I’m awake. And it’s 4am now *sigh*.

I think there’s some activity in my tummy, I am wondering if it’s contractions *LOL*. After 2 kids, you’d think I would know it if I had contractions. My back’s also starting to hurt, mildly. If you don’t already know, I actually took Dr’s suggestion to go for induction and I requested for it to be on the 31st. For the past few days, I have been telling baby that I’m ready for her to come without the Dr’s help. Maybe she heard me??

Well, if I’m really gonna pop today, I guess I will see you guys in a few days. Till then… cheerios!!!

Checkup:
Mummy’s Weight: 74.8kgs

Baby’s Weight: 2.6kgs

Baby’s Position: Head down

Doctor’s Comment: No further comment on the heart matter by Dr. He just said that baby seems small and the volume my amniotic fluid is quite low, therefore he suggested that I induce. I asked if it’s really necessary, and he said that since baby seems not be be growing at a good pace and the fluid is low, it’s better to take baby out earlier. He gave me 2 dates to choose… 30th or 31st. Hence, instead of 11 more days to go, there’s only 5 - 6 days to go. Whichever date I choose, I would probably have to be at the hospital as early as 6am.

Sue’s Comment: I do wish that baby would come naturally, whenever she wish. But since Dr say it’s best bring her home a little early, I guess I should trust him. I hope she piles on more weight from now till next week… as she’s really rather small, Ivan was 3.81kgs when he was born and Izac was 3.42kgs. I’m now thinking, should I induce on a Wednesday or a Thursday?

Lookie what I’ve got here… a bunch of girl clothes which Jazzmint brought over for baby this afternoon while I was at work. So nice of her to give me some of Faythe old clothes… I guess that means she’s “closed shop” for good? Nevermind, Jazz, whenever you decide to get pregnant again, I’ll return the favor, okay? *LOL*

With me being such a procrastinator, I’m so surprised at myself for sorting out this bunch of clothes so quickly. I guess it’s probably because there’s only about 13 days to go till baby’s EDD?? I really hope she comes on time… I really do not want to be induced. With regards to getting old clothes, I more than welcome them. My granma once told me that it’s good to let baby wear some old clothes, especially when a friend’s child has grown up strong and healthy.

Checkup:
Mummy’s Weight: 73.5kgs (Thank goodness I only have a weight gain of 100gms for the past 2 weeks *LOL*)

Baby’s Weight: 2.3kgs (Baby is expected to be 2.9kgs when she comes out in 3 weeks)

Baby’s Position: Head down

Doctor’s Comment:
With regards to GBS:
Sue : (Enters the Dr’s office and sits down)
Dr : (Looks at file) “So… you have germs!”
Sue : =.=”
So it seems that GBS to my Dr is actually no big deal. As soon as I find myself in labour, I am to go to the hospital to get antibiotic drips and/or injection. The baby will be injected too, depending on how fast she comes out and whether I have had sufficient dose of the antibiotics before she went through the birth canal.

With regards to the scan:
Dr : (Scanning and scanning at the baby’s heart) ” There. You can see baby’s heart there.”
Sue : (Normally when the Dr does that, I kinda KNOW something must be amiss) “So, is the baby’s heart too big or something?”
Dr : “No, that’s the normal size. You look at the heart, it’s got 4 chambers. One of the chamber here seems bigger than the other one. Normally it’s nothing, sometimes it could mean a little hole.”
Okay, this is worrying too. Dr did say that most cases even if there IS a little hole, it will heal itself as the baby grows. But then again, I can only imagine the worst if there IS because my friend Jenny’s son has a little hole in the heart and every time little Matthew gets fever, his heart rate goes bonkers! It’s brought them to the ICU time and again. Dr told me that he would request for baby to be taken care of by Dr Lee if I want and after birth Dr Lee will closely monitor baby’s heart. I guess this could mean that Dr Lee is the best paediatrician who deals with babies’ hearts?? Oh well, we all know there is nothing we can do about this, not until baby comes out. Also, if Dr Lee is recommended by my gynae, I don’t see why not.

With regards to the baby’s gender (not again?!):
Dr : (Ending scan) “Okay lah, everything looks fine.”
Sue : “So, can you scan again and see if the baby’s a girl?”
Dr : “Aiya, didn’t I tell you already?”
Sue : “Err… yes, but I can’t see and I have many people telling me that it’s a boy.”
Dr : “You ah. You can’t see, I can see. Go and believe those you don’t pay, pay one you don’t believe.”
Sue : o.O” *paiseh*
So, Dr shows me my daughter on the ultrasound scan. This time he points out where the 2 pieces of flesh is, and the dark line in the middle.
Dr : “Girl lah. Don’t simply listen to people.”

