Almost halfway there...

Wow guys, I'm almost halfway through this pregnancy already, it's amazing how fast it's gone!! When I check my blog page, I always glimpse at the countdown timer in days to the right of the page. It's kind of scary, as it counts down the days to the arrival of Baby C. Yeah, scary and exciting. Exciting, because I can't wait for him to get here and be in my arms but scary too, because I feel like everything or I won't be ready when he does come. I guess it feels scary too as I'm going to be a first time mom. 

Also, there's still so much to do...

• We have to tackle the spare room which is to be his room. Currently it's serving as a store room and filled to the brim with stuff. So there's sorting and getting rid of items to be done, painting, and filling it with soon to be Baby C's stuff.

• Then, we need to stock up. I've been unbelievably laxed about stockpiling. Had this been a few years back, everything would've been done and bought already. Maybe it's good thing that I'm not overwhelming myself, the way I would've back then. I plan on doing baby toiletry shopping next month, so I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully there are great baby promotions out there around that time.

• Getting through all these antenatal visits. Since my gynae schedules the appointments for the rest of the pregnancy, you'll know when you have to go in and I've calculated about 9 visits to her alone, excluding the 2 visits to Panorama Mediclinic for the Nuchal and Detailed Anatomy scan.

• Then there's a babyshower too, which right now I don't feel up to. Actually, not sure how I feel about it. Will let you know when the time comes.

Anyhoo, there's more stuff to do, but it escapes me now.

Lately I've been experiencing coccyx and lower back pains, it's not all the time (thankfully) but can be really uncomfortable when it does rear up. Also, sneezing, I found lately that I have the most forceful sneezes. The ones you can't keep in for fear that you might rupture or burst a spleen or artery.

So, yes, I'm entering the second half of this journey and I'm really getting excited. Can't wait to see and hold him. I've been watching alot of Youtube baby vids. Everything from diapering, burping, breastfeeding etc. I know the vids cannot really compare to actually doing it, but it's nice to have an idea of what it should look or be like.

So here's to a happy and healthy second half to this pregnancy!! <:-p

Pregnancy Apps

I've found pregnancy apps for my phone really useful thus far in my pregnancy. It updates me with the week to week development of baby C, as well as the changes my body's going through. Also, I love it when I open up the app, it let's me know the size of the baby at that stage. Therefore, I've decided to share the ones I'm currently using as I find it a great source of information:

Mediclinic Baby App: 

www.mediclinic.co.za/pregnancyapp

This pregnancy app is designed to provide comprehensive, easy-to-use information on each stage of this nine-month adventure. Its features include weekly updates of what you can expect as your body changes and your baby grows, frequently asked questions, a weight tracker, a contraction timer, a calendar and a photo-to-video function.

Babycenter My Pregnancy Today App:  

http://www.babycenter.com/my-pregnancy-today-app

BabyCenter My Pregnancy Today is the most comprehensive daily pregnancy app from the world's most trusted pregnancy and parenting resource. Simply enter your baby's due date, and BabyCenter My Pregnancy Today turns your phone into an expert guide for each day of your pregnancy. Feel more prepared for your baby's birth and get the answers you need, whenever you need them.

Breathlessness at 17 weeks

I've been getting out of breath lately for the most menial things, walking a bit, getting up, sometimes even talking. Funny thing is, I didn't really notice until hubby mentioned to me, he asked my why I was breathing so heavily, and I took it down to my sinus acting up again. But then, last night I came across a Youtube video which explains what happens to a pregnant woman's body when organs start to shift up. You can have a look for yourself below:

Amazing isn't it!?!?

And it all goes back to normal some weeks after baby;s born. For now, hubby has aptly nicknamed me 'Squashedlungs.' LOL.

Other factors also contribute to breathlessness, I've included an article below explaining the other factors below:

Is breathlessness in pregnancy common?

Breathlessness is very common in pregnancy. About three quarters of pregnant women who've never felt breathless before feel short of breath at some point.

You may start to feel breathless in your first trimester or second trimester, and it may be scary at first. If you have gained a lot of weight in pregnancy, or are expecting twins or more, you may feel particularly breathless. 

Why does pregnancy cause breathlessness?

Breathlessness in pregnancy happens because of the natural changes that your body goes through to adapt itself to carrying your baby. 

In early pregnancy, you become broader around your ribcage and may struggle to fit into your tighter-fitting tops. This is because your ribcage moves up and outwards while you're pregnant, to give you a greater lung capacity. 

The pregnancy hormone progesterone also makes your body adapt the way it absorbs oxygen in your bloodstream via your lungs . As a result, your body becomes much more sensitive to the levels of carbon dioxide that you breathe out.

These changes mean that your body does a better job of processing oxygen and carbon dioxide. You're breathing at the same rate as you did before you conceived, but much more deeply each time, which may be why you feel breathless. Some mums-to-be are more aware of this change and feel more breathless than others. 

