My Discoveries

26 weeks! {98 days to go!}

2009-12-02T13:51:00.001+08:00

Yes, I'm now on my 26th week of pregnancy. I just checked my weight last night and I was shocked that I've gained several pounds. Blame it to the rice, lol!

I will be having a Congenital Anomaly Scan on Saturday, I'm sooooo excited because finally, we'll know if it's a boy or a girl. We've already thought of the name as well.

As for baby #2, here's what babycenter.com said:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

I'm starting also to buy baby items. I've already requested a friend who will be arriving from the US this December to buy me new sets of playtex ventaire and avent feeding bottles . The clothes, I already have some but I guess I have to buy additionals.

As I'm writing this post, baby#2 keeps on moving like an excited octopus inside my tummy. It makes me quite uneasy...some says it could be a boy hence the movements. How I wish...but we'll see this weekend. For now, I'm enjoying the feeling.

Now, Printing's made easy!

2009-11-25T23:14:00.006+08:00

Have you tried outsourcing your printing requirements? I’ve recently done it and found out that it’s much cheaper AND convenient than having it printed at nearby local printers. And based on my personal experience it’s more comfortable to just send the files or anything you want to be printed online and just wait for the print outs shipped to your address rather than going through the process of looking for suitable printers, spending time proofreading, and so on...

I’m a busy mom but I see to it that I also work on my hobby when my schedule permits me. And one of my hobbies requires me to create layouts so it can turn out to be nice photo books and I‘m considering printing them using PsPrint, a better alternative to Kinkos. At PsPrint, online printing is really hassle-free and it suits me! I think this is also a great alternative for small business owners out there. Having your brochures and flyers printed is faster because at PsPrint they offer super fast turn-around time, even receiving them the same day. And unlike other printers who requires minimum number of orders and print outs, online printers give you much more options and can even accommodate even a single print out. That’s why I highly recommend online printing.

And now that Christmas is fast approaching, personally created gifts are the best gifts you can give to love ones. As for me, I’ll be working on a calendar and I’m considering having my postcards done at PsPrint since they are offering 40% at all postcard printing services until the end of this month. I’ll be giving them out to relatives and friends abroad. I’m sure they’ll love it and appreciate it a lot.

24 Weeks.

2009-11-20T22:11:00.002+08:00

Yes, 'm on my 24th week of pregnancy, meaning I'm already 6 months preggy. Three months to go, lol!

Last Saturday I had my pre-natal check up and we're happy that the baby's fine. We don;t know yet it's gender but my OB already gave us referral for a congenital anomaly scan next month. This will be my second ultrasound, the last and final one will be before my delivery.

As I'm writing this post, the baby is moving. It keeps on rolling as if doing some somersaults :D. The moves are more prominent now that even my office mates notice them especially during lunch time in the office.

As for me, I gained 3 kilos from last month's check-up. My belly is bigger and I'm eating a lot! :D I also had my fourth painful leg cramps attack last night, huhu! My OB said that leg cramps usually happens when a preggy mommy lacks calcium so she advise for me to drink non-fat milk everyday..haaaay.

Anyway, I'm excited for my ultrasound, think I won;t wait until December to do it. Maybe I'll have it next week...

Direct TV or Cable TV?

2009-11-19T15:00:00.001+08:00

Nowadays, it seems that analog television is quite passé. With the evolving technology of digital terrestrial television comes what they call Direct TV. Compare to an ordinary cable television service, DirectTV provides more entertainment to all its subscribers. It can provide up to 200+ channels at a much lower monthly subscription cost. It also has the highest definition and an exclusive programming feature.

Directv is a very useful entertainment tool especially for business establishments. Whether you manage a bank, coffee shop, restaurants, office or even a gym, your customers will definitely get satisfied even though they’re queuing a long line or waiting on lobbies. Television is a great entertainment tool and with a Direct TV, no customer will ever get bored.

So, whether for family or business use, Direct TV is the best choice. If only this service is available in my neck of the woods, I will definitely subscribe.

