usapang buntis

i am already in my last leg of pregnancy, 32 weeks to be exact, but still my tummy looks smaller than it should. while i had the ideal weight gain of 25 lbs for iñigo i only gained a total of 7 lbs for this pregnancy when my weight was checked during my last prenatal check-up and that was only two and half weeks ago. i know i need a lot of catching up to do in terms of gaining weight since i only have five to seven more weeks to go till the d-day. jude also knows this very well that’s why he couldn’t complain when i ask even in the middle of the night for a take-out food.

 

i'm the one in blue shirt and black leggings. see how "slim" i am compared to the other moms who attended the childbirth/lamaze class to think that i am just few weeks behind...

***

thank goodness my glucose or blood sugar level is back to normal. i haven’t shared it here yet but i was diagnosed to have a gestational diabetes on my fourth month by my previous obstretician as i failed in my ogtt test (the test wherein i a pregnant woman has to take that yucky syrup and wait for an hour to two inside a clinic or laboratory until a sample of her blood is extracted); and it’s probably because of the strict diet that her referred endocrinologist imposed on me that’s why i didn’t gain weight for the entire second trimester!. aside from the low-fat and no-sugar diet, i also made sure it’s high-fiber as i learned from one of my readings that fiber helps a lot in regulating the insulin in our body. staples now in my weekly grocery are wheat bread, brown or red rice, and lots of veggies and fruits.

i switched to another obstretician in my fifth month and the gestational diabetes was ruled out as my other lab tests measuring also my glucose level showed very good results. i wonder if the briskwalking, i.e. walking almost everyday from our condo building to the mall, which is as far as sm makati, with a toddler in tow, helped. hahaha.

but seriously, i briskwalked and did the prenatal exercises taught to us in our lamaze class. see… am also a good girl. =)

***

i heard or read it many times but it’s now that i proved it: the best pregnancy is the first pregnancy as you only have yourself and the baby inside you to take care of for nine months.

i think having a very active preschooler inside the house is also one of the reasons why i am not gaining weight. i brought iñigo with me once in my prenatal check-up as jude had to be in the office and my ob who probably can’t believe that i stoop, squat, kneel, or whatever movement is required to keep up with the kiddo’s incessant demands or overflowing energy, said to iñigo before we left her clinic, “kaya pala hinde tumataba mommy mo e dahil sa ‘yo eh...” i just have to answer, “mismo, doc.”

***

don’t you love to be pregnant these days when maternity clothes are more fab than ever and some of the ordinary clothes were also cut for preggies to fit in, and finding them in the mall would only take you a minute? well… i do! i am happy that those striped jumpers or blouses with embroidered pictures of teddy bears which expectant moms were donning in the 80’s and 90’s are already obsolete, and i am happier that empire-cut blouses or dresses are in trend right now and because of this am not forced to buy my clothes exclusively from maternity departments or shops, except for some of my pants. actually, all of the blouses i am wearing until now were just bought from women’s boutiques and it seems i will still fit into these tops until i popped out. =)

***

  

it’s only now, and well, even in my first pregnancy, that i realized that most filipinos no longer give high regard to expectant women. sad isn’t it? i had some unfortunate incidents which proved that most filipinos now no longer care if you have that bump and need extra care or attention. one of my most unforgettable experiences was when i was still pregnant then with iñigo and i had to take the bus plying the lawton-alabang route as i was still working that time. it’s either i ended up in tears or cursing the bus driver or the conductor (or both of them!!!) as the bus would already move even if the pregnant me is just about to alight from the bus. i don’t know why i still had to remind them of the obvious that, “mama… buntis po ako!!!”

i am grateful now that i don’t need to travel everyday but still i get to experience a few disappointing moments outside my home like when i still have to queue on a long line for the entrance or a cab… never mind if i am carrying a grocery bag or has a three-year-old son with me.

but the worst treatment I have seen done to a pregnant mom, thanks god it’s not me, was when no one (even the men) offered their seats inside the bus and they pretended to be either asleep or busy chatting with their seatmates. *heavy sigh*

***

is this what they call the second-child syndrome? there were some things i did for iñigo that i no longer, or still delaying to do for this pregnancy like praying the novena to st. raymund, video-recording his movements as seen thru my tummy, and listening to classical music. but i promise to start especially with the latter this week….

but as least, am sure that this time i will have a picture of me in my ripest... =)

it's a baby boy again!

i just had my ultrasound today and since jude and i can't wait to know our baby's gender until the D-day, the first thing i asked from the sonologist is if our baby is a boy or a girl and i was amused with the sonologist's answer after checking the genital part, "it's a boy! ayan o... kitang-kita yung betlog." hahaha. he's really one of my boys...! =P

so it's not yet time for us to have a baby girl (am i giving hints? hehe). but am happy with the fact that he and kuya iñigo will be playmates two to three years from now and i can already see that it's gonna be a riot everyday in our house. for jude, it's gonna be tipid! kuripot talaga! haha. but i was quick to tell him that i won't recycle iñigo's clothes and shoes as much as possible, except probably for the everyday clothes.

we are more excited now that we already know the gender of our second baby. i thought it's already a girl, not because it's our preference, but this pregnancy is a lot different than during my time with iñigo. but then, we also had hints that it's gonna be a boy. it's probably why i can't dispose yet some of iñigo's things that he seldom used and why i was semi-pushing jude to buy another ride-on car we saw in a thrift shop last weekend. i had a strong feeling that it's going to be useful, not only for iñigo but also for the next baby.

