Encounter with SCBB

I dread coming to work these days, cos i just find it so difficult to drag myself out of bed every morning.
TGIF. Each week seems to pass by relatively fast.

I've been counting down to my delivery everyday liao. I just hit w35 today. 3 more weeks and i may give birth!

Was pissed off with the SCBB agent i spoke few days ago. She initially offered to send someone down to Dr Heng's clinic on the 23rd (which is my next appointment) to meet for the consenting process and for the biological questionnaire but told me later she wouldn't be able to do so as official hours are over and they cannot do consenting. She requested kun and me to go down to KKH itself instead on a Saturday morning instead. So i told her i need to ask my husband and we agreed to get in touch again the following Monday.

I checked with kun and he said he would not go to KKH as since we are the ones donating the cordblood, the representative should be accomodating us and not the other way round, which i find it logical too. Can't they meet somewhere else more convenient and suited to our schedule better? He felt the representative is selfish and inconsiderate to make a preggie travel to the hospital itself. Well i find it logical again.

I called the agent up and expected her to accomodate to our request...but NO. She told me that she has difficulty sending someone to meet me at the clinic as its so late. WTH, initially i don't even want to meet her at the clinic lor! (since my gynae appointment is at 7.05pm and she wanted to meet at 6.15pm, so we decided to "sacrifice " our dinner time to meet up with her...) she won't want to budge to accomodate us this time round, and told me there are other preggies travelling down to the hospital itself too when i asked her whether there are such cases. I told her my hubby sometimes has to do shift work on a Saturday hoping she understands and i told her i am being put in a difficult position (in my mind cos kun don't want us to travel to KKH and this stupid lady won't even budge) and u know what she said? "if its so troublesome, then its ok". WTH. So customer-oriented ah?! *note the sarcaism* Just because i'm donating and not paying to store the cordblood doesn't warrant her to give me that sort of crappy attitude right?!

So i decided to email again to the lady whom i voiced my interest in donation, saying i want to change the nurse-co-ordinator aka the agent. This is what i wrote.

Dear Sherrie

I've spoken to one of your nurse coordinators, Isabel but we have issues with regards to arranging the time and place to meet.
I wonder if its possible to send a nurse coordinator who might be able to meet outside official hours and a place which is more convenient (like my gynae's clinic) rather than having us to travel to KKH on a Saturday morning which we were asked to do so, since it can be rather inconvenient and troublesome especially now with my pregnancy related issues. I also do heard of other agents being able to travel to meet their clients.
Isabel said if its too troublesome its all right (which i'm interpreting her message that we can drop the idea of donating if we are not able to accede to her request of making our way to KKH itself).
I hope you can assist and accomodate to our requests. If it is not possible, I do thank you for your fast responses and assistance towards my queries.
Would look forward to your response. Many thanks.

And so the reply came in:

Hi Fianna
Thank you for your feedback.
We would like to assure you that every cord blood donor is important to the SCBB. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and would look into the issues highlighted.
The Collections Manager is currently not available and I would discuss this issue with her. We hope to be able to revert with a favourable reply by the end of the week.
If there are any other queries or need for clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I'm still waiting for their reply. No news yet. Heng i still can afford to wait lor. Imagine i'm now in w36 already. By the time they get back to me, i might have already deliver.

Ok off the SCBB issue. I've been facing frequent BH contractions and "menstrual cramps" these days. Just hope they are false labour symptoms! Aiyo getting v nervous liao...I've decided to take my maternity leave from w38 onwards, which is the week starting 16-Mar. Little one is growing bigger and stronger each day, with his stretch and kicks whcih sometimes cause a lump in my tum tum. Even can feel that my right tummy weight seems to be heavier than the left and like a bit lopsided, probably cos of his butt (felt something rounded...hehe!) Can't wait to see him!

Tired + terrible backaches

My baby cot, stroller, bedding set and musical mobile arrived yesterday afternoon.

MIL commented that the cot is big...which kun and i felt so too, after having placed it in my SIL's room (baby will be sleeping in there with the CL). Though its kinda big, we all love the cot. MIL even commented she loves the cot more and more after seeing it.