Sue’s Comment: It seems to me this baby loves to make her mummy worry. Worry, worry, worry. Worry and a feeling of helplessness because there’s nothing I can do about it. This pregnancy is already the most tiring one for me. When I had the two boys, things were smooth and they were out without much complains from me. I just really hope for this baby to come out healthy. My next visit is in 10 days’ time.

I took leave to go to the clinic to collect my prescription and test result from the nurse today. She didn’t say much, and I kind of didn’t have much to ask as I have also done my own reading on GBS after I received the phone call. Only thing she told me was to attach the result to the admission letter and bring it on the next visit (yeah, I forgot to bring the admission letter :P) so that Doctor could add some remarks to it. At the pharmacy, I was given a weeks’ worth of Penicillin tablets (costs only RM8.40)… to be taken 2 each time, 4 times a day.

Some quick information about GBS (extracted from BabyCenter):

• Normally screened at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy.
• Usually harmless in adults, but could cause sepsis (an infection in the blood), pneumonia, and meningitis in newborns if the bacteria is passed to the baby during labor / birth.
• If you were GBS positive and didn’t get treatment, your baby would have only about a 1 or 2 in 200 chance of becoming infected.
• If you are treated with antibiotics during labor, you reduce your baby’s chance of getting the infection even further — to about one in 4,000.
• If you are GBS positive, you’ll need to have IV antibiotics as soon as your labor starts or your water breaks, whichever comes first. Ideally, you’ll want to get started on the antibiotics at least four hours before you give birth.

Until my next visit, I guess I’ll just have to hope that this course of antibiotics will help clear the bacteria (although I read that oral antibiotics taken during pregnancy has not been found to prevent infection in newborns).

(WARNING: Light ranting ahead…)

Remember I updated on my checkup saying I did a swab test for Group B Streptococcus (GBS)? Well, the nurse just called with the results… it’s positive. I didn’t have this bacteria during my previous two pregnancies, so this is something new to me. Positive result only means that I carry the bacteria, and this bacteria can come and go. It’s actually not harmful to the mother, but a newborn passing through the birth canal could get infected. Therefore, I will need to go to the clinic and get some medicine (antibiotics, I think) so that I can start on it as soon as possible, before I pop.

More updates tomorrow, after I have seen the nurse and asked a couple of questions with regards to this. In the meantime, you can read up the link on GBS if you’re interested.

::::::::::: SUE’S RANT :::::::::::

I have totally no mood to work now and requested my superior to let me off early to go to the Doctor’s so that I can save my leave tomorrow… not only the stupid fella didn’t give me a straight answer, but he pointed to some work that wasn’t mine to begin with and say, “Why is that box still there?”

Oh, and what kind of a superior complains about a pregnant woman taking a full day’s MC everytime she has to go for a checkup? This is the best time to utilise all my MCs *hehehe* and also to have a rest. I seriously wonder what he will say to his wife when it’s her turn to be pregnant… hmph!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Checkup:
Mummy’s Weight: 73.4kgs (OMG! Sue the fatty bom bom!)

Baby’s Weight: 2.0kgs (Baby is a wee bit smaller than the 2 boys at this stage.)

Baby’s Position: Head down

Doctor’s Comment: I had the vaginal swab done today to check if there is any infection. It’s a common procedure, done to all pregnant mommies. I asked Doctor about the pressure of the baby’s weight on the urethra, which is really quite bad for a few weeks already. He told me that its normal, the more babies we have, everything inside (and out) tends to get looser o.O”. Thus, if I’m lying down or sitting down properly and the pain goes away, there is nothing to worry about. If the pain persists even when lying down, then there really is a problem.

Sue’s Comment: Okay, I’ve really piled on the weight these past 3 weeks. No wonder I’m feeling more sluggish than ever. I really hope that this weight goes off after baby comes out… *sweats*. On another note, this baby seems to be smaller than both my boys at this stage… I hope she puts on more before she comes out. Doctor said she would probably be around 3.3kgs at due date, putting on another 1.2 kgs or so in the remaining 5 weeks. How come my babies getting smaller and smaller ah? Normally subsequent babies tend to be bigger and bigger. There really is nothing much to be done now except wait for baby to come out. Feels like sitting on a time bomb :P.