Enjoy Math!

2009-11-14T00:02:00.003+08:00

I’m an English subject lover and truth is I’m allergic to numbers. Yes, even when I’m studying I really hate numbers and subjects like accounting, math and algebra. I remember when I was in grade school. Whenever I have math problems specially math word problems on my assignment, I would always ask my mom to answer it for me. My mom then would seek someone’s help since she’s not also a math person.

During college days, I would always seek my classmate’s help on my math subjects. When we have assignments I would ask my friend who’s a math wiz to help me figure out the answers on our Algebra word problems. I get embarrassed also when I can’t get them right when we are asked to explain how I came up with my math answers and I can’t explain it during recitations.

I don’t want that to happen to my children. I want them to love math subjects and not get scared to school subjects with numbers. That’s why as early as now, I’m exposing my little one to math and allow her to enjoy numbers. I don’t want her to seek Algebra help from anyone but instead be confident that she can excel on the subject by herself. I know that exposing her to Kumon at an early stage will really help.

But for those who haven’t had a good start, there's still hope since there’s now online tutoring services that is very beneficial to students who wants to learn even outside their regular classes. Tutor Vista is among these tutoring sites available in the internet 24/7. Always open and available for those who wants to learn math and algebra deeper and for those seeking Algebra 2 help as well. For a decent price of $99.99 a month, a student can already get unlimited monthly tutoring package. So if you’re having problems with math, you might want to try it.

As I remember my childhood experiences with math, I just laugh at in now. I realized, math is not a difficult and scary subject at all. It’s just that some teachers make it hard for the students. Now I know that exposing them early to the subject and seeking help from tutoring services can make Math, Algebra and all other math subjects fun and enjoyable for students.

Be prepared.

2009-11-13T22:56:00.003+08:00

Today I've attended a forum about Risk Reduction. It's a forum organized by one of the Lopez Group of Companies for those who were affected by the recent catastrophes. Speakers are from the Manila Observatory who are the ones doing the research and study about climate change, disaster prevention and risk reduction.

Well I must say, it's informative and at the same time, gave the attendees a little scare. As you all know, we live in Marikina and honestly, I'm quite sentimentally attached to this city. For one, I grew up here. And two, it's near to where I work. But the study that they presented to us showed that the city is among the areas in the country that is prone to flooding and earthquake (because of the Marikina Fault Line). At the end of the forum there where questioned raised. There are some who were scared about the earthquake and the damage it will cause, there were some who seek advised if they should relocate, etc. I could sense that they are really scared.

As for me, I beleive that no one can predict when such things will happen. Only God knows. We just need to be prepared physically, emotionally and most specially spiritually, and set the recent catastrophe as a benchmark in our planning and preparation.

22nd Week.

2009-11-02T09:23:00.003+08:00

I'm now on my 22nd week and had my 3rd leg cramps attach last Friday morning, ouchy... But so far so good.

I'm eating, well, enough for me and my baby. I've gained weight. I'm now 50kgs., I gained 2 kilos from my the last time I checked :). My Tummy is now showing so much that everyone notices me already. At 5 and 1/2 months, some says I'm small, some says I'm bigger compare to my last pregnancy. Well, people really have different views. Also, my fingers are starting to swell, which reminds me to keep an eye on my rings :D.

I also bought some pregnancy clothes last week. I can't find some of my clothes that I lend to to my sisters, and they haven't returned all of them so I need to buy some. As always, pregnancy clothes are still pricey :D.

As for the baby, I can feel it move every time I eat something. It rolls and moves a lot now. Some says it's a boy because of his "moves" though some says a girl. Anyway, my ultrasound schedule is still on December so let's wait and see who will guess it right. I'm excited! :)

20th Week.

2009-10-19T16:01:00.003+08:00

I'm now approaching my 20th week! From my last check-up, I gained 3 kilos. From 44 kgs., I'm now 47 kg. I also had my second leg cramps attack the other night, sigh..but aside from that, I'm feeling perfectly well. I can also feel now that the baby's moving. I think the moves are the baby's reaction when I'm hungry, bloated (LOL!) or when the baby do hiccups. I'm happy whenever I feel the movements.

