Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
Update! We have a date!
So, we consulted fengshui for the best times to bail Griffin out of my uterus and we were given three dates:
June 12
June 16
June 19
Then we asked Buddha (SSK) for the best option among the three. June 9 is also actually a good date but it was "counter" (or kontra) to my sign so that made it a non-contender.
He chose.... Are you ready....
June 12! Hooray!
For some reason, even back in October when I found out I was pregnant and that my due date was June 30, I had a feeling already about June 12. As early as then, I started thinking (and even told Dennis once) what if I give birth on June 12 instead. Isn't this so cool?
So there you have it. We have about 6-ish weeks left to go.
Makes me want to go shopping for baby stuff now. Haha!
Yay! See you soon, baby boy! :)
Friday, April 24, 2015
Update!
Got an interval ultrasound yesterday as ordered by Dr Manahan and was pleasantly surprised (or shocked may have been the better word) to hear that my darling little fighter has breached the 3 pound mark in just 2 weeks! He is now on the 65th percentile for his gestational age. I'm so proud! And grateful for Magnum (the ice cream) and this oppressive heat! Hooray!
So Dr M checked all his other measurements and was very happy with them. He also looked over my bloodwork and reiterated I need to eat more sodium-laden food. Omg. I dunno how much more salt I need to add to my diet!
Oh and he broached the topic of a CS delivery yesterday. He said that while he think it's not impossible for me to do this the normal way, I do have the three criteria that he uses to recommend CS:
- Precious baby (usually referring to a much-awaited baby often resulting from invasive fertility treatments)
- Immune condition of the mother
- Special uterine shape of the mother
So medyo check na check ako for all three. He also explained that while normal is easier on the mother, it is harder on the baby physically-speaking. The burden of being birthed falls on him. Since my baby is a "precious baby" as defined above, he said doctors usually take extra precaution and go for CS. This way, baby enters the world in the most peaceful way (peaceful from his perspective because he just goes from warm, dark womb to lighted, cold OR in a span of 1 second, VS being squeezed for hours in every contraction, finding his way to the cervix, and then finagling his head through the small opening). He also said that my specially shaped uterus may pose pathway challenges to Griffin if I try to push him out. The surface may not be smooth and he may run into structural impediments that "trap" him no matter how I push. Some of his patients with a specially shaped uterus who insist on a vaginal birth end up CS anyway when the labor results in fetal distress. So why risk it?
At first, I was saddened because in my head, giving birth meant doing the whole water bursting, contractions coming, pushing in the DR, etc. I even asked Dennis if I should feel "robbed" of the experience. He waved me off and reminded me the priority is Griffin and we have long surrendered the "ideal" when we accepted we needed science's help to have a baby. So keep on embracing science and just focus on the upside.
Well, I suppose there are upsides. We get to choose his birthday - Dr M said as early as June 9, I can hold my baby in my arms already! And being Chinese, we can look up the best day and time. I can take my last shower (last in a whole month) leisurely without any pain of contractions, I can plan my hospital stay, etc. Having known variables is a big advantage.
Dr M also said a CS is less tiring, so I can devote my energy to the latching and breastfeeding right after, if the baby is given the go-signal. Which I so want. One thing I was dreading about the possibility of a long drawn-out labor and delivery was being too zapped to apply the breastfeeding principles I've read up on. And while I didn't have this baby the conventional way, I do want to feed him the way nature intended. At least I do want to give it the best try I can.
So next question was where to give birth. MMC was my original choice assuming a normal delivery. I felt much more confident in the staff there. And I heard the anesthesiologists in SLMC are not very good.
Dr M allayed my concerns by telling me that he only has to use the anes on duty in SLMC only for epidurals in normal deliveries. For CS, it is patient's choice. So I will use his partner anesthesiologist who is a champ! And SLMC's facilities are better and newer. So it is really my choice. No special advantage now for MMC, which is actually more expensive pa than SLMC.
So now I'm torn - even leaning towards the newer hospital. Might as well, right?
Which brings me to a pedia conundrum. The pedias I talked to were both MMC-based. So now I have to expand my search to those that practice in SLMC because I want a pedia to catch my baby. Again, precious baby and all.
No dull moment with this pregnancy, huh?
So how does a June 12 birthday sound, Griffin? Assuming it's fengshui-approved, having a holiday for a birthday means daddy and mommy will always be available the whole day + traffic in the metro will always be light. Haha!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Dear Griffin,
You're officially 30 weeks and 1 day in Mommy's tummy, my love. I've felt you become stronger and bigger just through feeling your kicks and tumbles - once as soft as a feather and now powerful enough to make my clothes move and to make me catch my breath. I love every single minute of knowing I'm the only one in the world right now who knows your every move.
We've started getting ready for your arrival. AhMa got you your bedside crib already and Guama got you a white noise machine that will hopefully help you go to sleep. Ahchiak will give you the stroller and car seat that Achi Fuji used. And your baby showers are being planned already too - you'll realize when you're bigger just how much fun it is to receive and open gifts. For now, your only job is to grow healthily and steadily and to please reach fullterm.
That's it. That's really all Mommy wants for you- to be as healthy as possible. I know your environment may not be the most optimum, Griffin, because Mommy's uterus space is smaller than others and my blood may clot faster than other moms'. But hopefully you won't feel the difference much and the interventions that our doctors have done and will do end up being enough. These daily injections and all these tests are nothing- I can get through them all and more, for you. So please be healthy.
Mommy can't wait to meet you, my love. Hopefully not before the next 7 weeks and even more hopefully in 10 weeks' time. This means you would've gotten as big as possible and have had enough time to mature your lungs.
