9 weeks - Pretty the Same

A slight bulge has emerged - is it the baby (seems unlikely cos baby is still less than 2cm big), part of the uterus expansion, or just pure bloatedness? Gas is a pregnant woman's foe - sighz, with the bloatedness and the burpz, its difficult to feel pretty.

Not much has changed from the 8th week. I still can't pass the day without yawning several times and wishing I am resting in bed at home instead of me working away on my office laptop. And the bad news - it seems my work is piling up - boss has already requested that we go back next Sat to work! Arghh....it really ain't easy managing pregnancy and work. Yet work is inevitable if I want to ensure that I can provide the best for the little one growing in me right?

I have resumed my gym sessions, but only cycling, walking and stretching - the low-impact type of activities. Goodbye to gym classes, sit-ups and running on the treadmill! Despite my lethargy, I find that exercising really does help to perk one's spirits! I feel healthier, more assured that I won't be gaining the wrong kind of weight, and optimistic that my body will be fit and strong to handle the stresses of pregnancy.

And oh, my hubby and I have kinda decided on the Christian names for our baby. Boy will be J--, Girl will be called K--. Still subject to changes because I want to make sure that these names not only sound nice, but are meaningful. To me, a name represents the hope that parents have for their child and who they want their child to be. The name must also be chosen with sensitivity so that child will not be subject to brutal teasing from friends in future. The names seem perfect for now, but let's see...

To my little J/K: My biggest wish and prayer for you is that you will be well-nourished, that you will develop healthily, and by God's grace, you will be a healthy and happy baby who is entirely free from health issues and birth defects.

8 weeks

Feeling more nauseous than usual, and the lethargy continues. No weight gain so far, and tummy is just a slight bulge.

Have finally recovered from the cold, and am still continuing with large (compared to the past) servings of fruits to strengthen my immunity. My refrigerator has never been so well-stocked up with fruits =P I am also hoping to resume some exercise because I feel so unhealthy without exercise.

Good news is this is the week from which my baby is officially a fetus!
http://www.babycenter.com.sg/stages/0108

A visit to the gynae on Sat confirmed it - I can see the head of my baby! Baby has grown to 1.66cm now:

Baby at 6 weeks

Baby at 8 weeks

Changes - 7th week

Caught a cold and sore throat over the weekend. My usual remedy would be to pop a clarinase, take my 'xiang4 sang1 ju1' and lotsa green tea, topped up with starfruit. But I suddenly realised these are no-nos when one is pregnant!

Pregnant ladies are supposed to avoid consuming medication and cooling stuff, right? So I have been loading on lotsa honey-lemon and fruits instead. For the first time in my life, I am relying on natural remedies to fight my ills.

It has been 4 days - my sore throat is kinda gone, but the cold is still lingering. Still praying for divine healing and I will feed on more antioxidant fruits later. Hopefully I will feel well enough for work tomorrow. Sighz, it doesn't help that office is freezing.

The other big changes are that I no longer slap on huge amounts of body moisturiser and I that have turned more product-organic. A friend of mine has advised that products containing paraben and phthalates are harmful. Found a website with similar information.
http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/pregnancy/chemicals_in_pregnancy.asp

It is awful that many cosmetics products contain harmful ingredients, and while the less harmful ones may be seemingly better for health, they hurt the pocket with their exorbitant prices. I used to be an Olay fan and Total Effects cost me just over S$20. I've now switched to Dr Hauschka Rose Day Light Cream which cost me S$60. My daily facial regular regime (excluding the serums and masks) cost me at least S$150, whereas in the past I paid less than S$50.

For the sake of the little one in me, I am now using organic body wash, body oil, facial cleanser, toner, moisturiser, body deodorant. Unfortunately, I haven't found a good organic sunscreen, although I have switched to Clarins which apparently doesn't contain the 2 abovementioned chemicals. My eye cream, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, lip balm remain un-organic...and I am trying not to care. As for my daily handcream, I'm still in transition stage i.e. trying to finish up my current unorganic one since the tube is finishing up anyway.

Personally, I think it is more important that items which stay on one's body should not contain harmful products.

But I also realised that even specialists may have different views. A friend of mine who is also pregnant mentioned to me that her gynae recommended her to use QV cream for her eczema. My hubby uses the exact same cream, so I checked the ingredients and it contains paraben! I warned her about it, but she is comfortable using it because it is recommended by her gynae. Her gynae told her to avoid lipstick though.

I think the ultimate aim for every pregnant lady is to do their best for their little one(s) to develop healthily and be given the opportunity to start life in the pink of health.

Caring for my little one has started even though my little one is still less than a centimetre long. Other than avoiding medication and using more organic products, I also make sure I eat proper meals, consumer more fruits and sleep earlier. Above all, I pray daily for my little one now - where grace used to be a quick prayer to thank God for the food and for the food to nourish me and myself, I now pray that the food I consume nourish my little one too. I am trying my best (the only thing beyond my control is my long work hours), and thankfully I know God knows.

Well, there is a long National Day weekend coming up, and my hubby is going for a trekking trip which I had to give up because of my current condition. So while I will be sadly home alone, I will also be able to get plenty of rest, and hopefully do some light reading. Am looking forward to the weekend already =)