Week 26: Checking the checklists

The maternity checklists available these days give me a (temporary?) sense of sanity and progress about our baby/parent preparations, esp. with the pending 3rd trimester.  Time flies!  This week, I discovered a comprehensive pregnancy checklist from The Bump -- part of the same umbrella site we used for our wedding 6+ years ago, The Knot. Pretty cool.

Notable checks for this week:

1. Long term visit pass for parents - Application sent and under review.
2. Accomodation for parents - Rental bid accepted. Letter of Intent received.
3. Baby crib and mattress - Thanks, Kenny! 
4. Newborn suits/hats/mits/booties/bibs/sleeping bags/blankets - Yay for friends, Mothercare and Kiddy Palace
5. Upsized exercise tops, dresses and work pants - Sales at Vivocity, Novena and Marina Square :)
6. Little one is ACTIVE.  Hmm... many sleepless nights and days ahead?

Our hospital antenatal class just finished part 1 of physiotherapy with the highlight being the massage section. Hubby now knows how to give great back massages. No more excuses ;)  Also, I have somehow developed the biggest bump in my prenatal pilates class.  How did this happen?!

Week 18

Happy Fathers' Day weekend!  Hubby has been thinking more about his pending fatherhood. Pray that the start of our parenting journey together will be filled with joyful (and not too anxious!) preparation... 

Second trimester blood test results came back normal for the baby - hooray! I was diagnosed with Group B strep early on during the placenta tear scare so will follow up with the doc at our next checkup on this. I've finished the course of oral antibiotics so far, though we've also talked about another round via IV during labor.  Meanwhile, work has been keeping me busy and the rains (and nearby floods!) have kept me indoors, so prenatal pilates is proving to be my only regular exercise these days.  Rather enjoying the "support group" so far.

Food of the week: Tie between apple pork ribs soup and beef brisket claypot - served home-style at Manhill Restaurant in the company of good friends.

Week 17a

Hubby's been complaining of the heat so this week's soup is especially for him:  绿豆汤 - green bean / mung bean soup, served chilled.  Since our babymoon, I've also decided to swim more (when it stops raining, that is) now that our condo pool is finally "fixed." I do feel quite self-conscious about my body lately though - definitely look forward to start my prenatal pilates class on Monday!

Meanwhile, received a confirmation email for our childbirth education classes in August (starting week 24 onwards).  The Parentcraft Centre also included details on confinement nannies trained by the hospital plus home delivery/catering options.  Gotta admit the sample menu (see below) looks terribly UN-appetizing even if it's 100% nutritious for recovering moms.  Maybe I can convince folks to join me on those liver/kidney/ginger days - misery loves company, right? =8