Towards the end of your third trimester, the size of your growing baby can also make you breathless. At this stage, your uterus (womb) really begins to push upwards into the sheet of muscle that lies under your ribcage (diaphragm), which then presses on your lungs. You'll probably feel some breathlessness at this stage if you haven't before, especially if you're carrying your baby high. 

Though you might not enjoy huffing and puffing as you go up a short flight of stairs, don't worry. This sort of breathlessness is normal and completely harmless. 

How long will my breathlessness last?

If you're pregnant for the first time, your baby is likely to drop down into your pelvis (engage) from about 36 weeks. This is when your breathlessness might ease. If you've had a baby before, your baby may not engage until the end of your pregnancy. 

If you've still got a while to go, try some light exercise. Being unfit will make you feel breathless, so a gentle workout can help you to feel less breathless in the long-run. Gentle exercise means still being able to hold a conversation while exercising, without getting out of breath. 

Your baby will get plenty of oxygen while you work out because of the pregnancy changes your body has gone through.

After you've had your baby, your levels of the hormone progesterone plummet, which will immediately relieve the pressure on your diaphragm and uterus. However, it can take a few months for the changes to your ribcage and breathing system to return to how it was before pregnancy. 

When should I be concerned about shortness of breath?

Some breathlessness is common during pregnancy. But you should call your doctor or midwife immediately if you notice other symptoms, such as:

• a feeling that your heartbeat is racing, irregular or is missing a beat (palpitations)
• severe breathlessness, or feeling faint after a burst of activity
• chest pain, especially if it starts when you exert yourself
• difficulty breathing when you're lying down, or at night

Breathlessness and tiredness can also be a sign that your iron levels are low (anaemia). If you are anaemic, your body has to work harder to provide enough oxygen for you and your baby. Ask your midwife for a blood test, if you've not had one recently. 

If you have asthma, talk about your condition with your doctor or midwife. The risks to you and your baby of not controlling your asthma are much greater than the risks of taking asthma medication during pregnancy. 

Will my breathlessness hurt my baby?

As long as you haven't got any other worrying symptoms, feeling breathless is completely normal during pregnancy, and won't harm your baby. Even if it doesn't feel like it, you're actually breathing deeply and efficiently, so your baby can get the oxygenated blood he needs. 

Find out about natural remedies for breathlessness.

Taken from: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a219/breathlessness-in-pregnancy#ixzz3KQaH9cHx

Random Blabbering...

Since this pregnancy came to be, my (kinda) beauty regime has slacked (majorly). I've slowly returned to what I enjoyed doing previously. I've started exfoliating and masking my skin about twice a week, and I have to admit, my acne has lessened dramatically. (So far, pregnancy has not been kind to my skin). Getting my face in shape is important since I've started wearing makeup again. Last night, I pulled out some of my fave makeup items and took it work to apply there. I've also made a stop at Clicks during my lunch today with a colleague and ended up buying a peachy blush and an all in one powder. Really excited to start using it.

My aim is to get through as much of my makeup as I can, as I want to reduce my stash. Right now, alot of my accessories and makeup is stored in what will be baby's room. So, no more makeup purchases, the powder and blush is to be my last buys for now. thereafter, I'll invest in some fave items. I've got some unnecessary makeup but will have fun with getting through it.

I need to start looking out for maternity pants. I've been gaining and ballooning in the stomach, but my legs remain skinny, therefore, I need a belt to hold it up, which is not good for the stomach as the belt digs into it. Leggings and tights in a size larger than I need is a life saver for me right now. Soon I need to get more tops and blouses too. I'll probably pull out some of hubby's old tee's for at home. I do not want to spend to much on maternity wear. Most of my clothes are loose fitting, so let's see how far I get with those.

Also, I started on different preggie vitamins, called Pregomega Plus, it's my second day on it. I started taking it around midday yesterday, I was surprised that I wasn't as dead as I thought I'd be around the evening side. So let's see what happens for the rest of the week. It consist of the different tablets, a multivitamin, calcium and omega oils. You take the multivitamin in the morning and the calcium and omega tabs in the evening.

Oh yes and baby C has been growing and getting stronger lately. Movements that felt like flutters now, feel like nudges and pokes and are really noticeable. He's particularly busy after I've showered and I've settle into bed.

So there you have it, just a tidbit about my day and thoughts so far.

Ciao for now!

Nausea...Fatigue...Growth...

After enjoying weeks of nausea-free bliss, it strikes again. Not as bad as before, but it lingers. It's particularly worse when I'm hungry or when there's pressure on my burgeoning belly. Also, eating too much can make me feel sick.

So I'm not 100% radiant with the energy to boot, at least I can get stuff done (some of the time). Around the weekend, I took some days off from work and found myself sleeping for most of the first two days, only to wake up more tired than before. I'm not really a nap person, but these days, I've become a perpetual napper. I've never cherished sleep as much as I do now. (But I'll be proven wrong, says mothers that I've come across on my pregnancy journey, once baby's here, sleep will be elusive).

