My Pregnancy Journey So Far

So far it has been an eventful but enjoyable journey, and I would not trade it for anything in the world. If I were to go through pregnancy again, I would minus the vomiting and skin rashes. Ok ... maybe skip the first trimester. :p

From finding out that I was pregnant to the nausea and fainting spells in the first trimester, to my recent PUPPP outbreak (which has completely healed by the way ~ hallelujah~!), it has been exhilarating and surreal.

At more than 6 months

And now finally I am at the final leg of my pregnancy journey with just about 2 more months to go, assuming that I don't go into early labour that is. Time indeed flies. Of course I am excited with the anticipation of seeing my baby boy and entering into a new phase in life - parenthood. However, I do admit that there are certain things about pregnancy that I would definitely miss.

At 7 months plus

(1) Everyone shares my joy of pregnancy.

(2) Everyone is excited for me.

(3) Everyone is very kan cheong of me.

(4)  No one dare says I'm fat.

(5) I can eat whatever I fancy.

(6) Will definitely miss my baby bear kicking me. 

(7) Will miss my oh-so-comfy maternity clothes.

(8) Will miss rubbing my belly.

(9) Will miss eating birds' nest.

(10) Will miss being in the center of attention. 

And most of all .. I will miss the baby bear inside me. All cocooned up and protected. And that exclusive overflowing of love and bond that I have with him. It;s a special mummy-baby bond that no one else can replace. It's indescribable. 

Love;

Mummy Geri

My Second Baby Shower

Had my second baby shower at Garden Lifestyle Cafe in Mid Valley recently. Special thanks to Sue who took a very long time to plan for the entire thing (she took a couple of months I think).

Love the quaint venue, the food was decent, and above all I love the guest list even more! All of our closest friends came together to make the event a success. Both me and Bear were really touched knowing that we have such good friends who took their time off to celebrate such a joyous occasion with us. Baby bear is definately blessed to be surrounded by uncles and aunties who cared so much about him. :)

The group had actually pooled in together and got us a very practical gift - Graco Playard Playpen, which was what we wanted because we can place it at my parents' place as an alternative to a baby cot when I start working after my maternity leave.

All in all, it was an awesome outing and gathering to catch-up with each other to basically celebrate my pregnancy and of course the soon-to-be introduced baby bear *heart*

Love; 

A Very Appreciative Mummy  

To-Do List : 1-Month Before Expected Delivery Date

I was still going through my normal routine happily when bear went around telling (almost) everyone in sight that I am only 7 weeks to my delivery date.

And that freaked me out got me on my toes and then I realised that my nursery is not set up yet. My hospital bag check-list is not done yet. Some other essential stuff has not been bought yet.

0_o"

So I was Googling and was bombarding my friend on what to expect, what to bring along, and what to do upon admission to the hospital (coincidentally two of her kids were delivered in SJMC by Dr Delilah).

I know a lot of first-time mummies like me are clueless, so I shall take the liberty of listing down whatever useful information that I have with me on hand.

Hopefully, you first-timers out there will find it useful. :)

What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag?

(i) Mummy:

- Pajamas (2-piece with button down shirt for easy nursing)*

- Disposable panties (provided for by SJMC)*

- Maternity pads (Madam by Pureen is recommended)*

- Nursing bra

- Nursing cover (easier to breastfeed with visitors around)

- Breast-pads

- Breastpump (just in case if baby can't latch properly)

- Clean towel

- Slippers / Socks

- Toiletries (toothbrush / toothpaste / comb etc)

- Home-going outfit

(ii) Baby:

- Milk bottle*

- Mamypoko infant (1 pack)*

- Baby blanket

- Mittens & Booties (2 pairs)

- Home-going outfit

(iii) Essential:

- Admission letter / letter of guarantee / documents etc

- Wallet

- Mobile charger

- Camera

- Infant car seat

- Food/Snacks (for energy when your labour is too long)

* All these items are provided for by SJMC, chargable of course. But I would prefer to bring my own.

What Must You Do 1-Month Before Expected Delivery Date?

- Ensure all your letters/documents are ready.

- Do up a birth plan (if you have one). 

- Pen down your requests (e.g. single room? etc).

- Select a pead that's attach to the hospital (it's a requirement).

- Bring your hospital bag on-the-go.

- Do a pre-admission with the hospital.

So yeah.. I guess those are the essential things to prepare before the big day.

Love;

Mummy Geri

It's Confirmed. I have PUPPP

PUPPP is the abbreviation for a skin condition called "Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy". Loosely translated to - rashes which spreads like wildfire to your entire body and will somehow merge together forming a large patch of angry raised red blob which makes your skin even itchier and there is nothing you can do about it. Unless if you induce labor. 

And no, I am not exaggerating.
And neither am I being a drama queen about it.

That's not Goggle image. That's my actual skin with PUPPP.  

