"This week, your baby is 1.4 kg and 38 cm - and still growing! While your baby is no longer developing new organs or anything terribly exotic, he or she is still busy preparing to be born. Lung development is one of the last things that the baby works really hard to complete. Your baby's eyes are open, and the eyelashes are lengthening." - excerpt from The Complete Illustrated Pregnancy Companion by Robin Elise Weiss with Dr. Marcello Pietrantoni.
Joint aches! My fingers feel numb and stiff every morning. A few minutes will pass before I can fully feel my toes too. When I eventually stand up, I can feel stress pains on my soles from the additional 12 kg that I have gained since getting pregnant. Slight nausea has returned with only 2 or 3 actual vomiting incidents - I have recognised that nausea is mostly felt when I feel tired; as opposed to hormonal nausea of the first 20 weeks of my pregnancy. At least it is managable this time!
Jr has been busy playing nightly when I am sleeping. Sometimes, the kicks and punches are so pronounced and strong it wakes me up from my deep sleep.
This is the pre CNY week and the temperature has been above 32C daily. The heat added to relaxed membranes have caused me frequent nose and gum bleeds. A trip to the dentist ruled out any serious dental problems. It was interesting to note that during the scaling and cleaning session, Jr contorted my belly into funny shapes, amusing the nurses and dentist no end. They must have seen the limbs poking out of my maternity top too.
One of the drastic changes that is not hormonal that I made was to have my long hair cut to a short bob to cope with the heat and in preparation for a quick "wash and dry" this April. As much as I am not going to be overly confined during my confinement period, I will not risk the dreaded migraine that comes from "wash and let dry". This decision was arrived at only after 30 weeks of being pregnant, what I would consider as "having really thought through it". I know I have purchased/sold properties and changed jobs in much shorter time frame! But I digress..
The confinement planned by MIL so far involves:
1. Wash and dry hair during hottest time of the day with no exposure to cold air from fan or air cond.
2. Daily herbal soup as prescribed by the medical hall, removing only non-halal items.
3. Confinement food as per recipe book.
4. No walking up and down the staircase for at least 6 weeks/44 days unless totally required.
5. No squatting. No, no and no!
6. No heavy house chores save for taking care of baby.
Sounds like easy peasy, right? I absolutely love the fact that I am allowed to wash my hair on such a simple condition! It is a huge relief to learn from my hair stylist that simply by keeping my hair and scalp clean, I am being proactive in trying to reduce the chances of having the much dreaded post-natal hair loss caused by oily and blocked hair follicles!
Oh, T-10 weeks *tick tock*
**Retrospective Wisdom: I did observe 1, 2 and 3. Had to break 4 (walked up and down staircases in order to get The Little Girl to the hospital due to jaundice. I broke 5 because I had to magic mop under the bed due to dust around Week 4 of confinement. I broke 6 because I had to mop the bathroom floor dry after a shower. It was not fun being at The House. I should have stayed at The Apartment with a helper/confinement lady. My hair fell for about 4 months after delivery but it all grew back beautifully!**
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