My next prenatal checkup will be on the 7th of November. I'm hoping that by that time I'm not yet overweight. I'm eating too much lately (lol!). I'm also busy now choosing for the baby's name. We want the baby to have the same initial as my lovely daughter JM. I'm enjoying looking and mix-matching names, haha. I'll post the name here when I already made the final decision and when we already kew baby #2's gender.

Wanting That Bathroom Suite

2009-10-14T22:16:00.003+08:00

When I was searching the internet for room interior designs for our house, one of the things I searched is bathroom designs. Then I stumbled upon betterbathrooms.com and I can’t help but drool over the luxurious bathroom fixtures I saw from their site. It was also the time I learned that there’s such a term as bathroom suites. Betterbathrooms.com is a company based in UK and a one stop shop for those who want to have their own bathroom suite. There you can find all the things you’ll need for a nice, luxurious bathroom. They have everything from tiles, shower items, sinks, bath tubs to Jacuzzi. They also have package deals that customers can choose from. Everything you need to know is on their website so customers will be guided properly. You can also read various reviews from their satisfied customers.

So, who wouldn’t want to have nice, comfortable and relaxing bathrooms, right? I guess everyone would really love to be in a place in the house where one can relax, and the bathroom is one of that places where we can also have our “me” times specially if a bathroom is spacious, and complete with all bathroom furniture and fixtures including a Jacuzzi! If I'll have that bathroom, I'm sure I’ll spend many times in that place :D.

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

2009-10-13T20:15:00.004+08:00

When I learned that I'm pregnant I immediately asked my OB all the foods that I need to avoid until after the baby's born. She told me to avoid tuna because of it's high mercury content. So for now I'm avoiding tuna even those that are canned. I seldom eat tuna so I know I can survive even if I don't eat them. My only problem is that I didn't know that "tulingan" is also a fish that belongs to the tuna family :(. I'm scared since I ate "sinaing na tulingan" two days in a row last week...I just pray that it won't cause any harm to my baby...

Anyway, here are some other foods that pregnant women should avoid according to American Pregnancy:

What are the foods I should avoid during pregnancy?

Raw Meat: Uncooked seafood and rare or undercooked beef or poultry should be avoided because of the risk of contamination with coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella.

Deli Meat: Deli meats have been known to be contaminated with listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby leading to infection or blood poisoning, which may be life-threatening. If you are pregnant and you are considering eating deli meats, make certain that you reheat the meat until it is steaming.

Fish with Mercury: Fish that contain high levels of mercury should be avoided. Mercury consumed during pregnancy has been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. A sample of these types of fish include: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Canned, chunk light tuna generally has a lower amount of mercury than other tuna, but still should only be eaten in moderation. Certain types of fish used in sushi should also be avoided due to high levels of mercury. Please see Mercury in Fish for specific types of fish and further information on how to calculate mercury levels.

Smoked Seafood -Refrigerated, smoked seafood often labeled as lox, nova style, kippered, or jerky should be avoided because it could be contaminated with Listeria. (These are safe to eat when they are in an ingredient in a meal that has been cooked, like a casserole.) This type of fish is often found in the deli section of your grocery store. Canned or shelf-safe smoked seafood is usually OK to eat.

Fish Exposed to Industrial Pollutants: Avoid fish from contaminated lakes and rivers that may be exposed to high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls. This is primarily for those who fish in local lakes and streams. These fish include: bluefish, striped bass, salmon, pike, trout, and walleye. Contact the local health department or Environmental Protection Agency to determine which fish are safe to eat in your area. Remember, this is regarding fish caught in local waters and not fish from your local grocery store.

Raw Shellfish: The majority of seafood-borne illness is caused by undercooked shellfish, which include oysters, clams, and mussels. Cooking helps prevent some types of infection, but it does not prevent the algae-related infections that are associated with red tides. Raw shellfish pose a concern for everybody, and they should be avoided altogether during pregnancy.

