Maternal Flu / Influenza will Cause Schizophrenia in Babies?

You know, it's not an easy task when one read up about something and then come across new information (albeit not proven yet) that will freak you out into the galaxy somewhere. This is especially when it relates to your 9 months of pregnancy.

Influenza is one of the more common illness that a mother-to-be may get; especially since the immunity is supposed to decrease in order to accommodate the ' foreign object' aka your new little one (although there are some GPs who claim that your immunity is supposed to increase instead). Many mothers I know got influenza when they were pregnant. I did too, and I mistakenly pushed myself to continue working - thinking that I could handle it as before. But it was not to be as the influenza disturbed my balance in my ears and soon I found myself almost succumbing to fainting spells. Obviously, I was soon sent to my one of the many bedrests (I still hate them) then. 

But what happens when the common flu or influenza actually affects more than  that period of time?

Is Bedrest really Useful?

The one thing I can't stand in this world is bedrest. And I have been getting alot of bed rest ever since the pregnancy started. Initially it was like full of scares during the first three months, then during the second trimester all was peaceful. Now, with the third trimester; I am once again confined to the bed as my lower back is killing me with the pain.

Everytime I hear that I have to do bedrest, my heart literally drops. It drops when I first heard of maternity leave but at least I can move about and be active. With bedrest, I am stuck at home to the bed or else the chair. Needless to say, I get crazy easily. I need to get moving. I am not one of those who can face the walls and think of nothing. Seriously, I am not kidding when I say my favourite way of doing bedrest is someone to knock me out when wake me up when the period is over.

Where Back Pain Hurts More than Most - Sacroiliac Pain

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Sometimes it is better not to be your own doctor. When I was reading up more and more about back pain; I was totally convinced that what I had was the Sciatic Nerve Pain. I was almost mentally preparing myself for a difficult birth already.

When the movements just shot excruiating jolts of pain into my lower left pelvis, I knew that if I don't see the doctor soon I would be crumbling into a massive heap. So I rushed to see my gynaecologist as soon as possible. Thank goodness that what I had wasn't the Sciatic Nerve problem. Rather, it was a much-lesser known problem called the Sacroiliiac Pain.

Where Back Pain Hurts More than Most - Sciatic Nerve Pain

When I first started getting back pains, I kept shrugging it off. After all, I know that back pains are very common in women during pregnancy and this is just part and parcel of the routine. However, as the weeks passed and the pain worsened; a hint of realization came to me that perhaps this is not just any back pain. It is centralized, stinging and the pain is at the point of excruciating. I kept thinking, "Either there is something really wrong with me or I really cannot take the burden of pregnancy".

If anyone walks behind me now, they will get extremely frustrated. Mainly because a turtle is walking in front of them and greatly slowing down their speed. I have seen passer-bys who overtook me and stare at me just to confirm their suspicions the reason why I am walking so slowly (Ok , currently many people commented that I don't look pregnant from behind also - Hallelujah!)

Not another Article about Handphones and Children

One early bright morning, I woke up, switched on the computer to surf for daily news and lo! and behold: an article relating the results about the links between cellphones and behavioural problems. This is not exactly what I would like to wake up to early in the morning.

With the phones becoming smarter and more use-friendly (Yes, I have now become an Iphone 4 fanatic); more and more people are using iphones. Heck, they can be together and all are using these iphones at the same table. Apps for photographs, apps for finding out stuff, apps for teacking people's movements or spying on people.... the usage of these phones are now practially an extension of anyone.

Try taking a phone or confiscate them from those young teenagers and watch their reactions: Some will cry, howl , weep, bang their heads against the walls, threaten...and these reactions are also from parents themselves.

How Will my Little One's Birth Be?

My gynaecologist is a very nice person. About 10 weeks before my due date, he decided to sit me down and tell my husband and I all about labour pains and the options that I can take. Needless to say, the pain options didn't sit very well with me. I could feel myself going seriously green and just silently pray that the labour pains would be short, quick and fast.

He told me of the usual that one can read up in books and on the Internet. The natural birth, the Cesarean, usage of laughing gas, when is the appropriate time to use the epidural, how the position of the baby such as if she will be looking up or facing forward will affect the delivery and such. As he went into details, I could feel my face freezing into a "Oh-my-Gawd. Is there ever a painless way? Why? Why? Why?!". As expected of a first-time mom-to-be. Needless to say, I was starting to bombard him with questions that many first-time mothers will ask,"I heard exercise will help! Will it help if I do walking everyday? How about pineapples? Or Cranberry juice? Is there anything? Anything?!?!" Yes, the simple visit to the gynaecologist was turning into a dramatic situation that he wished he hadn't initiated.

