Its been awhile since i've written…the truth is, I could not remember my login or my website address!!! I'm not usually this bad but this pregnancy has made me a bit…stupider!!!!
I had my congenital defects scan yesterday and it was brilliant. I got to see everything and if i'm honest, it made me a little teary. We don't want to know the sex of the baby but we sat there trying desperately to figure it out. We were given a disk with 54 pictures and spent last night trying to decide if it was a boy or girl…we have not come to a firm conclusion…plus we have no idea what we are looking for, except the tell tale signs its a boy and we can't see anything thats obvious.
As for myself everything seems to have settled down, I don't have gross morning sickness anymore, I have a lot more energy and feeling pretty good. I get the occasional back aches but nothing to whinge about. I did have an allergic reaction to fish oil tablets though, i'm not sure allergic reactions to things you have never been allergic to before are common??
I'm still going to the gym 4-5 times a week doing weights and cardio. I have adjusted my weights program though because some things have started to get uncomfortable and with my joints becoming increasingly loose I thought it best in order to prevent any mishaps. Food is going well I haven't been eating sugar….until yesterday!!!! It was my husbands birthday and I ate waaaay too much treat food!! It made me feel so sick and I had a pounding headache….lesson learned!!! I'd only put on 3kgs at 18wks but i've made up for it in the last three!!!! Total gains thus far…5kgs…I'm pretty happy with this : )
Friday, 8 November 2013
Friday, 23 August 2013
Pregnancy Weight and Exercise
Before I fell pregnant I was going to the gym 4-5 times a week for about 1hr 40mins. I had really terrible morning sickness a couple of weeks back so I missed a week but went back again last week and am continuing on this week.
I've become a carbohydrate addict…yes, there you have it, between the gluten free bread, pasta, rice and noodles its all I can think about….when will I get my next fix!!!!
My general diet is paleo in nature, I do however eat oatmeal for breakfast with protein powder and peanut butter. Lunches generally consist of meat and salad…for both and then meat and vegetables or salad again for dinner, snacks are usually nuts, cheese chopped fruit or vegetables…..obviously there is the occasional sneak in of something I shouldn't be eating…I'm human!!!
I split my gym sessions into four days. I have legs, shoulders and triceps, back and biceps and the fourth day is usually cardio only. After each weights session I will usually walk for 40mins, I gave up on the running when I found out I was pregnant…I got a bit scared.
According to the scales at the gym i've only put on 1/2kg, which Is fine, normal, healthy, whatever!! I just want to know if i'm going to get huge eating only carbs, if going to the gym is going to matter, I know I'll be fit come delivery time but is it going to help my body recover faster than someone who isn't doing anything at all…I guess only time will tell.
I just wonder if others fear becoming gigantic or is it just me? Its hard enough having the baby and neglecting your family after, your husband mostly, but to struggle with how you look just adds another whole issue into the mix, and maybe you're not supposed to say it, but I'm a little scared!!!! Maybe I should only be thinking about the delightful little bundle that will enter my life and forget about the way I look….I'm afraid I just can't!!
I've become a carbohydrate addict…yes, there you have it, between the gluten free bread, pasta, rice and noodles its all I can think about….when will I get my next fix!!!!
My general diet is paleo in nature, I do however eat oatmeal for breakfast with protein powder and peanut butter. Lunches generally consist of meat and salad…for both and then meat and vegetables or salad again for dinner, snacks are usually nuts, cheese chopped fruit or vegetables…..obviously there is the occasional sneak in of something I shouldn't be eating…I'm human!!!
According to the scales at the gym i've only put on 1/2kg, which Is fine, normal, healthy, whatever!! I just want to know if i'm going to get huge eating only carbs, if going to the gym is going to matter, I know I'll be fit come delivery time but is it going to help my body recover faster than someone who isn't doing anything at all…I guess only time will tell.
I just wonder if others fear becoming gigantic or is it just me? Its hard enough having the baby and neglecting your family after, your husband mostly, but to struggle with how you look just adds another whole issue into the mix, and maybe you're not supposed to say it, but I'm a little scared!!!! Maybe I should only be thinking about the delightful little bundle that will enter my life and forget about the way I look….I'm afraid I just can't!!
Monday, 19 August 2013
The Scan
So I finally had my first pre natal checkup. Things are done a little differently than they are back in Australia. The first thing I had to do was book in for an ultrasound……..a transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) :-O
With my first child I never had to have a TVU so I was pretty nervous. My husband accompanied me and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, uncomfortable but not too bad. I found out I was 9wks last Saturday, so a week later than I thought. The baby had a nice strong heartbeat, 160 and we could see it moving around which was very cute and very exciting for my husband, as this is our first child together.