Good lor, like wat kun says, our boy has a bigger playground =P

I've took a day unpaid leave for rest today, cos my back is in terrible pain since yesterday. It has been practically killing me when i walk, get out of bed or stand up from a chair. This morning wanted to go to work but its still painful, coupled with the fact i'm feeling v tired. Nowadays no matter how much i sleep, the tiredness doesn't seem to go away, so actually i'm also having headaches as well. In addition, i was having "menstrual cramps" yesterday. I was afraid so i took one zendolin pill.

Kun and i have decided to donate our boy's cordblood rather than to keep it, reason being the chances of him being able to use back his own cordblood (*touch wood* hope not) is almost close to nil, since the genetic disorder is already present. Might as well donate to a pool and save lives. Good also, can earn good karma for kyan. Will be meeting the SCBB agent at Dr Heng's clinic on the 23rd.

More and more mummies at singaporemotherhood are popping one by one le...when will it be my turn? I'm so scared, nervous and excited. It seems so far, all the march mummies who popped now deliver premature babies, so chances could be quite high. I just hope to deliver kyan after 38weeks *prays*...kyan must be good boy ok, guai guai stay inside till its time *sayang*...really don't want to induce or deliver prematurely.

I'll be hitting 34weeks tomorrow, just doing countdown everyday. I've decided to take my maternity leave two weeks earlier prior to EDD. Hope my boss allows this arrangement. Should be ok la.

Shopping at Giant

Went to Giant@Tampines and got the following stuffs:

1) Home slippers for confinement ($1.99)
2) Pureen Madame Maternity Pad 20s ($6.95)
3) Cotton Buds 5pk 160s ($1.17)
4) 4 pieces of Eternity nursing bras (Total: $48.57) - worth it!
5) Drapolene Nappy Rash Cream ($4.30)

So i'm left with disposable panties to be used for confinement, airtight ziplock bags to put bb stuffs to bring to hospital, baby thermometer just to name a few.

Phew....items more or less settled le. Will purchase breast pump probably after delivery cos have to judge milk supply. Intend to purchase milk bags, milk powder and disposable diapers after delivery too.

I really think i have sprained my right leg, so darn pain lor =( had very bad sudden pelvic pains too....

kyan's foot resting on the wall of my tummy makes me feel really uncomfortable...sometimes i try to touch or press gently so he can change position. Will try to avoid and let him be...don't disturb him better...poor boy mus be so cramped up in my tum tum....

Gynae appointment at 32weeks

I actually expected to see a huge crowd of ppl at the clinic but surprisingly, i was onli the second MTB on the queue (appointment at 7pm but i reached about 6.40pm). Was asked to see Dr Heng immediately after weighing myself and measuring the usual blood pressure.

It seems that i'm getting more and more lost seeing the ultrasound, with absolutely no idea what Dr Heng is scanning or measuring on the screen. What she told me was baby is pretty small for his gestational age at 32weeks+, which makes me quite worried and sad (1.64kg only when bb is supposed to be at least 1.8kg at week32). However, Dr Heng assured me the difference isn't very big and that i don't have to worry so much.

I asked her whether a cervical check is needed as i was afraid of cervix dilation since my V-area was pretty painful these few days. Furthermore i had bad contraction scares on the same evening when i was supposed to see Dr Heng. She did not agree to a cervical check as she was afraid it might induce bleeding since i had a bad case of spotting and bleeding in the 1st trimester. However she gave me the medicine, Zendolin to curb the contractions and prevent early labour. The medicine will cause me shivers and also my heart to beat faster.

The placenta and amniotic levels were ok.

Though glucose test result is normal, i was asked to exercise diet control still.

Hope kyan can put on more fats. I'm determined to drink powdered milk again every night in the hope that he can put on the pounds and be at least 2.5kg upon delivery.

The Discomforts of Pregnancy

I'm getting more and more tired these days... :-/ sometimes to the point of being breathless...

Just had four leg cramps in a row at the dawn of the night when i was sleeping...was woken up due to the pains....didn't want to wake kun up since he was sleeping so soundly...i tried bearing with it silently, it was just horrible feeling...i wanted to cry...

Felt kyan's movements in my womb pretty painful now...last time it was jabbing sort of itchiness...now with him squirming and moving inside my womb, its painful. His feet seem to be on the top right hand corner of my tummy, as the kicks seem hard there. Sometimes i felt itchiness at the lower region of the pelvic area. I wonder if its kyan's hair? Seems cute.

