Week 27

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

The reality has certainly set in, along with the protruding belly and a growing list of things to do and buy. Is there sufficient time before the baby arrives? I’m having the heebie-jeebies as we countdown to the due date.

How can I best prepare for life with baby?

The best preparation for life with a child is learning early on, through one’s pregnancy, that you cannot be in control of every aspect of your life. This I’m slowly coming to grips with. Share with those closest to you. Delegate! Get hubby and family members involved. Give them responsibility for shopping for some of the items. Or the decorating chores for the nursery.

The hardly completed nursery.

At first, I found it difficult to relinquish control but now that I have, not only do I find myself more relaxed but also I have more time for other important things.

I’m focusing on the preparation that really matters. I’m buried in pregnancy books; reading about what to expect during labour and post partum. While pregnancy books are packed with practical advice, meeting other first-time moms has been truly helpful. Talking to friends with babies has proven useful too. They’ve helped shorten my rather lengthy list of things to get. Apparently, most things we buy at this stage may not be needed later on. Our individual experiences with our babies, they tell me, will help determine what we truly need.

I’ve also just enquired about becoming a member of the Ibu Family Resource Group, a local organisation for pregnant women and new moms. They offer monthly get-togethers, coffee mornings and support groups; ideal activities for the mom-to-be. Next is to enroll in a pre-natal class. Mamalink tops the list as it offers classes on labour, the birthing experience, breastfeeding and baby care. I’m sure it will quell any anxiety an expectant parent like me has about these topics. Hospitals, also, tend to run similar activities.

Right now, I’m certain about one thing though, I’m in dire need of some pampering. The increasing weight has put a strain on my back and legs. I need the therapeutic touch of a trained masseur to relax. Word is that there is such a masseur at Jentayu Spa, who’s trained in the traditional Javanese brand of massage suitable for pregnant women.

Hmm…I’m scheduling an appointment ASAP

Ibu Family Resource Group
Email to: ibu@ibufamily.org Telephone: 03-2094-2234 Website: www.ibufamily.org

Mamalink
Email to: mamalink@streamyx.com Telephone: 03- 2095 1206 Website: www.mamalink.com.my

Jentayu Spa
Email to: enquiries@jentayuspa.com.my Telephone: 03- 2094 4428
Website: http://www.jentayuspa.com.my/

Week 28 - Hands off please!

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

The weirdest thing happened the other day; a stranger walked up to me and rubbed my belly. She muttered, "Oh! How cute" before walking away.

I was left flabbergasted, not knowing quite how to react. While some tend to ask personal questions about my pregnancy, others spill forth unwanted advice. Have I suddenly become public property now that I have a protruding belly?

I've been thinking up ways of how to tackle this invasion of my private space. Here's what I've come up with:

- When people come over and ask to touch my belly, I'm going to ask if I can touch theirs' first. That should make them rethink about touching mine.

- Perhaps, all that's required is a big smile and a gentle no. I reserve the right to determine who and when I'd like to have my belly rubbed, no matter how irresistible it may seem to some. It is my belly, after all. No one touches your belly when you're not pregnant, why should they start now?

- As for the barrage of personal questions ("Who is your doctor?", "Have you decided on a name?", "Is it a girl or a boy?") I'm going to respond by asking them private questions in return.

Everyone from my mother, mother-in-law, friends and strangers cannot resist giving their two cents worth when they spot that belly. I recall, in my first-trimester, being stopped while jogging in the park by a total stranger who warned me against doing any form of exercise. My doctor, of course, says otherwise and studies show that moderate physical activity is completely safe and extremely beneficial for both mom and baby.

Lately of course, everyone from family and friends to total strangers have been painstakingly trying to predict the sex of the baby. What's an expectant mum to do?

Firstly, there's no point in stressing. Always check with your doctor before heeding any advice from strangers. Thank people for their advice and walk away. Let whatever that has been said ... in one ear and out the other.