Perks and Benefits of Being Pregnant! :D

So after ranting about the things I hate about pregnancy, I still enjoy the perks of having a bun in the oven that I know I have to share it as well! Are you ready for special treatments? :) Here are the good things I personally experience while carrying this little babe! :P

• Will walk cross a busy road and guess what? Cars always slows down and the drivers gestures their hand to let me cross first instead of waiting for the queue of vehicles to pass. I always give a respectful nod and thank you in return. :)
• I can eat whatever I want! heehee All I have to do is tell my hubby, mom or dad what I crave for, do the smoldering and a small pat in my tummy! I usually get what I want as long as my requests are for real! :D No DIET! ahahaha
• I sleep whenever wherever I want! :D That's also one of the perks of being home-based. :P There are those silly tired days I slept all day long and just get up when its time to eat or go pee! Slumber party anyone?
• The worries of getting pregnant and trying to get pregnant is not an issue anymore when doing the deed. It's all for fun! And wish it could be forever! Naughty much? :P
• Whenever I enter a public restroom, like in restaurants and malls, the queue is so long! Women tend to abuse that part of the building (I know you know it too) but people (other ladies and even janitorial staff ) always cut the line for me :P I get to skip the long wait hehe there are times when they open up another unused locked up cubicle just for me. I had a lot of thanks skipping my lips lately! :)
• The honor of making and naming another human being. :D Well, technically my hubby did the honor of naming the little babe but he's sharing the glory. And I think, we start a new forever, knowing that a small part of me will walk the earth long after we are gone as long as it's not yet Armageddon! hehe
• I always look fab on photoshoots! (or at least I thought) harhar Ok, all the ladies suck in their stomach when the camera snap while I'm happy flaunting my huge tummy! At last, no one will make an insensitive comment about my fats! lol Oh I also wish I could flaunt my pregnant goddess body in a two piece this summer! :D Can't wait!
• The "boyfriend-is-now-the-husband" is transforming in front of my eyes. Happy and contented to see him turning  from "husband-to-father" when he can't help himself kissing, touching and talking to my moving belly! ahaha There's a lot of time I woke up with him talking with my tummy. And since sleeping during pregnancy requires rolling like a dough, I tend to put my back on him and  he'll beg me to turn around and knowing I wont, he moves on the other side just to face my tummy again! :D
• Hubby and I are playing "Guess" with the baby usually at bedtime and before rising. I think its his elbow sticking out. No its the his heels. Oh my that his head! Ahehehe And since hubby is always present during my OB check up, he always mimic how my doc check on my belly and he even try to imagine how the babe is moving inside. We are so fond touching and looking at my belly wave, like when I think he got the hiccups, stretching, somersaulting or just playing around with his umbilical cord.
• My first ever experience on splurging not for myself and also for someone I haven't met yet! Oh yeah! The joy of my babys-first-shopping-haul is surprisingly rewarding! Things are definitely cuter when they're smaller! Tiny little clothes melts my heart. Always!
• Pregnant Goddess Beauty Package: Strong nails and big boobs! :D Some preggers carrying a she will also experience a glowing aura with thick silky hair and smooth skin. Although some carrying a he will have bigger noses! :3
• I always get the seat in a place crowded or not. ;) We were just out from the plane and we need to transfer on a shuttle bus going to the airport. People tend to do the trip-to-Jerusalem until they saw my tummy. A foreigner stood up and told me to take his seat while smiling at my tummy. :) In a park, mall wherever, when I want a seat, I just hold my tummy and those sitting around would clear up pretty quickly! :D
• Running errands like paying the bills and bank transactions is so easy! The guards and employees politely cut the line for me! :) With smiles in their faces knowing their doing good deeds for the little babe! :D Plus, preggers can part the red sea like Moises! lol Just by saying "excuse me" or just by showing off the bumps, the path will be cleared. Really like a domino effect, everyone gets out of your way. I always get help. When I cant reach the top shelf, someone would magically appear whether a co-shopper or an employee to reach out for me since my huge tummy always got in the way. Ohhh.. I felt like a queen! Ahahaha
• If you're like me who track baby's weekly progress, then you'll also feel the continuous sense of accomplishment. It's like a project "make a small human" with check list. The hearts' pumping; check! Kidneys functioning; check! Fingernails growing; check! etc etc.I always talk to my babe like "hey babe, your ears are in place already! and I know you can hear me, oooh you're stretching again? That's my right rib, you know..."
• I was watching TV when I yelp! I think that was when I'm 5months preggy and I think he jumps or hops inside! Ahahaha I was surprise to think he could do that already. And as he grows big and more active, I privately smile and give my belly a pat when he squirms. Always takes my breath away! I can say its our secret way to communicate, you know when I'm hungry so does he, when I'm happy or sad, so does he, (knowing this) I always try to keep a positive mood.
• Dreaming! Oh yeah! When your pregnant, you have to try to always be on the positive happy thoughts. Hence, you should not or at least avoid people who can stress you out or bring you down. Dreams are intense and vivid and out of this world, you might not understand and couldn't even believe who or what you dream about! Day dreaming about someone calling you "Mom" and can't wait to hear him call my significant other "Dad"!
• I squeeze 'imagining the future' in my hectic schedule! Spending so much day dreaming about the babe, trying to dig onto my head which nursery rhymes, children's songs, lullabies and other kiddie stuffs I would share with my little one! And guess what, just this morning, I woke up with the radio on and hubby singing to it, the song title: ABC's! The babe still in my belly and these are the songs floating in the air, we are so not excited! lol :D Aside from songs, we are excited to teach him his name, full address, how to introduce his self, learn to spell, count, write, read, and do some math like square roots and quadratic equations, etc etc.. :P
• I'm the Apple-of-the-Eye! My hubby's more sweeter than ever! Mom and Dad babying me. Siblings doing me favors. Friends and family always checking me out, more often! ;) People always look at my stomach, and sometimes they can't help themselves patting my belly. At first, i felt awkward about it, but I learned that they are just genuinely excited about my baby so I just let them, I bet the tiny little bean made their day bearable if not happier hehe and they made my day too knowing, people close to my hearts are overwhelmed just like me. I'm not alone, I got their backs! ;)
• I focus more on myself, thinking that taking care of myself means taking care of my babe. I try to eat healthier: nutrition during pregnancy and high dessert supplements, drink more water and uber careful on what I eat and drink. Even my family tends to be more health conscious these past few months, especially to me, the baby really makes the family happier, stronger and healthier! :D