Raw Eggs: Raw eggs or any foods that contain raw eggs should be avoided because of the potential exposure to salmonella. Some homemade Caesar dressings, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream or custards, and Hollandaise sauces may be made with raw eggs.

If the recipe is cooked at some point, this will reduce the exposure to salmonella. Commercially manufactured ice cream, dressings, and eggnog are made with pasteurized eggs and do not increase the risk of salmonella. Restaurants should be using pasteurized eggs in any recipe that is made with raw eggs, such as Hollandaise sauce or dressings.

Soft Cheeses: Imported soft cheeses may contain bacteria called Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby leading to infection or blood poisoning, which can be life-threatening. You would need to avoid soft cheeses such as: Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Feta, Gorgonzola and Mexican style cheeses that include queso blanco and queso fresco, unless they clearly state that they are made from pasteurized milk. All soft non-imported cheeses made with pasteurized milk are safe to eat.

Unpasteurized Milk: Unpasteurized milk may contain bacteria called listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby leading to infection or blood poisoning, which can be life-threatening. Make sure that any milk you drink is pasteurized.

Pate: Refrigerated pate or meat spreads should be avoided because they may contain the bacteria listeria. Canned pate, or shelf-safe meat spreads can be eaten.

Caffeine: Although most studies show that caffeine intake in moderation is OK, there are others that show that caffeine intake may be related to miscarriages. Avoid caffeine during the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage. As a general rule, caffeine should be limited to fewer than 300 mg per day during pregnancy. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it helps eliminate fluids from the body. This can result in water and calcium loss. It is important that you are drinking plenty of water, juice, and milk rather than caffeinated beverages. Some research shows that large amounts of caffeine are associated with miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and withdrawal symptoms in infants. The safest thing is to refrain from consuming caffeine.

Alcohol: There is NO amount of alcohol that is known to be safe during pregnancy, and therefore alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can interfere with the healthy development of the baby. Depending on the amount, timing, and pattern of use, alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or other developmental disorders. If you consumed alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now. You should continue to avoid alcohol during breastfeeding. Exposure of alcohol to an infant poses harmful risks, and alcohol does reach the baby during breastfeeding.

Unwashed Vegetables: Yes, vegetables are safe to eat, so you still need to eat them. However, it is essential to make sure they are washed to avoid potential exposure to toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis may contaminate the soil where the vegetables were grown.

19 Weeks and my first leg cramps.

2009-10-13T19:39:00.003+08:00

Yes, I experienced my first leg cramps at 6 am this morning.The pain woke me up that I almost cried. I thought I'm just having a nightmare but no, it was real and until this time, I can still feel a little pain on my legs. I'm thankful that I have a nurse-husband that I can depend on. He immediately straightened my legs and massaged my legs and calf muscle so the pain did not reached my thigh. I also experienced leg cramps during my first pregnancy but not as early as 19 weeks! Anyway, I'll just accept that every pregnancy is different

I searched about leg cramps and here's what I got from babycenter.com:

Why am I having leg cramps during pregnancy?

No one really knows why women have more leg cramps when they're pregnant. It's possible that your leg muscles are tired from carrying around all of your extra weight. Or they may be aggravated by the pressure your expanding uterus puts on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and the nerves that lead from your trunk to your legs.

Leg cramps may start to plague you during your second trimester and may get worse as your pregnancy progresses and your belly gets bigger. While these cramps can occur during the day, you'll probably notice them most at night.
How can I prevent these cramps?

Try these tips for keeping leg cramps at bay:

Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.
Stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.
Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.
Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.
Avoid getting too tired. Lie down on your left side to improve circulation to and from your legs.
Stay hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.
Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.
There's some evidence that taking a magnesium supplement in addition to a prenatal vitamin may help some women. Check with your provider before taking any kind of supplement during pregnancy.