For those who has been faithfully following my blog, you will know that ever since my Sydney trip, I had suddenly developed this mysterious itch and rash condition that wont seem to heal. So, to satisfy my curiosity (and worrying), I finally took half-day off today and went to see a skin specialist, Dr Koh in Damansara Uptown (he is highly recommended by the way), and one look at my condition he diagnosed that I have PUPPP. All in less than 10 minutes. :(

It all started from my abdomen area.

So what the hell is PUPPP? 

(I have on my own done a lot of research on this)  

- It affects 1 in every 150 pregnancies (guess I am the "lucky" one)
- Usually occurs in the last trimester.
- Usually develops in the first pregnancy.
- Prone to those who are carrying multiples.
- Poses no risk to the mummy and baby.
- 70% of women who has PUPPP give birth to boys.

What causes PUPPP?

The cause is really unknown but some theory suggest that the male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant and invades the mother's skin during pregnancy, causing PUPPP (that explains why mummies who suffer from PUPPP generally carry baby boys). Well, Dr Koh explained that it could be a case whereby my body takes the baby as a "foreign object" (don't worry, mummy still love you baby bear) and hence, it is the body's adverse reaction towards the "object". 

T_T Need I say more?

What you should know about PUPPP?
- It will miraculously go away once you deliver your baby.
- There is nothing you can do about it until after delivery.
- There is no cure for PUPPP.
- There won't be scars (unless if you over-scratched).

- The rash will spread, but usually below your breast area up to your thighs. Basically area surrounding the baby. And thank God, it won't attack your face. 

What are the symptoms of PUPPP?
- Usually develops at your abdomen area then only starts spreading.
- Itches like mad.
- Can be "prickly" like heat rash.
- The rashes will "merge" and forms a large reddish patch.
- The area where the rash is present feels like sandpaper when you touch.

How PUPPP started to invade my life suddenly?

It all started from my abdomen area (which had since healed), which spread to my thighs area (healed as well), and then started spreading to my entire back - from my bra-line all the way to my buttocks. Now my groin already is infected with this stupid PUPPP as well. 

What can you do to relieve the itch?

In extreme cases, some mummies will induce labor. Or the doctor will prescribe oral steroids (which can be harmful to your baby, so it's best to consult your gynecologist).  

For me, what I do is: 

- Take anti-histamine (Piriton prescribed by Dr Delilah).

- Use Efficort (contains very mild  steroids prescribed by Dr Koh).

- Moisturize constantly using Bio-Oil and Pureen Stretch Mark cream. 

- Use Dettol Menthol powder as it gives a cooling effect.

- Bath in cold water as frequently as I can. 

- Use Aqua Dermis to bath (soap that is not "too hard" on the skin).

- Stay dry. 

- Try not to go to hot and humid places, it will aggravate the itch.   

Anti-histamin and Efficort cream

Bio-Oil and Pureen Stretch Mark Cream

Calamine lotion doesn't work for me. And I can't use Sebamed as well because it burns my skin. I have read online though that supplements such as Dandelion Roots and Flaxseed Oil seems to help with the itch and to control the rashes. I am tempted to try but I dare not simply because I am pregnant. 

Although I feel very sakit hati why I suddenly develop this stupid PUPPP, I still try to keep positive by reminding myself that :

- I am only 2 months away to delivery.

- It is only temporal. 

- Some mummies PUPPP is far worse than mine. 

- It doesn't attack my pretty face. 

- Still no stretch marks :)
- No scarring.

And most importantly, seeing that my baby boy is healthy and safe makes it all worth it. So yeah, am gonna stop here because the itch is getting into me again and I need to get to my precious powder asap !!

The things a mother would go through for her child .. it's amazing. 

Ah Boy, next time you better not be naughty, see what mummy have to go through for you? T_T

Suffering from Severe Itch :(
Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Woe! I've Been Attacked by Rashes

Remember my horrific skin problem ?? 

It's now back! With a vengeance. T_T

I've suddenly developed this ugly rash all over the sides of my body, all the way up to my bra-line,  all the way down to my waist and groin area. T_T

The itch needless to say is unbearable at times. T_T

It's like .. having measles alllllllll over again!! T_T

Rash at the sides

Got a bit worried and hurried to Dr Delaila and she said it is pregnancy related - the skin condition is called pregnancy dermatitis (or something along that line). And most likely I will get it in my subsequent pregnancies *in denial*. 

AND IT WILL ONLY GO OFF ONCE I DELIVER. T_T  T_T

Can't be helped. It's those pregnancy hormones again.

On a consolation, I have seen Google other skin conditions which are pregnancy related and they are far worst off than me. So in a way, I should be thankful (?!)

Anyway, right now all I can do is take anti-histamines and apply Eurax cream to stop the itch and hopefully prevent me from scratching (as per Dr Delaila's recommendation). I am praying hard that it will go away soon. :(

It's everywhere!!