I took the ultrasound results back to the OBGYN, she was happy with it and asked me to go have some blood tests in the next couple of weeks, just the typical ones, full blood count, rubella, HEP A, B, iron etc. I asked her if I should be taking iron tablets yet but she said no, only folate. This is also different from home because you take iron and folate from the very beginning, and they usually check your HCG levels etc. The nausea has subsided this week, its still there but not like it had been but i'm still really tired.
From what I understand there will be a fair few more ultrasounds along the way to check the babies growth and progress, I only had two with my first. It is nice though because you get to see what is growing inside you. My husbands favourite day of the week is the weekly update on the babies growth.
With my first child I never had to have a TVU so I was pretty nervous. My husband accompanied me and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, uncomfortable but not too bad. I found out I was 9wks last Saturday, so a week later than I thought. The baby had a nice strong heartbeat, 160 and we could see it moving around which was very cute and very exciting for my husband, as this is our first child together.
I took the ultrasound results back to the OBGYN, she was happy with it and asked me to go have some blood tests in the next couple of weeks, just the typical ones, full blood count, rubella, HEP A, B, iron etc. I asked her if I should be taking iron tablets yet but she said no, only folate. This is also different from home because you take iron and folate from the very beginning, and they usually check your HCG levels etc. The nausea has subsided this week, its still there but not like it had been but i'm still really tired.
From what I understand there will be a fair few more ultrasounds along the way to check the babies growth and progress, I only had two with my first. It is nice though because you get to see what is growing inside you. My husbands favourite day of the week is the weekly update on the babies growth.
Monday, 12 August 2013
Natural v's Medical Intervention
I still don't have my first prenatal appointment (notice i've picked up on the pregnancy lingo….its been a long time I'd forgotten the right term).
I went to check out St Luke's Hospital's birthing suits (they give tours)….they are fantastic. You have a range of options, from a simple room to a room with its own waiting room and spa bath (I want this one haha). I had two tour guides, two young nurses. I asked them if I would give birth here in the room they said no.
This was of course proceeded with the big W.H.Y…because I would need to go downstairs where I would have my cesarian, this will be the recovery area!! Ummm I don't think so ladies!!! This was followed by a puzzled look (do expats not push??) and an odd question... have I had a baby before? Yes, 8yrs ago. Do I have any medical problems or complications…not currently! Well, in that case…I would give birth up here.
I believe that all women should choose how they want to give birth, however, I am an avid supporter of natural birthing. I don't understand why having a first child would warrant a cesarian??? If anyone knows please feel free to shed some light on the topic…that doesn't have to do with money!!
I did a little research and found some information from UNICEF. The cesarian rate in the Philippines is 9.5%, pretty low in comparison to western countries. However, 27% of that 9.5% represent the wealthiest portion of society. St Luke's is where all the wealthy go…could this possibly have something to do with it? I decided to ask my tour guides which doctor they would choose…there was a quiet muttering in Tagalog followed with "if you want to give birth, this is the only lady who will make sure you go as far as you can!!"
I could go into my whole view on natural v's medical intervention but I'll save that for another time. What do you all think?
I went to check out St Luke's Hospital's birthing suits (they give tours)….they are fantastic. You have a range of options, from a simple room to a room with its own waiting room and spa bath (I want this one haha). I had two tour guides, two young nurses. I asked them if I would give birth here in the room they said no.
This was of course proceeded with the big W.H.Y…because I would need to go downstairs where I would have my cesarian, this will be the recovery area!! Ummm I don't think so ladies!!! This was followed by a puzzled look (do expats not push??) and an odd question... have I had a baby before? Yes, 8yrs ago. Do I have any medical problems or complications…not currently! Well, in that case…I would give birth up here.
I believe that all women should choose how they want to give birth, however, I am an avid supporter of natural birthing. I don't understand why having a first child would warrant a cesarian??? If anyone knows please feel free to shed some light on the topic…that doesn't have to do with money!!
I did a little research and found some information from UNICEF. The cesarian rate in the Philippines is 9.5%, pretty low in comparison to western countries. However, 27% of that 9.5% represent the wealthiest portion of society. St Luke's is where all the wealthy go…could this possibly have something to do with it? I decided to ask my tour guides which doctor they would choose…there was a quiet muttering in Tagalog followed with "if you want to give birth, this is the only lady who will make sure you go as far as you can!!"
I could go into my whole view on natural v's medical intervention but I'll save that for another time. What do you all think?
Sunday, 11 August 2013
1st Appointment
The last week I've been feeling incredibly average. I'm nauseous from the time I wake up till the time I fall asleep. I'm bone tired at around 3pm every afternoon and my face looks like a pre pubescent teenager. I'm at the stage where I need to be going for my first pregnancy checkup….probably much overdue for my first checkup. The only problem is I'm not sure how to go about any of it!!