In the meantime, just keep growing. And keep moving. Kick, tumble, elbow... Whatever you like. Mommy doesn't mind. In fact, I love it. I often stop what I'm doing when you make those big jabs, because I want to savor your every single move. Even at just under 3 lbs., you're already the biggest force in Mommy's life and you already occupy the biggest space in my heart. Can I tell you a secret? Sometimes I get scared I just might love you so much more than I love your Daddy. Not because I don't love him enough. But because I love you at depths I never knew existed, even for your Dad who already really is the original love of my life. I literally think of you every minute of every day, and I haven't even met you yet! Isn't that amazing?
I think you're sleeping now as I haven't felt movement for a while. Sleep tight, my little big love. And grow some more. Mommy loves you.
Sunday, April 05, 2015
My baby's beautiful face.... Who looks like....
And Daddy agrees! Hehehe.
We got a 3D scan right before the Easter break at In My Womb. My OB referred us there, vs the one done at the hospital, because they take their time to get the best possible shot, compared to hospitals who really focus on the medically necessary aspects instead. I'm glad we followed his advice because this place got us this beautiful full-frontal shot of my Griffin --
Love love love.
Don't you agree he looks like me?
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Hiccups!
I woke up this morning to a weird sensation. One side of my tummy was moving softly every 1-2 seconds. This went on for about 2-3 minutes, then stopped. I realized midway that Baby Griffin was hiccuping! How adorable! I woke up his sleepyhead daddy so he can feel the little hiccupy movements. Love love love.
That's all I wanted to say. Haha!
That's all I wanted to say. Haha!
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Baby name reveal!!
Because I want to shout it out to the world ---
Our little darling's name is:
Griffin Andrew Chan! :)
Griffin: a mythical creature that's half lion and half eagle. Means noble and brave. Inspiration for Gryffindor. My little fighter's perfect name.
Andrew: just a name his dad thought of that will go well with his first name. Idea came to Daddy as he was brushing his teeth the morning after we found out the gender.
:)
Love.
Updates: Me and the baby
We're on our 25th week by tomorrow. Last week, as scheduled, I did my second doppler, and the results were as follows:
- Because I reverted back to my daily heparin injections, the level of flow for my left uterine artery improved a little bit, though it was still sub-par.
- However, because of the length of time of the blood flow being sub-par, the middle cerebral artery showed slight elevation. The doctor's explanation for this is because the system detected that the blood flow is less than ideal, it automatically tells the arteries to prioritize the brain, hence the middle CEREBRAL artery. Is it just me or anything with the word "cerebral" is just freakout-inducing?
- Anyway, weight-gain wise, the perinatologist doing my exam initially told me that the baby's weight was coming in within normal values. It turns out that he's hitting only the 18th percentile in terms of weight. While this may be normal for most pregnancies, (1) my OB wants him to be over the average in case we need to resort to preterm delivery ; (2) we are aware of the blood flow issue, which means his current estimated weight of 636grams is really not meant to be his size at this time, if it weren't for the blood flow issue. This second point debunks the possibility that this just might be his size or that he may be a small baby, really hitting the smaller percentile. We do know that me and my husband are not particularly small people, plus, the subpar blood flow means the baby would probably weigh a lot more if he had access to more nutrients and oxygen. So it is a bit worrisome but not cause for worry --> something most doctors say to me, which I don't really understand.
Anyway, my immunologist upped my heparin dosage to 50 units per shot, daily, from 35. She also initially prescribed a steroid for me - something I took during the first trimester- that is an immuno-suppressant drug meant to essentially tell my immune system to calm the F down because the baby is NOT an invader. I already bought the pills for 2 weeks as she prescribed, when my OB (whom I saw the day after) said NO. He told me to get these progesterone shots from him every week instead of the steroids. He explained that the shots essentially isolate the immune suppression to just those that affect the baby and leave out the rest of the body. The pills, on the other hand, are like a bazooka explosion of suppressing effect, which means my entire resistance will be down. Because I'm pregnant, getting sick or catching a really bad bug is not a good idea, even with this blood flow issue. So, I followed him as usual, as he seems to be more of a thinking doctor than my immunologist is.
So there we stand, at almost 25 weeks. My next scan will be on April 1, for my 3D ultrasound, and then April 7 for my third doppler which I PRAY SHOWS ALL NORMAL RESULTS.
On the matter of the 3D ultrasound: People usually get 4D ultrasounds, but since the difference between 3 and 4D is just that the latter is in video format, I opted for 3D instead. Also, there are no medical reasons for other people to do it, but in my case, I do need to, because the immune drugs I took at the first trimester carry a risk on the baby to develop a cleft palate. This was a risk I knew about going in, and it was a smaller risk compared to the scarier prospect of my immune system triumphing over the baby, so we went ahead anyway. Since the 3D scan will be able to see the baby's face clearly, assuming he is cooperative and stays still, this would definitely allay my fears. Or inform us of procedures he may need after delivery. I am praying it is the former.
Oh, and it doesn't end there: So far, we've been monitoring the baby and the blood flow issues due to my overly enthusiastic immune system. I've been feeling exhausted lately, sometimes dizzy and lightheaded, and I would also get shortness of breath. I chalked it up to usual pregnancy symptoms as advised by Dr Google and to my asthma. It turns out, when I asked my OB about it, he looked alarmed and asked the nurse to take my BP. My BP then, even after eating a good breakfast and taking the stairs up to the 3rd floor of MMC, was only 90/50. He said this was not good at all, married with the subpar blood flow. My acupuncturist wasn't happy about it either, when I told her Saturday afternoon. She said this was a threat to me, not just the baby. And since the baby was depending on me for blood, then it was something that needed attention right away.