Last Thursday, hubby and I went in for our 16th week checkup with the gynae. She went through the results of the Nuchal scan, she was happy with the 14500 in 1 result. Also, blood test came back and I have no diseases that will harm baby, also found out my blood type is B+, which I never knew. Then we did the scan to confirm growth and solidify the gender of baby. She reckoned with tools showing up like that, there's no doubt that it's a boy. Baby's growing well too, currently 158g and about 12cm from head to rump.

I'm starting to feel uncomfortable, it's not all the time. The weight in my stomach is becoming more noticeable, as well as movement. He seems to be one active little baby all right. So for now, I'm enjoying the feeling of not having full discomfort yet.

Really excited now, can't wait to meet this little man, who's going to turn our lives upside down. :)

Quickening...

I'm fast approaching my 16th week and I'm starting to feel movement in my belly. especially when I lay on my sides. Most of the time when it happens, I don't realise until the last few movements.

Some women start feeling fetal movements as early as 16 weeks (but like I said, most of the time you won't notice until later), and this goes for first time mommy to be's. So I've included some more information about this topic below, Enjoy!:

Some moms can feel their babies move as early as 13-16 weeks from the start of their last period. These first fetal movements are called quickening and are often described as flutters. It may be difficult to determine whether this feeling is gas or your baby’s movements, but soon you will begin to notice a pattern. First-time moms may not feel these movements as early as second-time moms.

Some moms, especially those in their first pregnancy, may not feel movement until 18-20 weeks. Remember that each woman and each pregnancy is different, so you may not feel movement as early as another woman. There is a broad range of when the first detection of movement can be felt, ranging from 13-25 weeks.

Why Does My Baby Move?

As your baby is continuing to develop he/she will stretch and flex his/her limbs. As you get further along in your pregnancy, you will begin to feel more obvious movements, such as kicking, punching, and rolling. Your baby may also move as he/she responds to noise or to your emotions. If your baby finds a position that you are in to be uncomfortable, he/she may also begin to squirm. Certain foods you eat could also cause your baby to be more active, and you may notice that he/she follows a sleeping/waking cycle.

How Often Should My Baby Move?

As you get further along in your pregnancy, you will need to keep track of how often your baby moves each day. Sometime in the third trimester you may notice that your baby’s movements are more frequent and vigorous and occur in a regular pattern. Though movements are still regular, they may decrease after week 32 because the baby is bigger and more restricted in the uterus.

Beginning with week 28, it is beneficial to begin counting your baby’s movements. This will help you to identify potential problems and can also be a great bonding experience between you and your baby. Using a kick count chart can be very helpful. When counting your baby’s movements choose the same time each day. It might be easiest to lie on your left side and record how long it takes to feel 10 movements. For further information about recording movements see kick counts.

What Should I Do If I Don’t Feel My Baby Moving?

If you have been keeping a chart of your baby’s movements and you notice a significant deviation in the pattern, contact your health care provider. If you do not feel 10 movements within 2 hours, try again later that day. If you still do not feel 10 movements within 2 hours, you should contact your healthcare provider.

from: http://americanpregnancy.org/while-pregnant/first-fetal-movement/

Pregnancy Loves...Part 1

There are items I've found very useful in my pregnancy thus far, and the products in the image above are some I just love.

Nivea Irrisistibly Smooth Body lotion (Shea Butter) - This is amazing lotion!! I have verrrrry dry skin (particular the body) my face is another story (I battle oily skin) and since being pregnant, I was advised to stop using a medicated soap (which contains salicylic acid) due to limited research on its effect on pregnant women (it's illegal to test products on pregnant women). Therefore, I switched to an ultra hydrating lotion and this one really does the trick. Keeps skin moisturised all day, and at the end of the day when I have my shower, I can still feel how smooth and supple my skin is because of the lotion. This is definitely a great buy, plus it contains shea butter. I purchased mine at Clicks for R36.99 for 400ml.

Oh So Heavenly! Mum & Cherub Belly Butter - This is a great buy if you're on a budget. Retails exclusively at Clicks for only R29.99 and has a luxurious formula that alleviates dry and itchy skin, it contains Argan Oil which is great for restoring skin. I must admit, I stopped using it for a while during the first trimester, due to the smell, but continued using it again recently. It also contains lanolin , omega oils and a combination of vitamins.

Oh So Heavenly! Mum & Cherub Revive and Revitalise Foot Spray - This will be a lifesaver during summer, as I do walk alot, I've used it a few times when needed and it definitely had soothing effect on my legs and feet. This spray too, contains Argan Oil and special soothing ingredients. You can get the spray at Clicks for a measly R19.99. I love the Oh So Heavenly! range for it's quality products and very affordable prices.

Word of caution though, if your battling with morning sickness, the floral scent of this range might cause some nausea during continued use (just my experience with it for a while).

BON Liquid Gold Pure Tissue Oil - I love this local brand, the tissue oil contains avocado, grapeseed oil, rosehip oil, vitamin E and is suitable for sensitive skin. It's not greasy at all, and is great for applying just before you get dressed. The little pen packaging is really convenient and the application is easy, it's available at all Clicks stores at R19.99. If you would like to know more about this local brand, you can check out their website here.