I went down to the hospital to see the doctor I did when I had the flu. He wasn't there but his office happened to be right next to an OBGYN which I hadn't noticed before. I walked in and asked if I could make an appointment, only to be asked why I wanted one, while the girl looked to the left, right and around me (maybe my belly wasn't round enough?). I got a little confused and asked her was this not somewhere I could do pregnancy checkups?? Yes, but why are you here? Well I'm pregnant…..oh ok i'll book you in on Saturday!! I got a text message Saturday morning telling me that the doctor wouldn't be coming in (perfect).
I asked if I could make the appointment Monday so my husband could accompany me but the times didn't suit and I still don't have confirmation for my next request…so far not so easy.
On another note I successfully managed not to touch any chocolate, lollies, juice or soda…first day down!!! I am eating fruit, it seems to ease the nausea, mostly strawberries, kiwifruit and dragon fruit. I find I can barely stand the taste and smell of any meat at the moment.
Friday, 9 August 2013
Is blogging narcissistic??
According to recent studies, yes!!!!! One article said that to put yourself in the public eye and talk about yourself, there has to be a small part of yourself that 'believes you are better than others.' I'm not sure how I feel about this?
I decided to write about being pregnant in Manila while living away from home. Why? Because there are hundreds of women living around the world doing what i'm doing right now and there were no pregnant expat blogs…hence how I ended up with Pregnantexpats.blogspot.com, either that or I haven't looked very hard!! Its hard being pregnant at home, its much harder being pregnant in a country where English is a second language, the country is third world, diets are different, lifestyle is different and challenges in general are different from what our friends are going through at home.
My other motivation for the blog was this: I'm pretty fit and healthy, I go to the gym often, my house is Gluten Free, my son has an overactive immune system and diary, gluten and soy really aren't his friends. We try not to eat sugar, although at the moment my house is SUGAR FULL!!!! My husband is into body building, so we live a relatively clean lifestyle. I had my son 8yrs ago, when this baby is born it will be 9yrs and I was young, 22 to be precise. I'm not sure how easy its going to be this time around. I'm 7wks today and craving chocolate, chocolate and chocolate!!! I'm drinking juice and soda which I never have and my gym days have gone from 4 to 2. I swear my stomach is already bulging…it may be from the chocolate hahaha!!!
So back to the second motivation, I'm living in a country where 20% of the population has diabetes and 5 out 10 people die from cardiovascular disease. Just as an example I'll order an English Breakfast tea from starbucks and i'm asked at least four times if I want syrup in my tea…sometimes they stick it in anyway!! I've been reading about the detrimental effects sugar has not only on pregnant women but also on their babies. I didn't have any sugar cravings with my first so i'm really struggling with it this time round, as I'm sure many women are and i'm realistic, I am older now, my metabolism isn't what it was at 22. Today I woke up and decided that I wasn't going to give into the cravings and I guess I want to write about how hard/easy its going to be….I already feel like digging into that cookies and cream white chocolate block I hid in the bread maker last night…maybe I'll get someone else to hide it next time : (
All I want is to share what I'm going through and hear from others that are struggling with the same things I am. Its fun to read about other women, you get to laugh and say, yeah I know how you feel and encourage each other to push through and be strong!! When you're alone in another country and don't have pregnant friends its nice to read about someone else and make a connection and know that you're not alone : )
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| Narcissism |
My other motivation for the blog was this: I'm pretty fit and healthy, I go to the gym often, my house is Gluten Free, my son has an overactive immune system and diary, gluten and soy really aren't his friends. We try not to eat sugar, although at the moment my house is SUGAR FULL!!!! My husband is into body building, so we live a relatively clean lifestyle. I had my son 8yrs ago, when this baby is born it will be 9yrs and I was young, 22 to be precise. I'm not sure how easy its going to be this time around. I'm 7wks today and craving chocolate, chocolate and chocolate!!! I'm drinking juice and soda which I never have and my gym days have gone from 4 to 2. I swear my stomach is already bulging…it may be from the chocolate hahaha!!!
So back to the second motivation, I'm living in a country where 20% of the population has diabetes and 5 out 10 people die from cardiovascular disease. Just as an example I'll order an English Breakfast tea from starbucks and i'm asked at least four times if I want syrup in my tea…sometimes they stick it in anyway!! I've been reading about the detrimental effects sugar has not only on pregnant women but also on their babies. I didn't have any sugar cravings with my first so i'm really struggling with it this time round, as I'm sure many women are and i'm realistic, I am older now, my metabolism isn't what it was at 22. Today I woke up and decided that I wasn't going to give into the cravings and I guess I want to write about how hard/easy its going to be….I already feel like digging into that cookies and cream white chocolate block I hid in the bread maker last night…maybe I'll get someone else to hide it next time : (
All I want is to share what I'm going through and hear from others that are struggling with the same things I am. Its fun to read about other women, you get to laugh and say, yeah I know how you feel and encourage each other to push through and be strong!! When you're alone in another country and don't have pregnant friends its nice to read about someone else and make a connection and know that you're not alone : )
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