So not only am I supposed to up my calorie intake, I am supposed to take more salt into my system and more 'hypertension-causing' food too. Lechon, here I come!
So, definitely an exciting pregnancy, won't you say?
Last night, my mom saw me injecting my tummy with the 50mg heparin and as a result, she also saw my bruise-laden tummy. One bruise in particular was so unsightly, my mom's face fell and I think she felt sorry for me. But seriously, I do not at all feel bad for myself, despite all these things I need to do to my body to get my baby delivered safely. Nothing else matters, really. No physical pain is too painful to bear. Just that he is safe and healthy. Sometimes, I think the worry and the anxiety is much much worse.
Please pray all goes well !!
- Because I reverted back to my daily heparin injections, the level of flow for my left uterine artery improved a little bit, though it was still sub-par.
- However, because of the length of time of the blood flow being sub-par, the middle cerebral artery showed slight elevation. The doctor's explanation for this is because the system detected that the blood flow is less than ideal, it automatically tells the arteries to prioritize the brain, hence the middle CEREBRAL artery. Is it just me or anything with the word "cerebral" is just freakout-inducing?
- Anyway, weight-gain wise, the perinatologist doing my exam initially told me that the baby's weight was coming in within normal values. It turns out that he's hitting only the 18th percentile in terms of weight. While this may be normal for most pregnancies, (1) my OB wants him to be over the average in case we need to resort to preterm delivery ; (2) we are aware of the blood flow issue, which means his current estimated weight of 636grams is really not meant to be his size at this time, if it weren't for the blood flow issue. This second point debunks the possibility that this just might be his size or that he may be a small baby, really hitting the smaller percentile. We do know that me and my husband are not particularly small people, plus, the subpar blood flow means the baby would probably weigh a lot more if he had access to more nutrients and oxygen. So it is a bit worrisome but not cause for worry --> something most doctors say to me, which I don't really understand.
Anyway, my immunologist upped my heparin dosage to 50 units per shot, daily, from 35. She also initially prescribed a steroid for me - something I took during the first trimester- that is an immuno-suppressant drug meant to essentially tell my immune system to calm the F down because the baby is NOT an invader. I already bought the pills for 2 weeks as she prescribed, when my OB (whom I saw the day after) said NO. He told me to get these progesterone shots from him every week instead of the steroids. He explained that the shots essentially isolate the immune suppression to just those that affect the baby and leave out the rest of the body. The pills, on the other hand, are like a bazooka explosion of suppressing effect, which means my entire resistance will be down. Because I'm pregnant, getting sick or catching a really bad bug is not a good idea, even with this blood flow issue. So, I followed him as usual, as he seems to be more of a thinking doctor than my immunologist is.
So there we stand, at almost 25 weeks. My next scan will be on April 1, for my 3D ultrasound, and then April 7 for my third doppler which I PRAY SHOWS ALL NORMAL RESULTS.
On the matter of the 3D ultrasound: People usually get 4D ultrasounds, but since the difference between 3 and 4D is just that the latter is in video format, I opted for 3D instead. Also, there are no medical reasons for other people to do it, but in my case, I do need to, because the immune drugs I took at the first trimester carry a risk on the baby to develop a cleft palate. This was a risk I knew about going in, and it was a smaller risk compared to the scarier prospect of my immune system triumphing over the baby, so we went ahead anyway. Since the 3D scan will be able to see the baby's face clearly, assuming he is cooperative and stays still, this would definitely allay my fears. Or inform us of procedures he may need after delivery. I am praying it is the former.
Oh, and it doesn't end there: So far, we've been monitoring the baby and the blood flow issues due to my overly enthusiastic immune system. I've been feeling exhausted lately, sometimes dizzy and lightheaded, and I would also get shortness of breath. I chalked it up to usual pregnancy symptoms as advised by Dr Google and to my asthma. It turns out, when I asked my OB about it, he looked alarmed and asked the nurse to take my BP. My BP then, even after eating a good breakfast and taking the stairs up to the 3rd floor of MMC, was only 90/50. He said this was not good at all, married with the subpar blood flow. My acupuncturist wasn't happy about it either, when I told her Saturday afternoon. She said this was a threat to me, not just the baby. And since the baby was depending on me for blood, then it was something that needed attention right away.
So not only am I supposed to up my calorie intake, I am supposed to take more salt into my system and more 'hypertension-causing' food too. Lechon, here I come!
So, definitely an exciting pregnancy, won't you say?
Last night, my mom saw me injecting my tummy with the 50mg heparin and as a result, she also saw my bruise-laden tummy. One bruise in particular was so unsightly, my mom's face fell and I think she felt sorry for me. But seriously, I do not at all feel bad for myself, despite all these things I need to do to my body to get my baby delivered safely. Nothing else matters, really. No physical pain is too painful to bear. Just that he is safe and healthy. Sometimes, I think the worry and the anxiety is much much worse.
Please pray all goes well !!
Tuesday, March 03, 2015
Updates
Baby and I hit 23 weeks today! A week more to go until we're officially 6 months pregnant. Time for some updates:
1. Because of my immune issues, my immunologist asked me to do a doppler velocimetry test at Week 19. It's apparently a test that only a perinatologist (i.e. high-risk pregnancy OB) can perform so St Lukes could only pencil me in on my 21st week. I was a bit anxious about this, as it was a good 2 weeks after the ideal time, but I had no other choice. Anyway, the test is a colored ultrasound that measures the flow of blood from and to the baby. The two uterine arteries supply blood into the umbilical artery, which reaches the baby. The ideal results is normal for all three arteries.