Meanwhile, on my own I am still applying my Bio Oil and Pureen Stretch Mark cream dilligently because it does help get rid of the itchiness temporarily. Well, at least it will help with the moisturizing and hopefully prevent scarring. 

Powder and calamine lotion are my constant companion now.

p/s: doesn't help that our Malaysian weather is hot too. :( :( :(:(:(

p/p/s: will probably head to the dermatologist to seek for a second opinion this weekend. 

Why ME??!?!!

Emofied Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Update : Week 31 (2 more months to go!!)

My goodness .. just now when I was applying lotion to my tummy area, I took a glimpse of my tummy and I went ..

0_0"

Seriously?

I turned to my side profile and to my front profile and I went ...

0_o" again

My tummy has grown so much in a short span of 1 week, it is unbelievable!! When I was in Sydney last week, I don't remember it looking that huge. Neither do I remember looking huge when I went for my checkup on the 11th Sept with Dr Delaila.

For comparison sake, the picture below was taken when I was in Bondi Beach two weeks back.

-.-" Unbelievable.

Cannot be because of my binging session in Sydney right?

As of my last checkup, I went up another 3 kgs and the baby bear is 1.5kg. Dr Delaila mentioned that the estimated delivery weight of the baby would be 3.1kg which is normal weight. *phew* I don't want to be tearing everywhere. 

So far everything has been going on track (Thank you Jesus!) and here is a brief update on my pregnancy journey:

(1) Tummy has exploded went exceptionally huge week by week.

(2) Along with it, my hips and thighs has "widened" so much, I can barely fit into my maternity pants comfortably. Dress is the way to go now! 

(3) The "stretched area" i.e. tummy, hips, and buttocks is getting itchier. Understandable because of the rapid explosion expansion.

(4) With the additional weight of the baby bear, my back is starting to take a toll. I've been having constant backache especially the lower back area. Sleeping can be sometimes uncomfortable trying to find a good position to snooze it. 

(5) Doesn't help that I hunch a lot have a scoliosis problem. 

(6) Baby bear is having a field time kicking mummy especially in the night when he is suppose to be sleeping. I can even see him turning/moving around in my tummy sometimes - it's such an amazing experience! :)

So yup ... that should be all the updates. Until the next time.

Love;

Mummy Geri

Review : Crafted by Mei

If you could recall some time back, I engaged in the service of Crafted by Mei as well to custom-make a bracelet and two necklaces. Much to my delight I did received my goodies and they are really pretty and up to my expectations!

All of your orders from Mei comes in a packaging like the one below - very sweet indeed. Ideal for gifts you get to save on wrapping! 

And here are the two necklaces which I ordered from Mei. I would say that both turned out very good and exactly what I had in mind.

Original Design

My modified design - wanted an unconventional
colour of dark blue and blood red.

Original Design

My modified design - Honestly you can't see much of a difference
here but I changed the link from snowflake to butterflies.
And the color of the necklace carries hues of light green as well.

 

And the finale is of course the bracelet which was made entirely from scratch - meaning I combine both designs to be made into one. This is to symbolize my pregnancy where I chose the pram as a charm and the color of sapphire/blue represents me and amber/purple represents bear. Both are our birthstone.

Original Design 1 - I wanted the bracelet to be entwined
with beads like the above.

Original Design 2 - With the charm, flower cabochon,
and Swavovski crystal to dangle from the middle.

And here is Mei's creation. It was perfect, simple, and fits the description of what I had in mind. I love it to bits.

Perfect! *heart*

So yes, aside from Diary of a Miniature Enthusiast, you can always opt for Crafted by Mei as well. Both are good albeit having different styles. I guess it is entirely up to the individual's preference. 

For me personally, I prefer Wendy from Diary based from my past experience primarily because she is fast in answering emails, very pleasant and accommodating, and somehow her style suits my taste better.

Of course to be fair I am not saying that Mei is less talented in terms of the creative department, it's just that due to her workload, she can be a tad slow in replying emails. I just find Wendy more engaging. That's all. :)

Love;

Mummy Geri

Review : Thank God for Bio-Oil T_T

When I was in Sydney due to the cold and dry weather, my skin on the side of my tummy and upper hips area started developing rashes and it became itchy, and then I started scratching them, and then it became more itchy, and then I started scratching more, and then it became dry, peel-y, and had developed into a gigantic blob of massive rashes and an angry patch.  And it was STILL itchy!