Need Some Personal Time Off - from Pregnancy

When I got pregnant,  many friends, family members and colleagues congratulated me on being pregnant. I must admit that when I first heard that I got pregnant, I was filled with excitement, trepidation and fear as a first time mother. I went through mood swings, hormonal changes, body changes, etc; much like many other mothers. I was told that I should enjoy the pregnancy and that many of these mothers missed the experience of being pregnant.

Maybe it's me but will I get be labeled as heartless if I feel I need some time off from being pregnant? Sometimes it can get overwhelming when people seem to expect me to be fully enjoying my whole pregnancy and sometimes I wonder... what happens if I only like the experience of the little one kicking within me and that's about it?

(The Baby) Wants to Move It, Move It

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of keeping track of fetal movements. Not wanting to be going into a panic attack whenever I feel that the baby is not moving (not to mention costly too if I have to troop down to the gynaecologist whenever the baby is not moving); I checked with a medical professional on when to panic and when not to panic whenever the little one decides to play peek-a-boo. Fetal movements are actually signs that the baby is receiving adequate nourishment from the blood supply from the mother.

When NOT to Panic
1) If you are at least 35 weeks and below and you do not feel your baby move very actively for one or two days, chances are the baby should be all right. This is especially when your amniotic fluid is still adequate and your water bag has not burst, your little one is fine even if his/her umbilical cord is around the neck! Reason is that as long as the amniotic fluid is adequate, the cord is not compressed against the neck or tighten. It will only be tightened if the amniotic fluid has decreased abruptly.

My Little One's Movements - The Importance of Fetal Movement Counts

Pregnancy at the least trimester is definitely not a walk in the park .Today, I've officially reached the 30th weeks and while I am enthusiastically counting down the weeks (partially due to boredom and excitement) before my life changes forever; I cannot help but feel extremely exhausted while doing so.

My back has been aching non-stop ever since I reached the 28th week. Now and then, there were a jolts of pain that will shoot up the right side of my back - leading my actions to a standstill. My ribs would suddenly receive a major kick (I think she's practicing martial arts in there) and I would feel out of breath. Seriously it will hurt so much that I couldn't move at all from whatever spot I was at.

The Fear of Breech Position and other Difficult ones

One of the biggest fears that I have is to have a breech baby. I have always want to try to give birth naturally but I realised that sometimes, things are not that easy. I do not want to go through Cesarean and take a longer time to heal (although there are mothers who do opt for it as well for it is supposedly to be less painful during the birth). And with a breech baby; one is very likely to have to go through the latter instead.

My mom says that all of us were breech babies. None of us actually made life easy for her, it seems. She has to go through Caesarean three times because none of us would turn into the natural position. Hearing such stories really do scare me. After all, we always talk about genes and stuff - what happen if I really do get this particular gene from her! Furthermore, things did not help when I was told mine was in a breech position at 24 weeks. Sure I do read that babies would turn in the later weeks but what happens if mine is as stubborn as me and refuse to? I have to do something and see if anything works.

28 Weeks and counting!

Finally! My first blog detailing all about my pregnancy, post-pregnancy and beyond! Currently, as I write this , I am in my 28th week and counting. I am getting more and more excited about my little girl's arrival. I find myself starting to prepare my 'nest' for the little one!

Seriously, I am a workaholic and initially, my mentality was always to "get over the two months of maternity leave and return to work as soon as possible." I mean, I love teaching! I love trying out new ideas! Colleagues or friends I have talked to always advised me to take the full 4 months of maternity leave. It is my entitlement. However, I was persistent. I don't think I can stay at home and do nothing. "Your hands will be full with just looking after the child.", they often said. I don't disagree with them. I just do not feel like facing the child 24/7!

Yet as time passed and as I slowly eased nearer and nearer to my EDD, my thoughts started to change. I started to think "What should be the best for my child? What should I do to bond with my child?" YES, my thoughts are starting to turn maternal!!! I begin to look up on educational items (yes, call me kiasu), reading up on parenting, labour pains, hunting down and reading reviews of baby items repeatedly. I have decided to take up the challenge of taking 4 months maternity leave.

So, from today on, let my trials and tribulations be known!