My results showed that while my right uterine artery was doing its job, my left one was supply blood at a sub-par level. This led to the baby coming in a bit underweight (about 453 grams VS the ideal 500 grams at the gestational age he was in). Plus, he is so far coming in at about a week and a half advanced in terms of height. Which makes his being underweight even more concerning. The weight that bones account for is higher than usual, because he's taller.
Of course, this got me worried. On one hand, I was relieved my very cautious OB insisted I still did heparin shots even though my immunologist said I could stop already at 12 weeks. Dr Manahan said he is more comfortable if I at least did every-other-day shots instead of stopping altogether. Back then, I figured, might as well follow his advice, as it's better to have been safe than sorry. Turns out, it's SUCH A GOOD DECISION because I refuse to even consider what could've happened if I did stop. The flow may not have been good at all. As it is, my baby relies more on the right side's flow, it being at 100%.
So what's the next step? My immunologist actually said to keep up my every-other-day heparin shots until my repeat doppler velocimetry on March 10th. I think her approach tends to be on the 'chill' side, because (1) she is the head of PGH-Immunology; hence, I think she carries a 'keep costs at a minimum' mindset ; (2) the majority of her patients are much more complicated cases compared to me, because she usually tells me not to worry because other people have it much harder.
My OB, on the other hand, is really more a doctor with patients that, well, for the lack of a better term, can afford to spend. He also has a belief, which I share, that it's always better to spend more on preventive care now, at the prenatal stage, and it's always more worth it compared to spending later on when the baby is out and we have issues post-natally. I agree wholeheartedly. I know that there are people with more limited means than us, and there are people who have worse immune conditions than me, but no offense, I really only care about myself and my baby as far as this pregnancy is concerned. I want to and will always do the best I can and pick the best possible option for my baby. It's got nothing to do with anyone else.
So, suffice to say, my OB said to disregard my immunologist's instructions and resume daily heparin. This way, the March 10 velocimetry test will be even more useful for us because we'll know if daily heparin gets the job done (rather than evaluate if the every-other-day should really be stopped). If the results are still sub-optimal, then I can up my dosage to twice a day. More blood flow means more nutrients, more oxygen and much better care for my baby. To Dr Manahan, the every-other-day is off the table. Minimum daily is the way to go, at the minimum.
He also told me that since my baby is a bit underweight, I have to eat WAY more than I currently do. I must admit, I have not really been eating significantly more than I did before. I know this is normal for people with normal pregnancies - you are, after all, only supposed to add a few more calories on top of your usual diet. But Dr Manahan wants me to prep (physically and mentally) for a possible preterm delivery. He says if my immune reaction gets worse (and it just might get worse because as the baby grows bigger, the bigger the signal it makes to my immune system that there is a huge invader to my body), at month 7, doctors usually deem it safer for the baby to be out of the womb than remain in it. This means that the bigger I can get my baby at month 7, the better the outcome can be for him. He also already administered the sulfactant shots to me last week -- this is the steroid typically given at month 7 if there is a risk of preterm labor. It hastens the dev't of the lungs - the last organ to develop. He says it's better to give a dose now, then see later on if my baby will benefit from a second round. This way, we give him the best shot possible at having capable lungs even if he meets the world ahead of schedule.
Doesn't this sort of approach just make you feel safer under a doctor's care? I'm really grateful I met this guy and that he's the one taking care of me and my little fighter.
2. We've settled on a name! Love love love it!!!
3. Work is boring. (haha!) But the good news is that the huge bonus that we're looking forward to is confirmed to be arriving to our bank accounts on March 10. Hooray! Such a blessing to receive this year of all years, when I am scheduled to take some months off with no pay. Thank you thank you. I am so so so grateful.
That's about it. Pray for me that my results on March 10 are normal.
:)
1. Because of my immune issues, my immunologist asked me to do a doppler velocimetry test at Week 19. It's apparently a test that only a perinatologist (i.e. high-risk pregnancy OB) can perform so St Lukes could only pencil me in on my 21st week. I was a bit anxious about this, as it was a good 2 weeks after the ideal time, but I had no other choice. Anyway, the test is a colored ultrasound that measures the flow of blood from and to the baby. The two uterine arteries supply blood into the umbilical artery, which reaches the baby. The ideal results is normal for all three arteries.
My results showed that while my right uterine artery was doing its job, my left one was supply blood at a sub-par level. This led to the baby coming in a bit underweight (about 453 grams VS the ideal 500 grams at the gestational age he was in). Plus, he is so far coming in at about a week and a half advanced in terms of height. Which makes his being underweight even more concerning. The weight that bones account for is higher than usual, because he's taller.
Of course, this got me worried. On one hand, I was relieved my very cautious OB insisted I still did heparin shots even though my immunologist said I could stop already at 12 weeks. Dr Manahan said he is more comfortable if I at least did every-other-day shots instead of stopping altogether. Back then, I figured, might as well follow his advice, as it's better to have been safe than sorry. Turns out, it's SUCH A GOOD DECISION because I refuse to even consider what could've happened if I did stop. The flow may not have been good at all. As it is, my baby relies more on the right side's flow, it being at 100%.
So what's the next step? My immunologist actually said to keep up my every-other-day heparin shots until my repeat doppler velocimetry on March 10th. I think her approach tends to be on the 'chill' side, because (1) she is the head of PGH-Immunology; hence, I think she carries a 'keep costs at a minimum' mindset ; (2) the majority of her patients are much more complicated cases compared to me, because she usually tells me not to worry because other people have it much harder.
My OB, on the other hand, is really more a doctor with patients that, well, for the lack of a better term, can afford to spend. He also has a belief, which I share, that it's always better to spend more on preventive care now, at the prenatal stage, and it's always more worth it compared to spending later on when the baby is out and we have issues post-natally. I agree wholeheartedly. I know that there are people with more limited means than us, and there are people who have worse immune conditions than me, but no offense, I really only care about myself and my baby as far as this pregnancy is concerned. I want to and will always do the best I can and pick the best possible option for my baby. It's got nothing to do with anyone else.
