week 16: discussion of Oscar Results

Shortest wait for gynae today!
Was given a mask because I'm coughing and feeling congested.
Dr Poon walked in with a smile at 10.50am, our appt was at 10.30am with a patient before us.

He took my blood pressure (borderline) and asked how i was feeling, if i was eating well etc.
He went on mentioning that my weight is not increasing fast enough.
I'm standing at 42.5kg now, thats a 100g increase since my last appt 3 weeks ago.
Its not like i don't want to eat, i'm dying to! Appetite is not great and if I'm nauseated, i can forget about food for the rest of the day.
I'm still throwing up as of last week; is my morning sickness ever gonna get better?
His target for me is a gain of 500g by the next appt. WHAT?

Ultrasound scan revealed baby's in good health, all growing accordingly. He stopped giving us the length (head to rump) because as it starts to get more cramp, it will be harder to measure baby's length. He did take notes/length of the baby's limbs, neck, head, torso etc. And of course he let us listen to the precious heartbeat. I always smile when i hear buttercup's loud heartbeat.

This week, buttercup's hand is covering his/her genitals, so Dr Poon couldn't get an accurate reading of the gender. Not surprisingly, baby is sleeping face down, thus the awkward downward facing ultrasound photo below:

He did mention my placenta is a little low-lying but it should move up during the pregnancy.
We went on to discuss the Oscar test which we passed with flying colours.
Age risk is 1:725, and for the other Trisomy 13, it is about 1:<10000 nbsp="" p="">Bloodworks reflected good results for hep B, HIV, glucose and haemoglobin.
Praise the Lord for His hands upon our pregnancy and for this little miracle in my womb (: Just immensely grateful and thankful every single day.

Noticed my gums are bleeding these few weeks, and some bumps on both my arms.
And the hairy belly. Hormones are hard at work!

Because of the haze, I'm coughing and feeling congested.
Dr Poon prescribed Fluimucil, Dequalinium and Duro Tuss Forte for me.
Hopefully it clears up soon cause I'm so done coughing. Not only does it affect my sleep, my head becomes super heavy. And more medication??? No thanks.

This trip is costly because we signed up for the antenatal package $939.46:

package $800
medication $78

This is what Dr Poon King Fu offers in his clinic as of 2015:

So it will be 3 weeks interval per checkup till the 28th week, then it will be fortnightly. Then weekly.
Looking forward to seeing buttercup grow grow grow!

week 12

Hi guys!
I've endured 7 weeks of morning sickness!
Lost a bit of weight, standing at 42.3kg now.
But baby's heart is beating healthily at 168bpm (:
Still at a loss whether to go for Oscar/Harmony test.
But i have to do my compulsory blood test next week, freak out please.

Gagging continues, puking decreased, i try to avoid vomit triggers like durian, onion, garlic, fried food smell, hawker centre, coffee shop.
Recently, cannot stand the smell of my mother's chinese cooking.
I try to brush my teeth at lightning speed because i cannot tolerate the toothpaste taste either.

Diet wise, I'm still quite picky. I prefer food like sandwich, green apples or thick soups.
Sometimes i want to eat a certain food, but once its placed in front of me, i lose my appetite immediately. Basically i eat like a mouse now.
Hoping the morning sickness starts to ease this coming week so i can start enjoying pregnancy and indulge in all the food!

Dr Poon started me on Fish Oil supplement.
Why is it so expensive!! $45 a bottle of 30 capsules.........
I have to continue with my Folate, Iron and Calcium pills. That's still 4 pills in total.

My BP is always on the higher side, but after seeing the doctor, it normally drops to 114-134.
I guess thats anxiety and excitement all at the same time.
Waited 2 hours to see him today, so we took our time with consultation, bombing him with a list of questions. Had a horrible headache last night which kept me up, sleeping position is not comfortable (back/left side...nothing works), gotta clear my bladder at least once every night.

Immensely grateful Marcus buys me food i want to eat, and he helps me to finish my leftovers.
I cannot stand the way i feel on most days, eeky, sicky, pukey, all grossed out.