You may have heard that having leg cramps is a sign that you need more calcium, and that calcium supplements will relieve the problem. Though it's certainly important to get enough calcium, there's no good evidence that taking extra calcium will help prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. In fact, in one well-designed study, pregnant women taking calcium got no more relief from leg cramps than those taking a placebo.

What's the best way to relieve a cramp when I get one?

If you do get a cramp, immediately stretch your calf muscles: Straighten your leg, heel first, and gently flex your toes back toward your shins. It might hurt at first, but it will ease the spasm and the pain will gradually go away.

You can try to relax the cramp by massaging the muscle or warming it with a hot water bottle. Walking around for a few minutes may help too.

What if the pain persists?

If your muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp — or if you notice swelling or tenderness in your leg — call your practitioner. These may be signs of a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention. Blood clots are rare, but your risk is higher during pregnancy.

Still

2009-10-05T10:21:00.002+08:00

This was the song the made my faith stronger during those times last week..and I want to share this with you...

Still-Hillsong

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

18 Weeks...

2009-10-05T10:09:00.003+08:00

It's been quite a while..it's already October and where's my updates?

I'm now on my 18th week. So far so good. I have no more food aversions. I have a scheduled prenatal checkup last Saturday but I wasn't able to come. It was raining hard so I just told my OB that I'll go next week. I just hope that the baby is okay.

The last week's events gave me so much stress. We were one of those affected by the flood and the water level was above my chest. I was on panic last Saturday when the water began to rise. We were caught unprepared. The week after that I felt achy all over. I got tired cleaning up and washing some clothes. It was really a traumatic and tiring experience but I am so thankful that we're all safe. The Lord has been on our side and He never leave us during that time that we really need Him most. He game me strength and reminded me to just be still and trust Him.

For now, I believe that we're okay. I'm just praying that nothing happened with my baby.

Amoxicillin during pregnancy...

2009-09-25T12:31:00.002+08:00

Like what I've said on my previous post, I got scared and have doubts whether to take this antibiotic or not. It took me 5 days before heeding to my doctor's advise. I got scared primarily because I don't take any medication when I'm pregnant since I'm thinking about the harmful effects my unborn baby could get by doing so. But neglecting the infection can be more harmful to the baby if not treated immediately.

According to emedtv.com:

An Overview of Using Amoxicillin During Pregnancy

Amoxicillin (Amoxil®, Moxatag™) is a prescription antibiotic. It is usually considered to be safe for use during pregnancy, although the full risks are not currently known.

Amoxicillin and Pregnancy Category B
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category B is given to medicines that have not been adequately studied in pregnant humans but do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies.

When large doses of amoxicillin were given to pregnant rats and mice, the medication did not cause any problems. Studies have shown that amoxicillin crosses the placenta (to the baby) in humans, but it does not appear to cause problems. Although amoxicillin has not been systematically and adequately studied in pregnant women, case reports and surveys seem to suggest that amoxicillin does not increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriages.

However, since amoxicillin has not been adequately studied in pregnant women, it is possible that it may have negative effects that are not currently known. Therefore, a pregnancy Category B medicine should be given to a pregnant woman only if a healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.

According to some sources, cefalexin is also safe on pregnant women. If you experience getting UTI during pregnancy, better consult first your OB's advise. Drinking ltos of water, fresh Buko juice and cranberry juice can be helpful as well.

15th and 16th Week.

2009-09-25T08:54:00.003+08:00

I wasn't able to update last week, I was soooo lazy.

Anyway, yesterday I turned 16 weeks. Finally 4 months preggy :). My tummy is showing obviously and my appetite is better. The other week I underwent urinalysis and my OB found out that I had Urinary Track Infection which shouldn't be neglected according to her. She prescribed Amoxicilin which I need to take 3 times a day for 7 days! I got scared because I know it's an antibiotic. At first I was hesitant to follow her prescription. I waited 5 days before finally giving in. That was after I was convinced that amoxicillin is safe for me. I googled it, get enough information and asked opinions from fellow mommys . I am now on my 3rd day of medication.

