

I am trying some of the suggested ways (see list below) to turn the baby without having any pain/surgery etc. Visualisation is one of them and I really need to remind myself to do it everyday. Swimming sounds good too. But er..getting a swim suit to fit my preggy size is a tad too troublesome. Urgh.

1. Visualizing the baby moving down with the head very deep in your pelvis, several times a day; especially in conjunction with positions and exercises below. = Will try !

2. Swimming as often as possible. This keeps your body and pelvis loose and relaxed. Do in conjunction with headstand below if you have help.  = maybe ?

3. Headstand - with assistance and in a pool frequently as possible. = No way ! Upside down scares me now. 

4. Breech Tilt - begin at 32-35 weeks gestation. Do 3 times daily for 10-15 minutes each time, when you have an empty stomach, and the baby is active. Prop one end of an ironing board securely on a sofa or chair 12 to 18 inches high (or may use slant board). Lie down, bend knees but keep feet flat on board. Relax, breathe deeply, avoid tensing. May also use pillows on a flat surface to raise hips 12-18" above shoulders. Gravity pushes the baby's head into the fundus, tucks it, and baby can then do a somersault to a vertex position. = Not too sure if I understood it correctly, might try with hubby's help !

5. CD/iPod headphones - place them inside mom's pants toward her pubic bone and play classical music for 10 minutes 6-8 times a day. = 6 -8 times a day can only be done during weekends. Will do once every weeknight and then more for weekends.

6. Flashlight - try moving slowly down from the top of the uterus toward your pubic bone while you are in a breech tilt position. = Will try !

7. Massage - start with your left hand at the bottom of the abdomen and your right hand just above it. Move move your hands clockwise around the right side of your tummy. As your right hand reaches the top of your abdomen, slide the left one over your right and move it down the left side of your tummy. Your left hand leads as you you come full circle, continuing clockwise. Massage gently as you would to apply lotion. Massage for ten minutes or more up to several times each day. = Will try !

8. Clothespin - place on the small toe of each foot at the outside corner of the toenail; sideways so that the toenail and toepad are stimulated for 30 minutes per day, this is an acupressure point that is a "moving down" point. You can also do this with just finger pressure as you remember to do it. = huh ?

9. Motion Sickness band - place with the bead four fingerwidths above the inner ankle bone - another acupressure point that is used for stimulation of the uterus. Do not use this point if you are experiencing any pre-term labour. = huh ?

10. Glass of orange or other juice - follow this with a side-lying position with your hips positioned higher than your feet. Babies move more after a sugar high! = maybe ?

11. Pelvic Tilt- with an ice pack on the top of your tummy on an empty stomach, 10 minutes twice a day. Do this while lying on your back on the floor with knees flexed and feet on the floor with three large pillows placed under your buttocks. Try this in conjunction with headphones and visualization. = Will try !

12. Cat stretch - start with all fours, then lay your head and chest flat on the floor with your buttocks in the air, as you round your back and return to all fours. = maybe ?

13. Knee-chest position - by kneeling with hips flexed slightly more than 90 degree, but with thighs not pressing against your tummy and your head, shoulders and upper chest are flat on a mattress for 15 minutes every two waking hours for five days.

14. Belly Relaxing followed by Inversion - Partner places a shawl, sheet, towel or rebozo under mom's hips as she lays on the floor. Lift up on the corners of the cloth and shimmy her from side to side moving your hands up and down to wiggle her belly from side to side. These should be very small movements which mom should find very relaxing. Do this for about 5 minutes. Then mother kneels on the stairway landing. Walk your hands down 2 or 3 stairs into an all fours position; have your partner support your shoulders to balance you. Remain in this position for about 5-10 minutes or as long as comfortable. Also do this on an empty stomach. = huh ?

The following techniques to turn breech babies to vertex involve the assistance of a specialist or medical professional:

15. Acupuncture - find a acupuncturist who is familiar with pregnancy and knows the points to stimulate for turning a breech baby. = NO WAY !

16. Webster's Breech Technique - see a Chiropractor who is experienced in this technique. = No WAY !

17. External Version - this can be done in the hospital at about 37 weeks; see an Ob-Gyn for assistance and more information. = NO WAY !

Baby, baby, help mummy !

Stereo Mood

I have gone from the StereoLab mode to Stereo Mood now.

Geez, how motherhood has changed me (for now?)

Nevertheless, I heart you baby.

Pre-natal Massage

I went for a  recommended by my gynae to go for a back massage at Novena and the masseur is really good. My muscles were loosen and not so achy after that. If not for my gynae's recommendation, I don't think I would go for a massage as I am afraid the it might affect the baby. The only slight discomfort is the tilting position cos I have to tilt one side for the masseur to massage my back, but after a while, you get the hang of the position.

After the massage, you will also feel:

• hot due to blood circulation
• super hungry and thirsty

Dinner was Cedele's rosemary chicken wrap. Yum!

Leg Cramp

Had a leg cramp while sleeping. :( Think this is the 5th or 6th time since pregnancy. But it lasted a short while..guess it is due to the cold weather as muscle contract more easily.

Solution (taught by physiotherapist):
Place a long towel at your bed side.
Create a loop and then place it at your feet and then pull it towards you to stretch it.
Alternatively can use your blanket.

As for myself....I just place my feet on a raised platform by resting it on a pillow and then stretch my leg on its own, and it usually work for me.

Anyone who has a different method ?