Today's breakdown $194+:

Consultation: $65
Scan: $60
Urine Test: $5
Iron pill: $7
Fish oil: $45

Here's an ultrasound of buttercup. He/she is sleeping in a curled up position so Dr Poon couldn't capture a good photo after trying many times. Which means the measurement is not accurate today either. Its ok baby, just sleep and grow well for Daddy and Mummy ok xoxo

The Struggle is Real

I dont understand why my gag reflex is so strong when it comes to taking medication.
Downing 4 pills daily is taking a toll on me. Especially the iron and progesterone pill. I can't keep it down!
I have to constantly psycho myself: "I CAN DO IT", stare at the pill for a few minutes before finding the courage to swallow them one at a time.

--

Next week is my 12th week!
I am still gagging, but the puking frequently has decreased.
Perhaps i can finally enjoy my pregnancy journey soon (:
Appetite hasn't come back yet, but i still have my meals on time or in many small batches so i don't starve the growing baby.  I do hope to see an increase in weight next Monday.

Please go easy on me baby xoxo

Dr Poon King Fu Review

I wish we had known about Dr Poon earlier.
A good friend Amy recommended us to him recently.
He was so reassuring, friendly, and he made us feel comfortable immediately.

Today marks 7 weeks (8 maybe), its always +5 -5 approximately.
Praise the Lord we saw growth, development and heard the heartbeat.
God is so so so good (:

Dr Poon answered our questions patiently, he explained what i should avoid, how the husband can take care of me, i just feel so assured to have him taking care of me now. Grateful and thankful God directed us to the right doctor and friends.

Its better to make an appointment in advance because i got rejected 2 weeks ago. Their schedule was full for the day and i got turned away. Made an appointment to see him at 1045, saw him only at 1115. Wasn't too long a wait but i was super kanchiong to see the little one!! Technology and clinic environment is standard, ultrasound photo turned out very clear. He also checked my Blood Pressure and stomach before the scan. Dr Phua did none of these. I would think there's more privacy as compared to Dr Phua at Kovan.
Dr Poon delivers at Mount E Novena too, so we are definitely excited!!

Dr Poon makes his morning rounds at the hospital before stepping into clinic after 10am.
Some waiting is expected if there are emergencies at the hospitals.

Bottom line, we highly recommend Dr Poon. He's godly, confident and thorough with his explanations without much promptings. I could tell he was equally as happy when he scanned me this morning, he even said Thank God and smiled when he saw the little one. Which made me extra happy to know my doctor is optimistic like we are.

Below is a breakdown of our 1st visit (excludes GST):

Consultation: $80
Scan: $60
Urine test: $5
Medicine: $5-7

I would say it slightly on the pricer side for a neighbourhood clinic.
Almost like Dr Kowa charges over at Mount E.
But we do feel like we are in good hands this time.
Lord, please continue to bless Marcus in his ministry and career so we can afford the checkups :b

As of today, i really detest durians and meat.
Bloatedness and morning sickness continues but it seems much better already.
I experience extreme fatigue on some days. But not a problem since i don't bake on a daily basis. Im positively sure i have a baby bump, its still flat-looking but i feel the difference already. When you are more tone, its harder to see a bump. Will provide a baby bump photo on my next entry after my 10th week checkup. Stay tune!

Update 26 Feb 2016: Dr Poon King Fu is honestly our best decision ever (:
Mention my name (Shanice) if you are going to visit him.
He will be extra extra extra extra friendly with you haha

week 5: Are you married?

"Yes i am."

That was the question by Dr Phua, our recent gynae.
Same one during my 1st pregnancy which ended on the 11th week with a D&C last year.

Well, good news!
I am 5 weeks pregnant.
Next appointment is in 2 weeks time, hopefully the little one will grow healthily till full term.
I'm casting away all negative thoughts on this pregnancy.

Am prescribed Utrogestan to stabilise the pregnancy, and the usual folic acid.
Morning sickness hasn't really kicked in yet, or rather, its not as bad as the last year's.
If all is well, we will have a March 2016 baby!
Same month as our wedding anniversary.