Now i seem to be counting down to the days of delivery. 31 weeks presently and counting. Somehow i have mixed feelings. I wish kyan will come out sooner so i can see him and also be freed from the discomforts of pregnancy but somehow i wish he will come out later cos thats when i know he is more ready and then its going to be worse for me since i have to spend the sleepless nights taking care of him. Not forgetting...the horrible confinement :-(

I wonder whether i'm walking like a penguin these days. My tum tum feels heavy and i have on and off cramps sometimes which is pretty scary. Just hope my cervix is not dilated *touch wood* I feel bloated too though my appetite is still quite good. But I am facing more of water retention and my face is kinda swollen up. Yucks.

And i realise something too....no matter how much i sleep it never seems to be enough...*sigh* I still feel terribly tired sleeping at 10+ at night and waking up at 6.40am every weekday. Anyway, gone were those days when i can sleep throughout the night without waking up....

Lesson Updates

My baby cot and stroller will be arriving on 11-Feb...

I am starting to get abit kanchiong as i'm scared to leave out things that i should have buy but not yet gotten....

I better start preparing my hospital bag next month...who knows i may pop earlier? hmm....

Update on Mrs Wong's class - Last week focused on tips and instructions on how to bathe, swaddle, carry and take care of bb.....So much things to take note of...She doesn't recommend powder on bb but kun is still for the idea of using it...We bought the bathing towels and wash cloths from Mrs Wong as the material is good...Thinking of getting the bottom balm cream as Mrs Wong recommended it so we can apply on bb's buttocks to prevent him getting rashes...We were each given a model baby to learn the steps and it was useful.

In our previous lesson, we have watched the different types of delivery video during the last lesson and its very freaky so to speak...why? we saw the bloody scenes like the bb coming out of the mummy's womb and mummy being cut up in a C-Sec birth...my gosh...Kun commented it was worse than a horror movie....

It was funny when we came to the part on C-Sec...Kun said that don't think they will film the mummy's tummy and than the next moment he said..."oh my gosh they realli did film it" and told me not to watch....i had to turn and look at kun for a few times (and manage to catch his funny expressions :P) cos i was simply too nervous and scared to watch the video intensely...

Went for the doctors talk last Tues (13-Feb) at SCGS. Find the first part a waste of time as the speaker was just speaking of what to expect in labour and flashing slides that Mrs Wong has already covered. It was during the second part that was more fresh and applicable - talking of what to expect in newborns, the signs and symptoms to look out for, etc...and the second speaker (who is a pediatrician) is more interesting and amusing too...

The Big 3

My glucose test result came out to be normal and i'm real thankful for that, at least my guilt conscience of wanting to eat those sinful foods like burgers, fries, chocos, ice-cream (just to name a few) isn't so bad....ok i still better control though...don't want to be a bad mummy :P

I've finally hit the "BIG 3"...which is my 30 weeks of gestation...ppl commented, "so fast hor!" when they know i am going to deliver in Mar which is another two months time. My response will be like..." erm...ya sort of...."But deep down i felt it was slow yet fast indeed....especially slow in my first trimester when problems just weighed a ton on me and i seem to count the weeks that went past till i reach my 2nd trimester...fast in the sense that before i know it, i am going to deliver and see my little darling pretty soon. And from then onwards, I need to carry the heavy responsibilities of being a good mummy taking care of little one, and that sorta scares me...

I haven't really want to give a thought about delivery during the past few months of this pregnancy...but as it draws near, it somehow frightens me to a certain extent. I kept motivating myself that no matter what happens, I'm going to go though it with a positive spirit and deliver my bb safely. I'm going to stay strong to go through delivery...i know i can...

I realli hope to go through natural, just thinking whether i can endure the contraction pains without epidural...I guess i will still be at a crossroad until the delivery itself...i do hope ESH gives me the option of administering the epidural during the delivery rather than deciding beforehand...Somehow C-section also kinda "attracts" me in the sense that its going to be fast and painless (ok i must emphasise here...not pain during delivery cos of asethetics) but recovery stage is slow and painful! I rather take the former choice than...

CNY is coming...lots of goodies to eat! wahhahaha....will tell my bb to guai guai stay inside my womb till he's suppose to come out at 38weeks (so he gets to eat the goodies too)...hehe...