Here's an info about Urinary Track Infection according to American Pregnancy:

A urinary tract infection (UTI), also called bladder infection, is a bacterial inflammation in the urinary tract. Pregnant women are at increased risk for UTI's starting in week 6 through week 24.

Why are UTI's more common during pregnancy?

UTI's are more common during pregnancy because of changes in the urinary tract. The uterus sits directly on top of the bladder. As the uterus grows, its increased weight can block the drainage of urine from the bladder, causing an infection.
What are the signs and symptoms of UTI's?

If you have a urinary tract infection, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Pain or burning (discomfort) when urinating
The need to urinate more often than usual
A feeling of urgency when you urinate
Blood or mucus in the urine
Cramps or pain in the lower abdomen
Pain during sexual intercourse
Chills, fever, sweats, leaking of urine (incontinence)
Waking up from sleep to urinate
Change in amount of urine, either more or less
Urine that looks cloudy, smells foul or unusually strong
Pain, pressure, or tenderness in the area of the bladder
When bacteria spreads to the kidneys you may experience: back pain, chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
How will the UTI affect my baby?

If the UTI goes untreated, it may lead to a kidney infection. Kidney infections may cause early labor and low birth weight. If your doctor treats a urinary tract infection early and properly, the UTI will not cause harm to your baby.

How do I know if I have a UTI?

A urinalysis and a urine culture can detect a UTI throughout pregnancy.

How is a UTI treated?

UTI's can be safely treated with antibiotics during pregnancy. Urinary tract infections are most commonly treated by antibiotics. Doctors usually prescribe a 3-7 day course of antibiotics that is safe for you and the baby.

Call your doctor if you have fever, chills, lower stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, contractions, or if after taking medicine for three days, you still have a burning feeling when you urinate.
How can I prevent a UTI?

You may do everything right and still experience a urinary tract infection, but you can reduce the likelihood by doing the following:

Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day and unsweetened cranberry juice regularly.
Eliminate refined foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
Take Vitamin C (250 to 500 mg), Beta-carotene (25,000 to 50,000 IU per day) and Zinc (30-50 mg per day) to help fight infection.
Develop a habit of urinating as soon as the need is felt and empty your bladder completely when you urinate.
Urinate before and after intercourse.
Avoid intercourse while you are being treated for an UTI.
After urinating, blot dry (do not rub), and keep your genital area clean. Make sure you wipe from the front toward the back.
Avoid using strong soaps, douches, antiseptic creams, feminine hygiene sprays, and powders.
Change underwear and pantyhose every day.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting pants.
Wear all cotton or cotton-crotch underwear and pantyhose.
Don't soak in the bathtub longer than 30 minutes or more than twice a day.

Hope this will help us get informed preggy moms!. And remember that we should not neglect if we had this infection.

14 Weeks.

2009-09-10T14:50:00.004+08:00

Last Saturday was my scheduled OB visit. And guess what? We finally heard it's heartbeat! The doctor said, the baby is doing fine and the heartbeat is normal. If it's a boy or girl, she can't tell yet, but we're really happy that we finally heard him/her. There's something in me that say's "this is really real, there's really a life inside me!"

Anyway, my morning sickness seems to be subsiding all the more. I experienced an instance of throwing up but still I feel much better compare before. My tummy is getting bigger. Can't wear my uniforms anymore. Maybe it's time to shop for clothes. haha! Also, I haven't gained weight. I even lost 3 kilos from last month's check up. Maybe because I'm not eating so much because of morning sickness.

The baby is good, I'm good! That's good to hear.

A Wise Online Shopper is a Satisfied Shopper.

2009-09-09T09:28:00.002+08:00

Have you experienced being a frustrated unsatisfied online buyer? I have a friend who was a frequent online shopper and she said getting disappointed is inevitable in online shopping. She told me that one time, she purchased an item for her son online and was expecting to receive the same product featured on the site but lo and behold, she received the item not in good condition. She was so disappointed.