We are very thankful and extremely happy.
Thank you God!
If you are reading this, pray for us! (:

week 10, day 3

I think its more of a food bump/bloat than baby bump.
But i do see something! :b
For once i'm excited to look big and fat and round like a whale!
It's gonna be so worth it.
Haha goodbye abs and bikinis!

This week, the foetus is the size of a prune and muscles are beginning to function.
Am looking forward to gynae visit in 5 days time!
I wanna see my baby kick and squirm.

During breakfast yesterday, i poured 2 glasses of milk. One for Marcus and the other one for myself. He went ahead to grab the bigger glass and i snatched it back from him, loudly declaring "I AM DRINKING FOR 2!". Haha, not quite but i just want the bigger glass!

Balanced meal is still a huge challenge. Every day, every meal.
Why am i such a fussy eater!
However, the queasiness and bloatedness sort of died down a little this week. Thank God!
I'm looking forward to 2nd trimester already!
Just wanna enjoy this journey i'm privileged enough to be blessed with (:

Broke the good news to Quad during Jen's housewarming last week.
Super blessed by Faith who bought me this book which i've been searching for, high and low.
Thank you for the lovely surprise!

I don't wanna appear bias, of course i prefer a baby girl but a baby boy works as well. A healthy, happy baby will do. God will give us what we need, so we will be thankful anyhows. Just thinking of a million and one baby girl names at this point, and i'm definitely leaning more towards the classic chic british names. The sooner we know the gender, the earlier we can address the fetus by his/her name and do targeted shopping. We are still some time away from week 20, and we cannot wait to reveal your gender during Christmas gatherings.

Baby, Dadee and Mummy love you a lot. We have been praying for you daily and Dadee has been kissing you, (i wish i can bend over) can you feel our love? (:

week 9, day 3

This is my baby bump for the week, not much development or that of a bump.
I am still fighting fatigue, bloatedness and some crazy bouts of morning sickness (not limited to just morning but throughout the day).
I can feel my heart pumping hard even when i sleep, the strange dreams go on and on each night and my skin is really bumpy the past few weeks.

I lie in bed a lot, thinking of names for my little one, praying, watching videos, browsing baby websites, too excited to start shopping. Once the gender is revealed, i assure you the shopping will be crazy. But what's important for myself and the baby right now is to strengthen our relationship with God.

There's a lot going on with the growth and development of the foetus on the 9th week. Uterus is expanding to accommodate the growing peanut, my heart is working overtime to supple oxygen and bloodflow to her, and certainly, my pregnancy hormones are all over the place. Hopefully my placenta takes over the job of nourishing my baby soon so the morning sickness will faded away quick.

Pardon me, i will just call the fetus a 'her' until we know the gender for certain, sometime further in the 2nd trimester.

Pregnancy is hard, its awful with morning sickness. I am still trying to cope with what i eat, which is a major challenge. As much as our body is designed for pregnancy and labour, i am still struggling with the changes. Just have to be very positive about it and listen closely to what my body requires. I believe God will prepare me for this miracle, open up truths from His word that will comfort and challenge me to become even more of the woman, the mother He designed me to be.

I marvel at this miraculous creation He is even forming within me and i am THAT grateful, THAT honoured to be chosen. There's an important task He has laid before me-the gift of motherhood.

What a privilege!

I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born
Jeremiah 1:5

week 8, day 3

What have I been up to lately?

1) monitoring my diet and nutrient intake (that includes taking my folic pill regularly)
2) looking up maternity fashion on ASOS.COM
3) reading lots of reviews and blogs on hospital packages/other couples sharing their pregnancy journey
4) interceding and praying daily for the baby

How i have been feeling lately?

1) tired
2) queasy in my stomach before/after meals
3) mildly uncomfortable in the lower abdomen area (could be uterus stretching to accommodate the growing fetus)
4) food aversion continues..

This is me at 8 weeks, 42kg. Lost a bit of weight last month due to morning sickness.
I feel my body changing. Hormones are acting crazy on my skin, outbreaks on my arm. Strange or what? Even though most of you might argue I'm still very flat and skinny in the above photo, i know the belly is already starting to bulge. It was way flatter than this in July, even though i may be 1kg heavier then.

