Where's my Bump?
Ah, There it is!
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Where's Baby?
I had a bit of fun this morning with my camera. This silly series was taken at 37 weeks and 4 days.
Where's my Bump?
Where's my Bump?
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Vitamin Supplements in Pregnancy
I have just been taught me a very important lesson. Do not take your health for granted in pregnancy. When a woman grows a baby inside her womb all the mother's nutrition goes to the baby. If there's nothing left for mum at the end of the day then mum misses out. Even someone like me, someone who has always eaten a well-balanced diet and is always in the best of health, can end up basically malnourished after the baby gets all the good stuff.
Last week I started to experience debilitating fatigue. It was a lot more than just feeling tired or not getting enough sleep. I was completely run down. My eyes burned with exhaustion all day and I struggled to function. I became incredibly clumsy and lost awareness of my own space so I was always bumping into things. At first it was just physical, but it rapidly became quite mental as well and I was overwhelmed by stress and emotion.
Just before my last obstetrics appointment I was trying to fill out some paperwork that needed to be signed and was quite straight forward, but it was too much for me and I completely broke down. I was crying uncontrollably into my pillow with my poor husband trying to console me, but not really knowing how to help or why I was so distressed.
He's a wonderful friend, that husband of mine, so he gave me an expanding file folder on which he wrote "Too Overwhelming Folder (even a little bit)" and he said "put anything that you can't cope with in there every day and I'll take of care of it when I get home from work." This cheered me up enough so I could wash my face and go see my doctor.
I told the doctor about the fatigue, and he said it was completely normal in the last stage of pregnancy. What I neglected to tell him was that I never followed his advice and I hadn't been taking the supplements that he recommended about 3 months ago. Back then, I decided not to buy expensive supplements because my blood tests came back perfect and so I arrogantly thought "clearly my diet is good enough and I don't need extra vitamins."
It turns out I was wrong. After seeing my doctor I headed over to the hospital pharmacy to buy the elevit supplements, just in case they would help. I was going to get just 1-month's supply to see me to the end of my pregnancy, but Jeremy reminded me that a breastfeeding woman needs even better nutrition than a pregnant woman, so we spent a bit extra for the 100-day box.
I started taking the supplements that evening and they had the most miraculous impact on my mental and physical health. I went from falling apart one day, to washing the bathroom and vacuuming the house the next.
We're having some friends come and stay on Saturday night, and we're entertaining some more friends on Sunday night and without the proper nutrition in my system I can assure you that I never would have coped with visitors, especially 2 nights in a row, so I am very glad that I (finally) made the right decision and invested ... yes, it was an investment ... in my health.
Last week I started to experience debilitating fatigue. It was a lot more than just feeling tired or not getting enough sleep. I was completely run down. My eyes burned with exhaustion all day and I struggled to function. I became incredibly clumsy and lost awareness of my own space so I was always bumping into things. At first it was just physical, but it rapidly became quite mental as well and I was overwhelmed by stress and emotion.
Just before my last obstetrics appointment I was trying to fill out some paperwork that needed to be signed and was quite straight forward, but it was too much for me and I completely broke down. I was crying uncontrollably into my pillow with my poor husband trying to console me, but not really knowing how to help or why I was so distressed.
He's a wonderful friend, that husband of mine, so he gave me an expanding file folder on which he wrote "Too Overwhelming Folder (even a little bit)" and he said "put anything that you can't cope with in there every day and I'll take of care of it when I get home from work." This cheered me up enough so I could wash my face and go see my doctor.
I told the doctor about the fatigue, and he said it was completely normal in the last stage of pregnancy. What I neglected to tell him was that I never followed his advice and I hadn't been taking the supplements that he recommended about 3 months ago. Back then, I decided not to buy expensive supplements because my blood tests came back perfect and so I arrogantly thought "clearly my diet is good enough and I don't need extra vitamins."
It turns out I was wrong. After seeing my doctor I headed over to the hospital pharmacy to buy the elevit supplements, just in case they would help. I was going to get just 1-month's supply to see me to the end of my pregnancy, but Jeremy reminded me that a breastfeeding woman needs even better nutrition than a pregnant woman, so we spent a bit extra for the 100-day box.
I started taking the supplements that evening and they had the most miraculous impact on my mental and physical health. I went from falling apart one day, to washing the bathroom and vacuuming the house the next.
We're having some friends come and stay on Saturday night, and we're entertaining some more friends on Sunday night and without the proper nutrition in my system I can assure you that I never would have coped with visitors, especially 2 nights in a row, so I am very glad that I (finally) made the right decision and invested ... yes, it was an investment ... in my health.
Monday, 21 July 2008
Buying a Maternity Bra
Bras are very important to women. A good bra costs half a week's salary (almost). I really believe that women are not serviced well when it comes to this vital piece of clothing. They are too expensive and it's impossible to find a bra that fits.