So, suffice to say, my OB said to disregard my immunologist's instructions and resume daily heparin. This way, the March 10 velocimetry test will be even more useful for us because we'll know if daily heparin gets the job done (rather than evaluate if the every-other-day should really be stopped). If the results are still sub-optimal, then I can up my dosage to twice a day. More blood flow means more nutrients, more oxygen and much better care for my baby. To Dr Manahan, the every-other-day is off the table. Minimum daily is the way to go, at the minimum.
He also told me that since my baby is a bit underweight, I have to eat WAY more than I currently do. I must admit, I have not really been eating significantly more than I did before. I know this is normal for people with normal pregnancies - you are, after all, only supposed to add a few more calories on top of your usual diet. But Dr Manahan wants me to prep (physically and mentally) for a possible preterm delivery. He says if my immune reaction gets worse (and it just might get worse because as the baby grows bigger, the bigger the signal it makes to my immune system that there is a huge invader to my body), at month 7, doctors usually deem it safer for the baby to be out of the womb than remain in it. This means that the bigger I can get my baby at month 7, the better the outcome can be for him. He also already administered the sulfactant shots to me last week -- this is the steroid typically given at month 7 if there is a risk of preterm labor. It hastens the dev't of the lungs - the last organ to develop. He says it's better to give a dose now, then see later on if my baby will benefit from a second round. This way, we give him the best shot possible at having capable lungs even if he meets the world ahead of schedule.
Doesn't this sort of approach just make you feel safer under a doctor's care? I'm really grateful I met this guy and that he's the one taking care of me and my little fighter.
2. We've settled on a name! Love love love it!!!
3. Work is boring. (haha!) But the good news is that the huge bonus that we're looking forward to is confirmed to be arriving to our bank accounts on March 10. Hooray! Such a blessing to receive this year of all years, when I am scheduled to take some months off with no pay. Thank you thank you. I am so so so grateful.
That's about it. Pray for me that my results on March 10 are normal.
:)
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Problem solved!
Thank you, Buddha!!!!
Just when I was wondering what final decision to make about my plans for 2nd half of this year, it has been made for me!
My boss pulled me in this morning into his office and midway into our conversation, he suddenly brought up my maternity leave and the fact that I'm nearing the 2-year mark here in this office. The convo went like this:
Boss: So, you'll be two years na here by June, which is also when you're due to give birth, right? So you'll be out for 2-3 months depending on whether you're CS or normal delivery... I guess you'll go back to Smart afterwards? That's what's fair to you.
Gladys: Speechless but nods
Boss: So I'll tell them you'll be back by Q4.
Gladys: Actually, I was thinking of extending my leave further.
Boss: Extending? Without pay na yon. So.. until yearend?
Gladys: Yeah
Boss: Okay, so I'll tell Smart HR you'll be back on January 2016. What function do you want?
Gladys: A brand role.
Boss: Okay, I'll make that communication. It has to be told to them earlier, you know, because these things take time and I want to make sure you'll get a good position. So that settles it. Who do you think can take your place here?
Gladys: Mentions a name.
Boss: Yeah, good point. Okay.
Done.
What a huge relief. I didn't have to suffer through a tough, emotional conversation. I didn't even have to utter much, not even a single word about how this is my first baby, my dream come true, etc etc. It was all fixed up for me.
I can't help but attribute it to Buddha- I've been, after all, praying to Him to take care of my career progression from this point forward, considering that the baby will be my top priority. It's like He inception-ed Noel into this line of thinking, in such an effective way that the road ended up being fixed for me all the way.
I am shocked. In a good way. I can't believe all that went down so well. So easily. This pregnancy may have gone through a tough road to get going, but so far, everything else about it and after it has been smooth-sailing. (Knock on wood, pwera usog) Hope that's a sign of everything else to come.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Santo Singkong. I am beyond grateful. Your blessing has never left my side.
Grateful. Happy Chinese New Year!!
Just when I was wondering what final decision to make about my plans for 2nd half of this year, it has been made for me!
My boss pulled me in this morning into his office and midway into our conversation, he suddenly brought up my maternity leave and the fact that I'm nearing the 2-year mark here in this office. The convo went like this:
Boss: So, you'll be two years na here by June, which is also when you're due to give birth, right? So you'll be out for 2-3 months depending on whether you're CS or normal delivery... I guess you'll go back to Smart afterwards? That's what's fair to you.
Gladys: Speechless but nods
Boss: So I'll tell them you'll be back by Q4.
Gladys: Actually, I was thinking of extending my leave further.
Boss: Extending? Without pay na yon. So.. until yearend?
Gladys: Yeah
Boss: Okay, so I'll tell Smart HR you'll be back on January 2016. What function do you want?
Gladys: A brand role.
Boss: Okay, I'll make that communication. It has to be told to them earlier, you know, because these things take time and I want to make sure you'll get a good position. So that settles it. Who do you think can take your place here?
Gladys: Mentions a name.
Boss: Yeah, good point. Okay.
Done.
What a huge relief. I didn't have to suffer through a tough, emotional conversation. I didn't even have to utter much, not even a single word about how this is my first baby, my dream come true, etc etc. It was all fixed up for me.
I can't help but attribute it to Buddha- I've been, after all, praying to Him to take care of my career progression from this point forward, considering that the baby will be my top priority. It's like He inception-ed Noel into this line of thinking, in such an effective way that the road ended up being fixed for me all the way.