Today, we celebrate our 7th monthsary since we got married in March.
Marriage is an intentional daily decision to see the gold in Marcus, intentionally surprising him, making him happy, loving him, intentionally building each other up, intentionally forgiving him, intentionally putting his needs first, intentionally giving each other space to grow and for him to lead the household, intentionally keeping peace, intentionally making time for dates - basically everything that goes against the grain of what being single meant previously.
Sounds tough but we are not meant to do this alone - Jesus Himself teaches us to do all that, and more. Marriage is an avenue for His grace to shape us - and still shaping!

I will be documenting my pregnancy journey here weekly, appreciate any sort of advise or prayers if you come across my humble blog (:

Standing on the promises of God

And so i have been sick for almost 3 weeks now.
1st week: 1-7 Sept 2014 was nauseousness and lose of appetite.
2nd week: 8-14 Sept 2014 was still nauseous and i couldn't eat much though on good days i managed to take a full meal. Craved for coke and anything cold. There was excessive burping and bloated-ness. Took the husband's advise and when to see a GP, which he diagnose me with lazy stomach/stomach flu. I remember sleeping my week away..
3rd week: 15-21 Sept 2014 though i was much better, it was unstable. I experienced frequent nauseousness and food aversion. I can no longer stand the smell of garlic which i used to love :( in fact, i found everything smelly. Opening the fridge was a horror and a terrible assault to my nostrils.
4th week: 22-29 Sept 2014 Am starting to move around more and less bed-ridden. I begin to stomach my meals better though the bloated-ness is there all the time.

As seen, we got suspicious because i've missed my period for 2 months and the symptoms are so similar to being pregnant. Having PCOS, missing my periods wasn't uncommon. Decided to get a pregnancy test strip kit from Guardian. I got Marcus to purchase the cheapest in the market. I mean if my hCG level is high, any kit works. This particular kit cost about $8 for 2 testers.

27 Sept: the positive result showed up very quickly on the strip. My heart nearly raptured. I was so happy, same time doubts entered almost immediately. Sure a not? I mean, yeah we agreed to try for a baby but i didn't think it was going to be easy because of irregular periods, it was tricky to calculate when my body is ovulating. I decided to test again the next morning.

28 Sept: yet again another obvious positive result. It was quick. Happened within seconds although the box said it could take up to 5 minutes. It wasn't a blur line or faded line. It was clear, 2 lines meaning its positive. I am pregnant!

29 Sept: Went to the nearest gynae clinic for confirmation. We saw our baby's head and rump, heard her heartbeat loud and clear (160 per min). It was such a special moment for us. She is 8 weeks as of today, measures 1.68cm and is expected to arrive on the 11 May 2015. Was certainly a very touching moment for both of us. We are so thankful for this precious gift and life planted inside me (:

Jubilee baby (: (:
Praise the Lord!
We did receive prayers for a baby during prayer meetings and from individual church friends, we also prayed for God to bless us with a child when the time is right. Though we are not rushing to start a family, i feel defeated every time my period don't come. It can only mean i can't track or plan for a baby. But God reminds me to seek the Giver, not the gift. I had to trust and wait on Him to restore my health.

Even before we head to the gynae this morning, i had defeating thoughts of whether the sac is in the right position, whether the heartbeat will be picked up by the gynae and if i will carry her to full term. I want to bring all these negative thoughts to the foot of the cross and declare life and blessings over the little one growing inside me. I want to focus on the good promises of the Lord and also count my every blessings. I want to claim a healthy pregnancy, in Jesus' name. I want to surrender all my fears and concerns unto You, i want to speak life, protection and love over the fetus. We praise God because this baby is wonderfully and fearfully made by Him!

God has blessed me with a loving and selfless husband even though i barely deserved it. The past few weeks have been awful but he did everything to make me feel better. There is so much to be thankful for.. God continued to grow and develop the fetus even when i couldn't eat or drink much the last 3 weeks. I'm so glad i will be done with the 1st trimester in 4 weeks time.

We praise God for watching over our precious peanut and continue to trust that He will guide the development of this precious life. God is faithful! Always and forever.

“Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father.”