Braxton Hicks Contractions vs (True) Labour Contractions

Braxton Hicks contractions: 

1. are infrequent, usually happening no more than once or twice an hour, a few times a day
2. often stop if you change activity, so, walk around if you've been sitting, and vice versa
3. are usually irregular, and if they are regular they only stay that way for a short spell
4. do not last long, usually less than a minute
5. continue to be unpredictable and non-rhythmic
6. do not increase in intensity

Compared to Braxton Hicks contractions, labour contractions are usually:

1. noticeably longer
2. more regular
3. more frequent
4. more painful
5. keep on going, increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity as time goes on

Source: BabyCenter (sg)

"V" time

[Read this and this to know what is "V" time.]

Dinner : Ban Leong Wah Hoe @ Casuarina Road
Date: Saturday, 1 October
Dinner time: 8:15 pm
End time: About 9:00 pm+
"V" time: About 9:45-10:00 pm
Venue: Home
Reason: Eat too much, too fast  + phlegm stuck in throat =(
(timing should not an issue since the last time I also had late dinner and nothing happen.)

Popiah Craving v.2

hub was really sweet cos he got me another Popiah version -Vegetarian Popiah , together with Qiji popiah from Hougang. What a pleasant surprise ! So I ate that for dinner before heading down for our parentcraft class in the evening. Yummy !

Similac Mum: Classical Tunes

Although I don't fancy 'Similac Mum' ("V" time when I drank the sample), I am impressed that Abbott Nutrition actually compiled a set of classical tunes for the babies. I received the complimentary set sometime after my 1st trimester and I have been playing it occasionally while sitting in front of the PC or lying down on bed. My personally favourites are those highlighted in bold.

1. Bach : A Lover's Concerto
2. Bach : Concerto No. 5 in F Minor (Largo)
3. Mozart : A Little Night Music (Romanza)
4. Vivaldi : The 4 Seasons, Autumn (Adagio)
5. Tchaikovsky : March of the Tin Soldiers
6. Dvork : Humoresque
7. Pachelbel : Canon in D Major
8. Mozart : Turkish March
9. Tchaikovsky : Waltz of the Flowers
10. Beethoven : Moonlight Sonata (Adagio)
11. Chopin : Fantasie Impromptu
12. Saint-Saëns : The Carnival of the Animals
13. Offenbach : The Tales of the Hoffman
14. Mozart : Sym. No. 40 in G Minor
15. Bach : Minuet in D Minor

I also like this:

Extremely smoothing during bedtime !

Mathematics for Kids

I can say my elder niece (8 years old) is pretty smart. Yeah, pretty + smart. She picks up (be it knowledge, concepts, words etc.) fast and doesn't need any repetition (unless when distracted with TV and younger niece disturbances.)

I was resting after dinner when she came up and chat with me regarding baby's development. She surprised me with her knowledge of the uterus, umbilical cord and baby's desired position in the 3rd trimester. So I explained to her in detail - the use of the placenta and drew some pictures. Then, she asked me how heavy is the baby. So I told her about 1.7 kg and said that baby needs to grow up more for the next 2 months. 

So, I gave her a simple mathematics problem sum:

Before pregnancy, my weight = 47.50 kg 

After pregnancy, my current weight =55.90 kg

Baby's current weight = 1.70 kg

How much weight have I gained - excluding baby's? 

Calculation : 55.90 - 47.50 - 1.70 = 6.70 kg

Then she quickly mentioned that this weight will be shed off after I gave birth and we can also use the same way to calculate how much I lost by recording how much I weigh after birth. 

She goes on to rattle that the baby's weight and dimensions will be recorded immediately on the record card. 

(oh yes, she knows !!) 

I will also tell baby next time how she actually come out from mummy's tummy. 

Perhaps I can ask baby the same Maths question when she grows up and see what's her reaction. 

Good idea ya?

Cordlife vs Stemcord (Cord Blood Banking) ?

Criteria	Cordlife	Stemcord
1. Establishment Year	2001	2002
2. Corporate Profile	Founded by medical practitioner: Dr Fang Boon Sing	Founded by medical practitioners: Dr Teo Cheng Peng Dr Ang Peng Tiam Dr Leong See Odd
3. Accreditation 1	Licensed and audited by Singapore's Ministry of Health.	Licensed and audited by Singapore's Ministry of Health.
4. Accreditation 2	AABB (American Association of Blood Banks)	FACT-NetCord (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and NetCord)
5. Track record	Yes	Not Sure #
6. Pricing	@ See separate Table below	@ See separate Table below
7. Other	-Systematic and Informative Presentation : The full process from obtaining the cord to storing with Cordlife - Shows the difference between using Cord blood and Bone marrow transfusion -Supplement with CD ROM -Gives some real-life example of how Cordlife save individual lives.	- Provide checklist in brochure - Shows how USA and other developed countries make use stemcells - Store cells in 2 different location
8. Informativeness ?	Good	Satisfactory
9. Ability to answer questions during seminar	Satisfactory	Below Satisfactory #
10. Allow visit to the labs ?	Not sure - yet to ask	Not sure - yet to ask

Note:
@ Cordlife works on 21-year plan package while Stemcord works on 5-year plan package.


Cordlife manage to answer 1 question due to time constraints while Stemcord answered more than 1.


# Despite asking for statistics on how many patients/customers Stemcord have helped, the speaker seemed not to answer the question directly.


Seminar date attended for Stemcord and Cordlife: 24 September 2011 and 8 October 2011 respectively.


Base on the above data, I concluded:
- Cordlife is more established, but Stemcord provides 2 storage locations.
- Cordlife provides 21-year plan package - suitable for parents who wants 'full coverage' while Stemcord provides 5-year plan and subsequently yearly payment - suitable for parents who prefers a 'wait and see attitude'.

So, which one have you chosen?

From I see, both are commercial organisations who is seeking profitable growth in their business while providing insurance (as some called it "bio-insurance" - think: insurance policies that you bought from the various companies). Depending on what you want, you choose the coverage and premium that you want to pay.

Hmm.