I am shocked. In a good way. I can't believe all that went down so well. So easily. This pregnancy may have gone through a tough road to get going, but so far, everything else about it and after it has been smooth-sailing. (Knock on wood, pwera usog) Hope that's a sign of everything else to come.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Santo Singkong. I am beyond grateful. Your blessing has never left my side.
Grateful. Happy Chinese New Year!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Quickening and some other thoughts
So, it turned out, a few hours after I wrote my last update, my baby started quickening, aka those first solid movements of the baby in the womb. True enough, it did feel like bubbles, as my doctor described. But unlike the flicks from the previous week, which were so infrequent (like 1-2 times a day only) that sometimes I doubted maybe it was all just a figment of my mind, these are qute frequent, about 7-8 times an hour. I first felt them last Tuesday - right on my 20th week- evening while lying in bed. The first bubble came up, then another one and another one. 4 in quick succession. I was so happily surprised- and the idea of my little one being "really there" became even more real, and I cried tears of joy. I just lay there on the bed, half-laughing and crying with indescribable happiness. Hello there, love! Mommy is here :)
Dennis was in the other room at this time so when he came back a few minutes later, he was shocked to see me crying. I told him to hurry and come over to me, so he can put his hand over the spot where the kicks were. He was able to feel one solid kick, and I knew he felt the same.
He hasn't been able to catch more since then though. I know he feels a bit left out hehe, but I tell him not to worry. He will feel more as time goes by.
Anyway, today, I found myself thinking again about cord blood banking. Dennis and I initially decided to forego it, mostly because according to my research, there's little chance of needing it and even if the need arises, there's a limitation to what it can do. The quantity, for starters, can only save a child, not a full adult or even some teens. Not all diseases can also use it. If you match that with the cost, it seems like a lot of marketing and not much insurance.
But there's that nagging guilt-trip of a line "what if it CAN save your baby?"
Grrr. Marketing. I hate you.
Hmm what else... I am happily into researching various topics related to the baby, like comparing breast pumps and looking at crib VS cosleeper VS packNplays. It's a complicated world out there! Haha! But definitely no shopping yet until my 7th month. My mom's strict orders.
Which leads me to think of baby showers. Since I don't have sisters, I am not sure how to go about this. According to the TheBump app, I should start scheduling baby showers and the like. Is this really done by the mom-to-be, at least in the US? Sounds strange to me.
I am also still "praning", especially worrying about what can possibly go wrong with the baby or with giving birth, et al. I should really find a better way of putting a lid of this.
Oh and latest preggers symptom: loose stools (tmi, sorry). I just wanted to share this because I think not a lot of people talk about it as much as they talk about constipation. What's up with that?! Hehe.
Thursday is the congenital scan. Fingers crossed everything is okay (I'm praning nga, as I mentioned). Can't wait to see the baby again though!! :)
Oh and it looks like our baby's yaya has confirmed that she'll work for us and help me care for our little fighter! Hooray! This is a huge tick mark off my to-figure-out list. She's a trusted helper and I am super comfortable to leave the baby with her. Hooray!
Which brings me to: If Armi will be my baby's caretaker, will I still need 6 months' off from work? I can sure use the money that those extra months can give me if I went back to work after 3-4 months instead of 6.
But then, it's just 2 extra months.
As I said, I have been having many thoughts. Hehe. Not all are coherent.
Lastly, breastfeeding seems to be a quite complicated affair. Note to self to continue my research on this and watch more youtube instructionals.
That's it for now! :) 21 weeks today!!
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Midway point and ecstatic!
Officially 20 weeks pregnant today, aka the midway point! 18-20 more weeks to go into this miraculous pregnancy, and I am loving it. Just feel like sharing some random kwento today----
Movements: Well, the baby is supposedly now the length of a banana, which explains why I can feel him more now. Albeit the little flicks come and go and sometimes the intervals between them are pretty long, I can 'feel' where he is in my belly. He moves around a lot, I think, especially when BabyPlus is playing. I can't wait until I can feel his movements more, and share them with his daddy.
Aches and Pains: So far a pretty uneventful pregnancy and I am so grateful for it. I do feel some of the aches and pains, but definitely nothing I can't handle -- all of them (shoulder spasms, lower arm swelling that resembles carpal tunnel pain, etc) are a far cry from dysmennorhea and because I know they have a purpose (i.e. side effect of baby growing), I don't mind at all. I'm just so so so grateful, at least for the most part. I can do without the leg cramps for sure. Hehehe. And I hope my feet don't swell too much in the end. I have lots of nice shoes kaya :p
Size: I have yet to weigh myself again, but last time I checked (about 4-5 weeks ago), I had only gained about 5-6 pounds. Some people though have apparently no qualms about telling me to my face "you're so huge!" Umm, that's mostly from the hormones I took prior to getting preggers, lady. But why should I use up energy to get all defensive? I think though I need to start gaining a bit more in the coming weeks. According to BabyCenter, the baby is supposed to double in size from month 5 to month 6.
Babymoon: I entertain the idea of a babymoon sometimes, often flipflopping between wanting to go and saving money + what if something happens and I need my doctor. So my fearless forecast is nothing will get planned. Haha! Which at the end of the day is fine with me, I guess. We really traveled a lot already prior to this and I don't feel shortchanged at all. In fact, I can't wait to have the baby with us already.
Baby Name: We do have a name in mind, and we use it already to refer to the baby. I think it's an apt name given that he's our little fighter. Can't wait to share soon :)
That's it for now. Congenital scan is up next, on Feb 19, and I pray everything is okay. I've been indulging in some baseless worries recently, and I know I should stop. Buddha gave us this baby and He will make sure that our little one will be fine and dandy.
Love you, little fighter!
