Second Pregnancy: Week 34

My BabyCenter app beeps every Monday to remind me how far along this pregnancy is a.k.a. how far away the EDD actually is.

 

The beeps make my manic Mondays a little sweeter to wake up to, I'll admit.

 

Nesting instincts have crept up on me, albeit a bit early.

 

Little pieces of evidence:

 

1. Planning to cook, store and freeze stocks for use throughout the 44 days confinement period in the next few days. This is because I do not like soya sauce and salt in my food. Commercially produced sauces and stocks laden with MSG and other replacements flavouring agent names of which I cannot even pronounce properly are out of the question. Some are IBS inducing, I kid you not.
 

2. Stock pile of red date tea ingredients, wolfberries, dried oysters, dried scallops, fenugreek, Manuka honey and Milkmaid tea. These are my trustworthy breastfeeding companions.
 

3. Fine tuning of the hospital bag - the packing list is done, some items have been put in. I am down to changing from a red bag to my preferred black mini suitcase. I just don't like red. Just like how some people don't like black *hehe*
 

4. Last fitting of nursing bras, and purchased enough to last me the wash and wear cycle for 44 days.
 

5. Decision on the Avent breastpump (new and improved model - the motor sits in its own casing and less tiring to hold when pumping) purchase, still waiting for discount. The Other Half knows which model exactly we want. No trouble at all for him to get out and grab one when the sale is on.
 

6. Decision on the Avent steriliser (new and improved model as well with square-ish instead of round shape to save counter top space) purchase, also waiting for discount. The Other Half is tasked with the same get out and grab mission.
 

7. Ironing as much clothes as I can to be rid of the pile of ever-growing LaundryMonster. Reality: It is a never ending task as more newly laundered clothes will join the basket on a daily basis.
 

8. Purchased The Little Girl's current size clothing (she grew taller overnight!), including her EidulFitr outfits. You read right - done. Let's just hope she won't outgrow them all come August!
 

9. Purchase of extra Corelle, Glaslocks and LockLock for Ramadhan frozen sahur meals. I am going to enlist some muscle help from The Other Half on this. Too heavy for me to carry.
 

10. Wrapped up outstanding work matters. I can now relax and not worry about work as my maternity leave is for 90 days starting 1 June 2013. I will still drop by the office to file papers as and when I can, and I still have access to work from home before labour starts. Not having to be physically in an office 5 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm has certainly improved my life-work balance in the last 2 years!

 

Having planned or done all of the above, I guess this tops it all:
 

11. Newborn diapers are home! I haven't seen them since The Little Girl last used them - aren't they the cutest tiny diapers?

 

Tick tock.

 

Stay in there until your EDD, Bean!

Footnotes:

Have yet to decide on expressed breast milk storage. We are not keen on BPA free plastic bottles and bags as they emit a strange plasticky smell when reheated. In our experience, Life Factory has the best glass bottles and we have some - maybe we need to get a few more...space in the freezer is not a problem as we have a fairly large freezer.

That brings me to the question of whether we need a bottle/baby food warmer to reheat the expressed breast milk, or will we just stick to sticking the glass bottle in hot water for a few minutes. We just feel that being "low tech" frees us up a lot when travelling!

Which brings me to the conclusion that direct breastfeeding is still best.

So, why would I need the breast pump, steriliser and extra bottles?

Mastitis relief? *pray not!*

Baby's un-ability to latch on? *pray not!*

Hmmh.

Here is more digress:

Pre-pregnancy weight: 48 kg
Current pregnancy weight: 61 kg
**gasp**

Last random share:
Stopped driving as of this week.
Low down chassis with hard suspensions on my car + potholes in the city = a very uncomfortable ride.
Luckily for me, The Other Half drives me around in a very comfortable 4WD. Traded some loss of freedom for comfort there, no trouble at all.

Toodles for now.