The majority of women are wearing the wrong size. Did you know that the average cup size is now D, but there is a perception that a D cup is huge and most women avoid this size due to their more humble view of their body shape.
In my quest to find a comfortable maternity bra, I went to several stores and had some very interesting fittings that suggested I could wear a cup size ranging from size DD to F, depending on the style or manufacturer of the bra.
This was quite shocking and left me utterly confused. How could I possibly know what size I was supposed to buy? How could I, tiny little me, possibly be a size F?
The biggest challenge, however, was finding the right waist size. I was under the impression that I am a size 10 when it comes to bras, even though I wear a size 8 in clothes. Maternity bras, however, are rarely available in less than a size 12. Many shops do not stock size 10. The department stores didn't have anything smaller than a size 14!!
How many shop assistants tried to insist that a size 12D is the same as a 10DD? It is not the same, otherwise they wouldn't make the different sizes. I am sick to death of shop assistants blatantly lying about this, just to make a sale. Women, never trust a sales person who tells you such twaddle. Walk out of their store and never return!
After a lot of searching, I found 2 bras and bought them online so I could save $20 (including delivery). However, after I received my bras I felt that I had made a mistake and bought a bra that was a tad too large. I returned to one of the stores that had stocked size 10 and had another fitting.
The shock of all shocks came when the store manager informed me I am not a size 10, I am a size 8. She pointed out that I am fastening my bras on the tightest setting, which is not what I am supposed to be doing. The tightest setting is there for when your bra has stretched a bit. It is supposed to help prolong the lifespan of your bra, since they're so expensive to begin with. The store manager actually thought the cup size was too small, but the waist band was too big. When she tightened the band, I suddenly saw what she meant. She was right. I am wearing bras that are both too small and too big. What a conundrum!
I pointed out that there is simply no chance of finding a maternity bra in a size 8 and she agreed, but she said a tailor could adjust a size 10 to fit me, for around $10 - $20. I felt like crying.
How is this acceptable? How is it that a woman can't find a piece of underwear that fits? Who ever heard of having your knickers tailored? This is, surely, the most insane thing I have ever encountered!
I don't mean to get all femme-nazi, but if this problem occurred with men's underwear there would be a national enquiry and there is no way a pregnant man would ever have to deal with such a problem. Having the wrong size bra can be incredibly damaging on a woman's back and her breasts. While my breasts are developing delicate milk ducts and growing exponentially, the very last thing I should be wearing are bras that don't fit or provide adequate support. This is far from acceptable!
And I don't know what to do.
The majority of women are wearing the wrong size. Did you know that the average cup size is now D, but there is a perception that a D cup is huge and most women avoid this size due to their more humble view of their body shape.
In my quest to find a comfortable maternity bra, I went to several stores and had some very interesting fittings that suggested I could wear a cup size ranging from size DD to F, depending on the style or manufacturer of the bra.
This was quite shocking and left me utterly confused. How could I possibly know what size I was supposed to buy? How could I, tiny little me, possibly be a size F?
The biggest challenge, however, was finding the right waist size. I was under the impression that I am a size 10 when it comes to bras, even though I wear a size 8 in clothes. Maternity bras, however, are rarely available in less than a size 12. Many shops do not stock size 10. The department stores didn't have anything smaller than a size 14!!
How many shop assistants tried to insist that a size 12D is the same as a 10DD? It is not the same, otherwise they wouldn't make the different sizes. I am sick to death of shop assistants blatantly lying about this, just to make a sale. Women, never trust a sales person who tells you such twaddle. Walk out of their store and never return!
After a lot of searching, I found 2 bras and bought them online so I could save $20 (including delivery). However, after I received my bras I felt that I had made a mistake and bought a bra that was a tad too large. I returned to one of the stores that had stocked size 10 and had another fitting.
The shock of all shocks came when the store manager informed me I am not a size 10, I am a size 8. She pointed out that I am fastening my bras on the tightest setting, which is not what I am supposed to be doing. The tightest setting is there for when your bra has stretched a bit. It is supposed to help prolong the lifespan of your bra, since they're so expensive to begin with. The store manager actually thought the cup size was too small, but the waist band was too big. When she tightened the band, I suddenly saw what she meant. She was right. I am wearing bras that are both too small and too big. What a conundrum!
I pointed out that there is simply no chance of finding a maternity bra in a size 8 and she agreed, but she said a tailor could adjust a size 10 to fit me, for around $10 - $20. I felt like crying.
How is this acceptable? How is it that a woman can't find a piece of underwear that fits? Who ever heard of having your knickers tailored? This is, surely, the most insane thing I have ever encountered!
I don't mean to get all femme-nazi, but if this problem occurred with men's underwear there would be a national enquiry and there is no way a pregnant man would ever have to deal with such a problem. Having the wrong size bra can be incredibly damaging on a woman's back and her breasts. While my breasts are developing delicate milk ducts and growing exponentially, the very last thing I should be wearing are bras that don't fit or provide adequate support. This is far from acceptable!
And I don't know what to do.