Movements: Well, the baby is supposedly now the length of a banana, which explains why I can feel him more now. Albeit the little flicks come and go and sometimes the intervals between them are pretty long, I can 'feel' where he is in my belly. He moves around a lot, I think, especially when BabyPlus is playing. I can't wait until I can feel his movements more, and share them with his daddy.
Aches and Pains: So far a pretty uneventful pregnancy and I am so grateful for it. I do feel some of the aches and pains, but definitely nothing I can't handle -- all of them (shoulder spasms, lower arm swelling that resembles carpal tunnel pain, etc) are a far cry from dysmennorhea and because I know they have a purpose (i.e. side effect of baby growing), I don't mind at all. I'm just so so so grateful, at least for the most part. I can do without the leg cramps for sure. Hehehe. And I hope my feet don't swell too much in the end. I have lots of nice shoes kaya :p
Size: I have yet to weigh myself again, but last time I checked (about 4-5 weeks ago), I had only gained about 5-6 pounds. Some people though have apparently no qualms about telling me to my face "you're so huge!" Umm, that's mostly from the hormones I took prior to getting preggers, lady. But why should I use up energy to get all defensive? I think though I need to start gaining a bit more in the coming weeks. According to BabyCenter, the baby is supposed to double in size from month 5 to month 6.
Babymoon: I entertain the idea of a babymoon sometimes, often flipflopping between wanting to go and saving money + what if something happens and I need my doctor. So my fearless forecast is nothing will get planned. Haha! Which at the end of the day is fine with me, I guess. We really traveled a lot already prior to this and I don't feel shortchanged at all. In fact, I can't wait to have the baby with us already.
Baby Name: We do have a name in mind, and we use it already to refer to the baby. I think it's an apt name given that he's our little fighter. Can't wait to share soon :)
That's it for now. Congenital scan is up next, on Feb 19, and I pray everything is okay. I've been indulging in some baseless worries recently, and I know I should stop. Buddha gave us this baby and He will make sure that our little one will be fine and dandy.
Love you, little fighter!
Tuesday, February 03, 2015
Gender reveal!!!
And we are having a boy!!!!!
See his boy parts?
Needless to say, Daddy Attorney was ecstatic! He looked like he won the lottery when the sonologist pointed out the little pututuy and said "it's likely a boy". I know I initially indulged in some wishful thinking it was a girl but truthfully, my instincts have always pointed towards a boy. And when I heard it's indeed a "he", I have never felt so happy in my life. I love the fact that there's now a clearer image of our little miracle, at least in our heads. It's a boy, oh boy!!!
Hello there, my little fighter :) Daddy and Mommy have so many dreams for you. For now, just keep growing safely and healthily. We're gonna have so much fun together :)
Love.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
BabyPlus!
My friend KQ told me about BabyPlus when she was pregnant with her daughter in 2009. It's a prenatal education system that uses heartbeat tones as the "medium of instruction". There are 16 lessons that you play at a prescribed schedule starting Week 18 (which I'm at as of today!). You strap the thing onto your belly and use it twice a day for an hour each. The machine is preprogrammed to be at an optimum volume level and will automatically shut off after an hour.
I first used it today at 12nn and I must admit, the sound is very noticeable indeed! I'm glad I chose to use it at 12nn and 6pm - i.e. least disruption to my officemates. Hehe.
I also notice some stretching in my uterus when I was playing it and about an hour or two afterwards. The FAQs in the website says this is expected and in fact, once I can feel the baby moving, I'll even notice the increased activity more whenever I use BabyPlus.
So here it is! I keep the contraption in a ziplock bag with a matching calendar of lessons that I tick off as I go through it.
I must also admit something: this machine is also special to me because it's the first thing I ever bought in anticipation of getting pregnant. I saw it on sale online and figured I might as well buy it, way back in March 2011! I was that naive in thinking we will easily get pregnant so might as well get a good deal for Babyplus. :p Oh well. I'm just happy I finally get to use it :)
18 weeks today! :) Hope you're cozy and comfy in there, baby!
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Birth photography
I only found out there was such a thing when I started reading Project Mom but it peaked my curiosity and led me to research online. It looks so interesting!!
This video also explains it. She seems like such "good vibes" I'm very interested!!!
:)
Project Mom
Here's my reading material this long Papal Visit weekend :) Found it on 50% off online, so I pulled the trigger and got it. I've always been curious about it but didn't want to pluck down a thousand bucks for a book.
We did a 16-week ultrasound yesterday-- my first pelvic ultrasound (yay, no more transV!!) and we tried to see the gender. Baby was shy and kept the legs crossed. Hehe. Next time then, which is in 2 weeks or so :)
Bringing my highlighter out to take note of the tips I like! :)
Thursday, January 08, 2015
Options
Ok, so I opened the year with some thoughts and with it, some lessons. In our annual FILC 'surveys', there's a question on what life lesson you learned during the year concerned. I think I already have my answer for 2015 -- The beauty about having money isn't about the money per se, or the things it can buy. It lies in the options it affords you to consider and allows you to make. Having choices is such a luxury -- one that oftentimes money can buy.
Anyone reading this blog regularly will also know that I am a planner at heart. So as early as now, I am thinking of what to do when the baby arrives. My thought process goes as follows (and these little thoughts may not always harmonize with each other, hehehe):
1. I've waited for this baby for a long time, and leaving him/her to go to work after 2 months seems unjust to the cause I've fought and to the little fighter who clawed and fought his/her way into our lives. I didn't just wait to get pregnant. I waited to have a baby. I feel I owe it to myself, to our little family and to the heavenly beings I flooded and bombarded with my endless pleas and prayers to maximize our little one's littlest months. To do otherwise feels ungrateful.
