I wish I had known...

I wish I had known...

i) that the initial morning sickness I suffered was named day sickness as mine lasted the whole day! and it lasted 14 weeks.....:(

ii) that getting pregnant is not a happy joyous thing from the start....I started off becoming grumpy and sick especially when I had to eat the hormone pills to stabilise the pregnancy.....I felt so damn hot all the time and felt like screaming at all those around me! hehe...

iii) that the prenatal vitamins that are so called good for me and the baby are so large and hard to swallow! the freakin pills are HUGE! having trouble swallowing food was already bad enough....sheesh can't someone make these pills more "pregnant friendly"?

iv) that i would have to spend $2 per pill for a fish oil pill that is supposed to enhance the brain development of the baby! hmmm...imagine how many shoes, bags, pedicures and massages I can buy if I din have to consume this!! all the things I sacrifice for motherhood..hahahah

v) that having a baby is such a "community affair"! Once anyone sees me, all the well-intention advice starts pouring out...and I must admit that I get really confused at times!! Heaty or cooling food? Si Mi Lai??? What do you mean I cant eat this fruit? Aren't all fruits good for a person if taken in moderation?

The most stressful part is when your gynae proclaims that u can eat ANYTHING (even pineapples!) but not herbal stuff.....and you get all these "why you so kia see" kind of comments from your elders! "What you mean cannot eat herbal stuff?" they would ask me....So how? Listen to gynae or all these "people who have given birth to so many children"? U tell me!!! stress rite?

Frankly all these contradicting things about food and what NOT to do (eg cannot squat down) can sometimes be too much for someone who is trying to adjust to her mood swings, body aches, nausea and dizzy spells..kekekke...But in all fairness, everyone is concerned so I dun hold it against them. :) Know what I do? I eat different food when I am with different people!! I know it's cheating but I'd rather not get scolded or daggar stares when I consume that piece of potato chip! hahahaha...

vi) that some of the horrid symptoms from my first trimester will revisit me as I enter my third trimester! feeling even heavier and tired this time, its so scary to have mood swings and bouts of "feeling damn hot" at weird times of the day! I also cannot push myself to walk too much anymore or I will suffer the consequence of swollen feet and back aches at night. :(

vii) that people will treat me like I am some endangered species! hehe..It's actually them being extra careful with what I eat and do but sometimes pregnant people just want to be treated like a normal one too! hahahah..

viii) that going to toilet to pee will take up such a big chunk of my time especially during the night when i am supposed to SLEEP! yikes...

Hope I have not scared any of u ladies who are planning to get pregnant...take it in your stride ....the way I am trying hard to!! hahahha

FAQs...

I have been dealing with FAQs in my previous jobs as I am always dealing with clients/customers so attempting to answer all possible questions is something I am familiar with. You would think a departure from the working world would "release" me from such work but NOOO...I still get them and as per my wrking style, I try to tweak the answers until there are no further questions!! hehe... I always knew my job was useful!

I know it is an ineveitable thing and what else would people ask me after looking at me and my protruding belly! Here are the FAQs I have been encountering ......

1) Person A: How many months pregnant are you?When is your due date?

Me : I am currently 7.5mths (as at 19 Nov 07). Giving birth on 28 Jan 08.

(I learnt that telling ppl my pregnancy in weeks (as per what pregnancy is measured by) doesn't seem to evoke any understanding as one of my friend remarked "wah u are 4 mths pregnant already ah" when I told her I was 24 weeks! I am like "No...24 divide by 4 is 6mths leh"....it has happened so many times until I decided to tell ppl in mths for better understanding. However, a full term pregnancy is actually 40 weeks which is of course 10 mths so it also kinda confuses people when I say I am going to give birth end Jan 08..sheesh...

2) Person B: Is it a girl or boy?

Me: Boy

Person B: Wah your parents-in-law must be very happy! At least U dun have to worry anymore cos you have a son.

(Hello!! what era is this huh? what's up with having a son as opposed to a daughter?I mean, look around you, isn't it obvious having a daughter nowadays is so much better? Anyways my idea is that having a healthy child is so much more important than the gender. gosh...)

3) Person C: Wah you going to give birth pretty soon hor? (this person thinks a child is born in 9mths instead of 10mths) Aiyo when is your husband coming back?

Me: He has to complete his training first. He will be back before end December.

(me not sure and lying cos if I dont give a date, the conversation will never end..hehe)

4) Person D: Which hospital you going to?

Me: Mt Alvernia ...my gynae gave me a choice of Gleneagles, Mt Alvernia and Thomson Medical. I am choosing Mt Alvernia because its the nearest to my home.

Person D: Huh really ah? I prefer Thomson Medical/Gleaneagles leh. The service there so much better. The food at the food court also nicer. I think the nurses there more professional than Mt Alvernia.

Me : Oh, is it ? hehe..(me gives a sickly smile and wonders when this person will stop convincing me to change hospital :S)

5)Person E : Your tummy is a little small hor? How much weight you put on ah?

Me: Small meh? I checked with my gynae and the size of the tummy doesn't indicate if the baby is big or small. My last check showed the baby is growing well. Anyways I am glad my tummy is not too big if not I will be suffering backaches. I should have put on abt 10-12 kg so far.

Person E: Ok la. I guess it doesn't look so huge because you are so tall. In fact, you don't look pregnant at all. (Me gives a grateful smile at this last statement as it indicates I am not a whale! hahah..but then thinking of it, if i don't look pregnant then what? I look fat ah?)

Person E (continues) : You know ah, the last time I am pregnant, I ate so much, always so hungry...I think I put on at least 20kg! U not eating well is it? Cannot diet at this time you know. U must eat more to have a fat round baby! Don't worry abt losing weight...look at me now!

Me: (totally unconvinced by this person since she is not TAT slim so I try to entertain her) Is it? wah you lose the weight very fast and now you are so slim

Person E: The trick is to breastfeed. Once you breastfeed, you will become slim like me. Very fast one. But once you stop breastfeeding, you will put on weight.

(images of a cow pumping milk flashes through my brain...and I imagine myself possibly being one soon...sigh...i start calculating : how many mths must I breastfeed in order to maintain the "new slim me" after 9mths of "fat ol me"... siao liao)

Well I suppose everyone has some level of concern over my current well-being so I practise and answer all these FAQs with a level of patience that I normally would not have. So, pls do not worry abt asking me the above, I promise not to slap you unexpectedly....hahahaha..

As I start my 3rd trimester with "new" symptoms and aches, I am mentally preparing myself for what's ahead......in the meantime if I bite your head off for no reason whatsoever, pls ignore me.......I read that my hormone level is at an all time high as I approach the birth date! sheesh....