It’s a fact that risks comes along with online shopping. That’s why we shoppers should be a wise buyer, as in doubly wise compare to regular shopping. Because in online shopping, specially if you’re shopping for delicate items like jewelries, you can be deceived with the pictures if you’re not keen and wise. A lot of online shopping sites out there are tricky. But I know one site that really helps online shoppers. They even give their shoppers tips and buying guides specially when purchasing watches or jewelry items.

Shopwiki does only give it’s shoppers a complete list of items in a singles search. It also protects them from being schemed or hoaxed by providing them valuable information and guides for their shoppers. So when it comes to online shopping, put shopwiki on top of your list in searching for items online.

Watch Movies Free

2009-09-02T08:36:00.006+08:00

I know that you can actually watch some movies online, even recent ones but I haven't tried it. Not until yesterday.

I was intrigued with the film, "The Proposal" so I checked if I can watch it online. And luckily, I found this site: Moviesss.com. But there's only a limited time to view the film. After 72 minutes of watching, you'll have to wait another 52 minutes for the movie to reload. Also the copy is not digitally clear. And because I don't like waiting too long, I checked for other sites and found this one: vioku.com. The copy is not clear as well, and the film was divided in three parts but it buffers much faster and I was able to watch it uniterrupted. Also, unlike other sites, there's no ads and other gimmicks for one to watch a film like answering surveys, being a member so one can log in, etc.

In short, I was able to watched and finished "The Proposal" thru the internet.

Some movies that are being uploaded in the internet are not the original copy. In short some are just recorded in theaters. The only benefit of watching it online is to see if it's okay and if you'll get your money's worth if you intend to watch it or purchase the original dvd copy.

"The Proposal" is one hilarious, must see movie that I'll make sure to get the original dvd copy.

13 Weeks.

2009-09-02T08:18:00.005+08:00

I didn't experience any throwing up for the past 4 days. Whew! That's quite a relief for me. I'm thankful that I've already passed my first trimester, and now entering the second.

According to some articles I've read, 13 weeks pregnant has less miscarriage threats. Thank God!. Anyway, so far, I've not yet measured my belly yet but it's already showing the world that there's something inside it. Haven't check my weight as well, my bad. But my appetite is slowly becoming normal, I can now eat without having to feel like throwing up after.

And here's what Babycenter.com says on my pregnancy at 13 weeks:

Your baby is now about 6.7cm long from crown to rump and weighs nearly 23g – about half a banana. Your baby now has sucking muscles in her cheeks, so when you poke your stomach gently she will feel it and start rooting – that is, act as if she's searching for a nipple.

If you're having a girl, she now has approximately 2 million eggs in her ovaries; she will have only a million by the time she's born. She'll have fewer eggs as she gets older, and by age 17, the number will have dropped to 200,000.

As for you, the fog may be lifting, so to speak. For many women, the side effects of early pregnancy – frequent urination, intense fatigue, nausea – diminish sometime in the second trimester. Your uterus (womb), while large enough to announce to onlookers that you're indeed pregnant, isn't so huge that it gets in your way. Even though birth is months away, your breasts may already start making colostrum, the fluid that will feed your baby for the first few days before your milk comes in.

12 Weeks.

2009-08-24T13:31:00.003+08:00

Ok..I'm updating again :)

I'm already at the end of the first trimester. The queasiness is slowly subsiding, though I can still feel it every now and then. I'm already showing some tummy :D! I can't fit on my regular pants already, that's why, I'm thinking of buying a bellaband or whatever that will help me still use my pants because I can't fit into a regular maternity pants.

My next OB check up will on Sept. 5. And as for the little peanut, here's what babycenter says about it now.

Your baby's face is beginning to look more human (Medline 2009), even though she is only about 5.4cm long from her crown to her rump and weighs slightly less than 14g. Her eyes, which started out on the sides of her head, have moved closer together. Her ears are almost in their normal position on the side of her head (Hill 2009; Visembryo 2006). Her liver is making bile and her kidneys are secreting urine into her bladder.