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Gestational Diabetes Blood Test
It was raining this morning. Jeremy took the car to work and I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk to pathology for my blood test, but the sun came out eventually and I set off on my 1/2 hour stroll to the QML lab at the Miami Medical Clinic.
The pathologist on duty took one look at my referral and starting bemoaning my existence. My visit was going to cut into her lunch break. I informed her that I had just walked there for 1/2 an hour and I wasn't going to come back later.
The test required me to drink a high-glucose drink and then sit for an hour before my blood sample could be taken. I told her I was fine with her eating lunch while I was waiting my hour, but she huffed and puffed and told me she couldn't leave me alone.
She proceeded to huff, puff, moan and sigh at me for the next hour and then when the time had passed she rushed off to the collection room, expecting me to find her through my inbuilt GPS. She hurried through the blood samples which pinched and hurt quite a lot. When she had 3 samples she slapped a Band Aid over my vein and kicked me out, while she grabbed her bag and rushed off to lunch. The whole time she barely said 2 words to me.
I don't think it's unreasonable of me to expect professional medical care and nothing less. I found her demeanor and attitude to be quite outrageous. There was no way for me to know when her lunch break was and since appointments are never made for blood tests, it was far from unreasonable of me to turn up at a time that suited me, the patient ... the 6 month pregnant women who walked all the way to the pathology lab only to be treated like garbage.
I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to walk home with all that glucose streaming through my veins, but one thing's for sure ... that woman had no interest in any duty of care.
The pathologist on duty took one look at my referral and starting bemoaning my existence. My visit was going to cut into her lunch break. I informed her that I had just walked there for 1/2 an hour and I wasn't going to come back later.
The test required me to drink a high-glucose drink and then sit for an hour before my blood sample could be taken. I told her I was fine with her eating lunch while I was waiting my hour, but she huffed and puffed and told me she couldn't leave me alone.
She proceeded to huff, puff, moan and sigh at me for the next hour and then when the time had passed she rushed off to the collection room, expecting me to find her through my inbuilt GPS. She hurried through the blood samples which pinched and hurt quite a lot. When she had 3 samples she slapped a Band Aid over my vein and kicked me out, while she grabbed her bag and rushed off to lunch. The whole time she barely said 2 words to me.
I don't think it's unreasonable of me to expect professional medical care and nothing less. I found her demeanor and attitude to be quite outrageous. There was no way for me to know when her lunch break was and since appointments are never made for blood tests, it was far from unreasonable of me to turn up at a time that suited me, the patient ... the 6 month pregnant women who walked all the way to the pathology lab only to be treated like garbage.
I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to walk home with all that glucose streaming through my veins, but one thing's for sure ... that woman had no interest in any duty of care.
Please let me introduce myself
Perhaps I started this blog later than I should have. I am now 28-weeks pregnant, which means there are only 12 weeks left until the young one is due.
My name is Eliza and I have a wonderful, beautiful, devoted husband named Jeremy. We met and got married when we were English teachers in Osaka, Japan. He is originally from the USA but he gave up everything to be with me in Australia. Now we live next to the beach in a city where it is almost always summer.
We have a beautiful life and an outstanding relationship. Sometimes we talk about how we live in a bubble world, where it is just the two of us enjoying this journey through life. When we lived in Japan we built a completely unique life together, far removed from our histories, our families and friends. That is why we feel like we live in a bubble. As far as we're concerned life began when we met ... he was 25 years old and I was 26. Such young dreamers!
Now our bubble is about to burst, or grow ... I'm not sure. In 12 weeks (or there abouts) it won't be the two of us anymore. We can only guess how our lives will change. One thing we're sure of, it's going to be a fabulous ride and we can't wait, we really can't.
Now towards the end of this pregnancy journey, I suddenly find myself with a million thoughts racing through my mind and just yesterday I felt like I might burst open if I didn't find a way to communicate everything that's happening. Hence the blog.
My name is Eliza and I have a wonderful, beautiful, devoted husband named Jeremy. We met and got married when we were English teachers in Osaka, Japan. He is originally from the USA but he gave up everything to be with me in Australia. Now we live next to the beach in a city where it is almost always summer.
We have a beautiful life and an outstanding relationship. Sometimes we talk about how we live in a bubble world, where it is just the two of us enjoying this journey through life. When we lived in Japan we built a completely unique life together, far removed from our histories, our families and friends. That is why we feel like we live in a bubble. As far as we're concerned life began when we met ... he was 25 years old and I was 26. Such young dreamers!
Now our bubble is about to burst, or grow ... I'm not sure. In 12 weeks (or there abouts) it won't be the two of us anymore. We can only guess how our lives will change. One thing we're sure of, it's going to be a fabulous ride and we can't wait, we really can't.
Now towards the end of this pregnancy journey, I suddenly find myself with a million thoughts racing through my mind and just yesterday I felt like I might burst open if I didn't find a way to communicate everything that's happening. Hence the blog.
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