 

 

and the other good news is...

yes, we are pregnant again! first trimester actually has already passed and two more trimesters to go and we’re going to have another bundle of joy. =)  after a blighted ovum case and a major false alarm late last year, we decided to hold off the good news first until i’ve already passed first trimester. but i already knew we were pregnant first week of february when i missed my period and a positive pregnancy test confirmed it. i was so sigurista that i made the test three times! hahaha. i also waited for my eight week before i decided to see my ob-gyne and had an ultrasound. and boy, i was crying when i heard my baby’s heartbeat. my doctor was laughing at me when she asked why there were tears  and i answered, “kasi naman po totoo na talagang buntis ako.” hehe.

 

for all those who have guessed before--yes, it’s true... there’s another tot coming in our family! this is really another big blessing for us as we really wanted to give iñigo a sibling this year. and we didn’t wait long till our prayer was answered as we just started to try since october of last year.

 

for those whose events we missed to attend (you know who you are =)), sorry but i had an uncomfortable first trimester. i’m just glad that inspite of this, i still had an uneventful one; no bed rest is needed. but the nausea and heartburn was really forcing me to take more rests now. my lihi stage now was more maselan than during iñigo’s time. if i craved for a lot of food then it’s the opposite this time as i had aversion for food. =( it’s good that my appetite now is starting to pick up.

 

i just hope that my pregnancy will remain smooth and safe until its ninth month. a lot of people are also wishing for us to have a baby girl this time. we also do. but i realized that when you’re blessed and pregnant, to deliver a healthy and normal baby is more than enough.

the reason behind the sudden weaning

i was inspired by jah to post about this experience of ours as i take delight in the innocence of a little child. there is something in their actions or words, even how naughty or silly it is, that makes them more adorable. i just hope they will always hold that innocence until they reach the age of reason.

a backgrounder of my story:

i thought was pregnant again. it was 6th of november when i had myself checked using a pregnancy test kit--and two lines appeared. it's supposed to be the fourth week of my pregnancy. we were joyful as we thought we're ready now to welcome another member in the family. next day came and as used to be a part of our early morning ritual, i nursed iñigo. fyi, he sucked like an infant during mornings. hours passed but when i woke up i saw stains of blood in my undies and shorts. i panicked and called jude immediately as he was already in his office. i couldn't help but blame breastfeeding as the cause of my "bleeding". we went to asian hospital that same morning but was discharged immediately after the resident ob prescribed some medicines and advised me to take a bed rest.

so we thought i was indeed pregnant. at this time i decided to stop breastfeeding iñigo the cold-turkey approach so as not to aggravate my condition. after nine days, 15th of november, we went back to asian for my scheduled ultrasound only to find out that... i am not pregnant! two more pregnancy tests validated the result. the bleeding must probably my monthly period and it just came late. HAY! so much for a false alarm...

i'd tell iñigo during the time i was weaning him why mommy had to stop giving her milk to him. the stupid me told him that a baby is going to come soon in our family and mommy has to reserve the milk for her (yes, we already claimed it's a girl. hehe). iñigo obliged at first but looking at him, he was definitely having a hard time to forget about my milk.

but one time he rushed to my side and cried, "mommy, no baby girl! ...don't like baby girl".

it was enough to make me cry. obviously, he was threatened with the coming of a new baby in the house. while my son has yet to understand the whole scenario i failed to assure him that nothing would change and that the new baby would not be favored over him.

i changed my dialogue after that incident and just blamed the medicines i was taking as my reason in weaning him. he bought the idea so i thought he already forgot about what i told him earlier. but to my surprise, he rushed to my side again one afternoon and was about to sit down on my lap as he used to whenever i nurse him but apparently he realized something as he got up and then said "milk... (for) baby girl, mommy". he was pointing to my breasts, then he repeated again those words but this time he proudly added that "iñigo... big brother".

i was so proud of him.

but i just hope now it's true. =P

 

iñigo is going to be a kuya soon... =D

yes, you read it right… jude and i are gonna be parents of two kids eight months from now! =D

 

i had myself tested this morning and the two lines that appeared in the kit just validated what i was suspecting earlier this week... that we are again pregnant. =D

 

this is a bit earlier than we planned but nevertheless, this baby is very much welcome in the family and we can’t wait to see iñigo being a doting brother to his baby sister…. it’s gonna be a girl as we have already claimed... we even already have a name prepared for her. =D

 

pray that am going to have a safe and smooth pregnancy again this time, please? the first thing that popped in my mind are the numerous concerns we have for this half of the year and i don’t know if i can handle the stress now that we are already pregnant… plus the fact that we have an active and playful toddler inside the house…. super power ang kelangan ko! =D