It. Was. Horrible. !!! T_T

Angry blob of rashes at the side of my tummy.
Imagine these on both sides of my tummy and my upper hips area!!
T_T

It's like.. it's like.. I had a had case of eczema. Trust me, I know how unsightly it can be and how long it takes to heal. I had mysteriously experienced that before when I was in college/university on my legs (no known reason or caused on why/how it happened) and it was a social embarrassment to wear anything that doesn't cover your entire legs. T_T

Looking at the picture, at that time my mind went into overdrive and I thought it was the beginning of a psoriasis. I was on the brink of hysteria. *drama queen* :( 

So diligently, while I was there, I started applying lotion (Thank God we bought one bottle there) to moisturise the area and restrain myself to not scratch it. It takes a whole load of steely willpower to stop myself from scratching. 

And I must say I did a pretty good job (due credit ought to be given ok! :p) because after a few days the angry patch started to subside. And so I continued applying the lotion generously to the affected area. 

At around this time, I started to send distress Whatsapp messages to my Mum back home asking for help. She suggested to use Bio-Oil and mix it together with my lotion and apply to the affected area because it has healing properties and will help sooth the affected area. 

So the minute I touch down in PJ, I immediately went to the pharmacy and got my hands on the Bio-Oil. I used the Pureen Stretch Mark cream and together with 2-3 drops of the Bio-Oil, mix it together before applying to the rash area.

Winning combination!

And voila~ I was soooooooooooooo relieved that the angry marks starts to go away and upon application it was so soothing that I don't feel itchy anymore. Look at the stark difference it makes!! My Mum is God-sent I tell you. :)

Of course, due to the intense and pretty bad condition of the rash, the red patch has inevitably turned into a dark patch - almost like a case of pigmentation. :( *sakit hati* 

However, since Bio-Oil has properties which will reduce the appearance of scars and uneven skin tone (according to its website), I have been continuously using it together with my Pureen Stretch Mark cream. At the moment, it does look that the patch is getting lighter (phew!) after only 2 days of application. So we shall see how it goes.

In conclusion, do not simply scratch yourself Bio-Oil really does work and is worth being given a try. 

p/s: and yes.. at 7 months I still don't have stretch marks except for those damn dark patch! (thank you good genes!) 

Love;

Mummy Geri

Review : Flying First Class with Optiontown

Now that I am back from my long break, I am extremely rejuvanated and recharged for childbirth  work and blogging.

For those who are advocates for Air Asia, you would know that flying long-distance can be quite a pain. Literally. They are smaller than the normal ecomony class seats that you pay for those full-fledged airlines. And you can't recline that much. Heck, even leg space can be pretty cramp for those tall ones. Trust me, I know. I flew on AAX to New Zealand (RM750/return tickets) for 13 hours straight and to Melbourne (RM500/return tickets) for 8 hours straight. No joke I tell you.

Of course, that being said, to be fair, we only pay a small fraction on what we would be paying on other non-budget airlines. So it's not right to complain too much as well la. If you are not happy, then don't fly with a budget airline ... simple as that.

Yes.. that's how you will look like after 8 hours of flight on AAX. 

Take my recent trip to Sydney, I only paid RM900 for a pair of return tickets whereas for MAS I would have to fork out approximately RM2,600.

And then ... some brilliant people came up with the idea of selling premium tickets (those flatbeds) at a small top-up for those seats who was not sold out.

Win-Win Situation :

Consumer like me benefit.

AAX also benefit - why waste the space when you can earn, albeit at a lesser margin?

And the brilliant company is Optiontown who is affiliated with AAX to coordinate sales of the premium tickets. What happens is that AAX and Optiontown will send an email (usually 1 month before your flight) to offer an option to upgrade into premium. The process is pretty straight-forward, just follow the instructions and voila ~ you are potentially on your way to flying "first class".

Now why I emphasis potentially is that confirmation of your upgrade will only be emailed to you 3 days before departure or up to 4 hours before flight time. Yes, I know James Bond timing. In view of the above, you are advised to only check-in once you've received the confirmation email.

The reason why it is so last minute is because they need to pick out only the "left-overs of sales" and there are only 12 premium seats on each AAX flights.

You would however need to pay the upgraded top-up upfront. Fret not though - in an event if your upgrade is unsuccessful, your money will be refunded back to you within 5 days.

For me, the top-up was a steal. I only need to pay RM400 per way. Basically to fly "first class", I only paid a total of RM1,700 for return tickets.

A quick comparison shows that I would need to fork out:  

(i) AAX Premium Class - Approximately RM6,000

(ii) MAS Business Class - Approximately RM10,000

(iii) MAS First Class - Approximately RM24,000

Need I say more? :)

I was praying hard that both ways I would be entitled for the upgrade because it would do me good being 7 months pregnant and all. And my prayers were answered! :) I was super elated!!

And all I've got to say is that - it was so darn worth it. For those who are entitled for the option to upgrade, I would highly recommend for you to go for it!

Flat bed.

First-class service.

Own toilet (we share with the pilot ~ heh!)

Priority boarding.

No regrets. :)

Love;

Mummy Geri