EDD: Around 6th August 2008

Yeah, been skipping some posts which I have planned to do, mainly because I just feel so sleepy and lazy at nights that I ended up sleeping with the kids. Here are little bits of random things that’s been fluttering through my mind these days…

The Bump
When I’m sitting, it’s pushing up on my ribs and it makes me oh-so-sore. When I’m standing or walking, it’s pushing down on my pelvis, and it makes it oh-so-painful. The best position to be is lying down sideways, which I hardly get to do unless I go to bed at night (after the 2 little owls go to sleep). This baby is falling into the same pattern as my 2 boys, my tummy tend to be small at the beginning and now it’s ballooned in trimester 3.

The Name
I’m cracking my brain trying to think of names, both girl and boy names (in case Doctor tersilap (Malay: made a mistake) lah). Please, if any of you want to suggest some names, please do… I basically welcome any letter of the alphabet but I would like to narrow it down to 2 syllables and 4 or 5 letters.

The Confinement
This time around, I will be doing confinement in my own home, instead of my mum’s like when I had Ivan and Izac. This is mainly because Ivan is already going to school and it would be terrible to leave him there with the maid while I stay at mum’s place. I just hope both boys won’t start riding my back and jumping on me like they always do when they see me lying down *sweats* (especially Izac… he goes broom broom…).

The Confinement Stock-Up
I’m sourcing for Bentong ginger, the market price for this period seem to be around RM14 per kg. I have asked from the market in Pandamaran as well as TTDI. I think I will most probably get from TTDI market as it’s nearer to my place and I always get my vegetables from this aunty. I still need to get “wong chau” (Cantonese: yellow wine) and I do not know where from. Anyone with any good recommendations? What other things do I need? I know I certainly cannot miss out on those herbs which will be used for bathing, I need my bath or I will go bonkers.

The Confinement Urut
Again, any suggestions? I will be in Bandar Utama, so I can’t possibly get the urut lady from Port Klang like previously. She was really good, by the way… a little expensive, but still good. Now I have a new namelist which I have yet to call up, I don’t mind more suggestions if you’ve tried any good ones.

Finally, I’m just wondering if I have the time and energy for just 1 more photo outing *hahahaha*…

Checkup:
Mummy’s Weight: 69kgs

Baby’s Weight: 1.7kgs

Baby’s Position: Head down

Doctor’s Comment: He asked if I’ve heard of stem cell storage, of course I have. Izac’s cord blood was stored with StemLife. This baby’s cord blood will also be stored with StemLife. Baby’s head has turned down so Doctor say I can have natural birth. I was given the admission letter today also, so it makes the arrival seem so near already :P. So today, I asked him again, is the baby a girl or a boy. He look, look, look, and told me that it’s a GIRL (can’t see the birdie ma).

Sue’s Comment: Hmm, an increase of 700gms in 4 weeks, is that little or a lot? This means all my additional weight went to the kiddo this past month. I have a feeling that his baby could surpass her brothers in weight. I just hope Doctor’s right about baby’s gender, don’t want surprises in the delivery room *chuckles*.

EDD: Around 11th August 2008

::::::::::: IVAN SAYS :::::::::::

Ivan: “Mommy…”
Mommy: (Full concentration on the laptop screen) “……”
Ivan: “Mommy…”
Mommy: “……”
Ivan: “Mommeeeeeee…”
Mommy: “……”
Ivan: (Seriously) “I talking to the wall ah?”
Mommy: o.O”

I was extremely surprised to hear him say that. I am the one who always say that to the kids when I talk to them and get no answer *LOL*. I’m quite lucky that both my kids seldom make me seem like I’m talking to the wall…

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Feeling Heavy
Okay, as of this past week, I feel that I’ve started waddling like a duck. Still not quite a beached whale yet as I’ll still jump up and ready to go any minute someone tells me we’re going on an photography outing, but it’s safe to say that I’d rather not walk if I don’t have to *grins*. My walking posture: belly way out and back arched, I’m feeling heavy. And I’m just approaching my 8th month… I seriously think after the trip to Malacca I’ve kind of ballooned overnight *sighs*.

Cravings
Do I have any particular craving this time around? Yes, I do. I’m craving for junk food and fast food. I remember when I was pregnant with Ivan I hardly craved for anything, and I’m out for dinner on most nights with hubs. With Izac, however, I think I craved a little for Kentucky Fried Chicken and lots of corn-in-a-cup. I remember asking my colleagues to go for KFC every now and then, which they will oblige (pregnant lady woi *LOL*). This time, I’m in constant need for some cheesy snacks, and nearly anytime of the day I wouldn’t mind having a Big Mac in my hands too! Hope this baby don’t turn into a junk/fast food addict. Izac did kind of continue the trend from when he was in the womb. He really love his corn… it doesn’t matter if it’s corn on cob, corn in cup or whatever!