2. On the other hand, to be a full-time mother costs money (at least forgoes the earning of money). Money that, strictly speaking, we may have in our stashed-away funds, but money that we will miss nonetheless. Should I 'buy' this period of time (in my head, it's a full year as 6 months still doesn't sound enough)? Me being me, I already have a figure in my head for how much this year will cost. Should I do it? Will it be responsible of me (fiscally speaking) to do so?
3. The other thing to consider is the impact to my career in the long run.... which leads me to the next point....
4. By the time the baby arrives, I would have spent 2 years in this media company. I came here to (1) learn something new while (2) affording myself a flexible, non-critical yet substantial role at work to still be able to earn and be productive with my brain and efforts, while pursuing infertility treatment. A big check on both counts, but I also feel the time has come (the mark of which is at 2 years) to end it. I've done what I came here to do. Moving-on is the next logical thing.
5. But of course, move on how? Here is where the options come in:
Option 1: Take a 1-year sabbatical after my maternity leave (subject to approval, of course) and return to Smart by mid-2016.
Upside: I keep my tenure and will be working walking-distance away at a place I have paid my dues in and no longer need to exert too much effort in proving myself. Work is familiar. This option is likely the most palatable to all bosses concerned, including HR, making the sabbatical easier to approve.
Downside: I don't like the current management. I won't be learning anything new. May also have career implications of staying too long in 1 industry/company.
Option 2: Similar as Option 1 except instead of Smart, I look for elsewhere within the Group (that is not media).
Upside: I can leverage on the last 9 years I invested in this group. It also tends to be financially rewarding and at least my last package from Smart can still be honored. Depending on the company, I will learn something new.
Downside: Location may not be favorable to me unless it's PLDT (gulp!) and I doubt my current boss will not feel bad if I choose another 'sister-company' over the one he heads.
Option 3: Take the sabbatical, look for work while on break, and go from there.
Upside: The reverse of the above. And I have a fresh start.
Downside: Pretty tough to find work that's as physically close to my home as Smart is. Plus, there would be backlash in taking a sabbatical only to resign later on.
Option 4: Resign from the onset.
Seems there's no upside. Haha!
If you notice, coming back to my current position is not an option for me. It's not good for my career in the long run. It's also not close to my place, and there's no 'passion' on my end for this industry.
So there. That's where I am right now. I wish money were not an issue at all, so that I can have another option, which is to be a consultant and work part-time indefinitely. But I know that's not fair to my family and as it is, the one year off already carries cost.
Wish me luck! Have about 4 months before I need to give notice. :)
Anyone reading this blog regularly will also know that I am a planner at heart. So as early as now, I am thinking of what to do when the baby arrives. My thought process goes as follows (and these little thoughts may not always harmonize with each other, hehehe):
1. I've waited for this baby for a long time, and leaving him/her to go to work after 2 months seems unjust to the cause I've fought and to the little fighter who clawed and fought his/her way into our lives. I didn't just wait to get pregnant. I waited to have a baby. I feel I owe it to myself, to our little family and to the heavenly beings I flooded and bombarded with my endless pleas and prayers to maximize our little one's littlest months. To do otherwise feels ungrateful.
2. On the other hand, to be a full-time mother costs money (at least forgoes the earning of money). Money that, strictly speaking, we may have in our stashed-away funds, but money that we will miss nonetheless. Should I 'buy' this period of time (in my head, it's a full year as 6 months still doesn't sound enough)? Me being me, I already have a figure in my head for how much this year will cost. Should I do it? Will it be responsible of me (fiscally speaking) to do so?
3. The other thing to consider is the impact to my career in the long run.... which leads me to the next point....
4. By the time the baby arrives, I would have spent 2 years in this media company. I came here to (1) learn something new while (2) affording myself a flexible, non-critical yet substantial role at work to still be able to earn and be productive with my brain and efforts, while pursuing infertility treatment. A big check on both counts, but I also feel the time has come (the mark of which is at 2 years) to end it. I've done what I came here to do. Moving-on is the next logical thing.
5. But of course, move on how? Here is where the options come in:
Option 1: Take a 1-year sabbatical after my maternity leave (subject to approval, of course) and return to Smart by mid-2016.
Upside: I keep my tenure and will be working walking-distance away at a place I have paid my dues in and no longer need to exert too much effort in proving myself. Work is familiar. This option is likely the most palatable to all bosses concerned, including HR, making the sabbatical easier to approve.
Downside: I don't like the current management. I won't be learning anything new. May also have career implications of staying too long in 1 industry/company.
Option 2: Similar as Option 1 except instead of Smart, I look for elsewhere within the Group (that is not media).
Upside: I can leverage on the last 9 years I invested in this group. It also tends to be financially rewarding and at least my last package from Smart can still be honored. Depending on the company, I will learn something new.
Downside: Location may not be favorable to me unless it's PLDT (gulp!) and I doubt my current boss will not feel bad if I choose another 'sister-company' over the one he heads.
Option 3: Take the sabbatical, look for work while on break, and go from there.
Upside: The reverse of the above. And I have a fresh start.
Downside: Pretty tough to find work that's as physically close to my home as Smart is. Plus, there would be backlash in taking a sabbatical only to resign later on.
Option 4: Resign from the onset.
Seems there's no upside. Haha!
If you notice, coming back to my current position is not an option for me. It's not good for my career in the long run. It's also not close to my place, and there's no 'passion' on my end for this industry.
So there. That's where I am right now. I wish money were not an issue at all, so that I can have another option, which is to be a consultant and work part-time indefinitely. But I know that's not fair to my family and as it is, the one year off already carries cost.
Wish me luck! Have about 4 months before I need to give notice. :)
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