Mommy Moments - Preggy Tales

 This week’s topic in MM is all about Preggy Tales and I’m excited to share with you some funny/exciting and scary moments during my pregnancy with my two angels:

1. Fart or Feet? - the first time I experienced a kick in my belly I thought it was gas. I felt my tummy sort of crumble but no gas would pass. After a few days and the kick got stronger and I realized it was Sophie and I already felt her. That was the most amazing experience for a first time mom! Sam, on the other hand was really strong inside me. He was always moving around like he never slept. So imagine how sleeping for me was at that time J
2. Love and Hate - I was totally into cheese when I was pregnant with Sophie (and mangoes too!). I would wake up in the middle of the night and make myself cheese sticks or cheese sandwhich! The result: Sophie has some sort of addiction to cheese and mangoes too. But I totally abhor bangus and all other types of fish. I also hated the smell of roasted chicken that I thought I got trauma even after I gave birth to Sophie and wouldn’t come near roasted chicken.
3. With Sam I practically ate anything (except tuyo and spanish sardines) but the problem was I practically threw up everything as well. I guarantee that conceiving a boy is a lot harder than that with a girl. They say it’s because the hormones of the male is in conflict with the hormones of the mom. I don’t know if there is any truth to that but I knew at that time that I always looked tired, my skin was dull, my hair was dry. Good thing I’m not what you would consider na ‘maselan magbuntis’. Oh and I also drank a lot of water. My husband called me a fishtank.

6 mths preggy with Sophie. Check out the nose :)

8 mths. preggy, during office Xmas party

1st day of Sam's rooming in

3. The Good OB Gyne – my first ob gyne was from St Luke’s and she was very much like a mom. She made sure my sugar, cholesterol, weight were always in check. No iced tea, never coffee, no going to crowded malls as the place is filled with strangers with colds, cough, etc. It is important for pregnant women to stay healthy as they can’t take medication like paracetamol, cold meds especially during the first trimester. My 2^nd ob gyne was a friend of a relative and she was more like a friend naman. I can ask her just about anything. I can get a schedule on weekends for check up. I can text her anytime and she replied asap. It’s important for preggy moms to find a good ob gyne as she is our partner to healthy pregnancy.
4. Accepting the hard truth – 39 weeks into pregnancy with Sophie and I still haven’t gone farther than 1 cm. I was already on leave a week before my due date and did as many household works as my back can endure. After that, I would walk the whole stretch of Megamall from Bldg A to B and vice versa but still no dilation. After a few more days, my OB decided to induce labor. Sophie was getting bigger inside me. I came to the hospital so prepared on January 15, 2007 like I was going to a party (but still no labor pains). My husband was surprised I had make up on. I simply said, ‘so I’d look good in pictures’ hehe. After 7 hours of labor I finally was wheeled into the delivery room and after what seems like eternity and going through so many positions (shrimp, sitting, lying) Sophie still won’t come out. The fetal heart rate, the danger of ‘drying out’ and all other indicators made my OB decide that I should undergo cesarean section. And I did, much to my chagrin. I swear I had postpartum depression after that. One reason was because I didn’t hear and see Sophie come out since I was knocked out by the anesthesia. Going back to work and finally accepting God’s will helped me recover. With Sam, it was more of a breeze. I basically chose the date I gave birth to him since I’m CS naman. I was chatty with my OB and Anaesthesiologist inside the delivery room and was awake (by choice) during the operation.
5. All for love – I breastfed both my kids until about 6 to 7 months. I wanted to continue longer but getting back to my busy working schedule made it difficult for me to maintain my schedule for milk extraction. It was really hard to excuse yourself from a meeting with the VP because you need to pump your milk L Breastfeeding is no joke. It will really test your commitment, pain threshold and perseverance especially during the first two to three weeks but knowing the amazing benefits to both child and mother breastfeeding provides made me want to continue as much as I can. Breastfeeding is a labor of love.