Your baby squirms if your belly is prodded, although you cannot yet feel movement. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and the neurological connections in her brain (synapses) are forming. Your baby has acquired more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench (Medline 2009).

Your midwife can now feel the top of your uterus (womb), also known as the fundus, low in your belly. As you enter the second trimester, you may find yourself donning looser, less restrictive clothing. Soon you won't be able to fit into your old clothes any more.

You may now find that once the sickness feeling has passed, your appetite returns. Find out how to eat well over the next few weeks.

Morning Sickness

2009-08-04T12:52:00.006+08:00

The queasiness is now becoming an "All Day Sickness"

I know it's normal for pregnant women to experience morning sickness. I've had it before on my first pregnancy but now it's different. It came very early and I'm really looking forward to relief.

Anyway, here's some facts about "Morning Sickness":

"Morning sickness" is really a misnomer. (In fact, the technical medical term is "nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.") For some pregnant women, the symptoms are worst in the morning and ease up over the course of the day, but they can strike at any time and last all day long.

About three quarters of pregnant women experience nausea and sometimes vomiting during their first trimester. The nausea usually starts around six weeks of pregnancy, but it can begin as early as four weeks. It tends to get worse over the next month or so.

About half of the women who get it feel complete relief by about 14 weeks. For most of the rest, it takes another month or so for the queasiness to ease up, though it may return later and come and go throughout pregnancy. (From Babycenter.com).

Home treatment measures for morning sickness:

Changing what, when, and how much you eat.
Taking ginger, vitamin B6, or vitamin B12, which are known to reduce nausea and/or vomiting during pregnancy.
Avoiding foods and smells that make you feel sick.
Trying acupressure, which seems to work for some women.
Taking doxylamine with vitamin B6, which you can buy without a prescription. Talk to your health professional before taking this remedy. (from webmd.com)

And according to a parenting magazine that I've read last night, eating frequent and smaller meals, not frequently drinking water during meals, and ice chips can help. Have never tried ice chips and vitamin B6 yet but I hope that by the end of my first trimester, this will be over.

Using Public Toilets

2009-07-30T10:57:00.009+08:00

Women and specially preggy ones should be more cautious in using public toilets. But what should we do to avoid the bacterias of these public seats? I've heard that squatting is a no-no. Because it can prevent the bladder to release all the widdle. What we can do instead is get some toilet paper, pour on alcohol, then wipe the seat. After that, cover the seat with toilet paper like this:

I've got the image from Dr. Dingle's site. He also recommend an additional tissue inside the bowl to prevent contamination by splash back like this:

I just don't think that this is acceptable since tissue can clogged toilets. So if you can, just follow the first picture.

8 weeks.

2009-07-29T10:21:00.003+08:00

I'm eight weeks pregnant and according to Babycenter.com here's my baby and my condition now:

How's your baby growing

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

See what's going on in your uterus this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

You may notice that your bra is getting more snug. Soon you'll likely need a larger size with better support. Rising levels of hormones cause breast growth and other tissue changes, all in preparation for lactation. Your breasts may continue to grow throughout pregnancy. Don't be surprised if you go up a cup size or two, especially if it's your first baby. Keep this in mind, and allow for room to grow when investing in a new bra.

Feeling fatigued? Hormonal changes — in particular, a dramatic rise in progesterone — may be contributing to your sluggishness. Nausea and vomiting can certainly cost you energy, too. And you may be having trouble getting a good night's sleep at this point, especially if you're uncomfortable or find you need to get up to pee.

WW: Coffee & Frappe

2009-07-29T10:15:00.000+08:00

More entries here.

I'm back!

2009-07-28T10:05:00.000+08:00

And hopefully for the better. :) And I've got news. I'm 8 weeks pregnant with our baby#2 so this blog will be transformed as my baby #2's diary. But from time to time, I'll still post some of my discoveries. Only now, it will include some discoveries about having a baby. Well, this is my 2nd pregnancy but sometimes, I still feel like a first time mom :).

I'm excited and I hope that I'll get a smooth sailing journey.