Nine months of fatigue, heartburn, bloating, swollen ankles and backache would mean nothing in the end when my womb would be empty and my arms full of baby! :D At the end of every favor, I pat my tummy and whisper "Thank you Babe!" and now I always make it a point to help other pregnant woman in a similar situation. Do you have any other perks you've experience during your pregnancy?

Things I Hate About Pregnancy!!!

Pregnancy is a time of joy,  a beautiful thing, an excitement twist for husband and wife ... bla bla bla... but every coin have two sides. And now that I'm 34weeks,

The soft fur, lanugo, that covered baby's body for much of his stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Baby begins to develop his own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. This will come in handy when some grubby relative manhandles the baby without washing his hands first.- parentsconnect.com

I had my fair share of both worlds! Happy things like baby kicks and hiccups, baby shopping haul, ultrasound and heartbeat monitor, down to embarrassing, annoying and horrible things which includes bloating, stretchmarks, UTI, excessive swelling, itching, back pain, constipation, diarrhea and gas!

Brace yourself with the things that could come along your way while waiting for your little bean be cooked and ready to serve, I mean to get out of your system! ;) Aside from not wearing my favorite clothes, do my normal routines and being extra paranoid on things that are keep coming up inside my head like mushrooms! Here are the things that annoy me:

• Excessive discharge down there - Yay! No menstruation period for 9 or more months! That's what I thought and my thought is quite right, no blood but more discharge! it's quite annoying, really! Stock up on your pantyliners preggers! I personally used a lot, like 5 to 7 liners a day! Whoa! Right? Well, if you don't have UTI or any other infection, the discharge also known as Leukorrhea is a harmless odorless to mild smelly milk like discharge because of high production of estrogen and blood flow to the busy area of vagina.
• Yeast infection - oh yeah! More discharge means more prone to yeast infection! Higher level of estrogen makes the yeast go party! This may also induce UTI. What I do to help my body with this problem is I drink probiotic drinks and I munch on yogurts! :D Tasty way to fight back! I know!
• Gas and Bloating - I had to unzip, unbutton or loosen up my pants just to relieve bloating especially after eating! Since higher progesterone level relaxes muscle and slow down digestion hence bloating, gas pass and burping...Oooh! I wanna blame someone else when I pass gas LOUDLY. Oh my!
• Bleeding - nose and gum bleeding! My gums are sensitive, now they are more sensitive than ever! I floss, gum bleeds, I brush, gum bleeds! Plus, my nose obviously became larger as I get bigger tummy and I sometimes felt a sting of pain, that when I clean it I always see harden blood, at first I was paranoid, but then the OB told me, it's because im preggers...
• Constipation and LBM - yes, I had them both! Loose bowel movement was cause by the sensitivity of my stomach to certain food and I tried to reduce constipation by packing up on fibers! Eating green leafy veggies and fruits helps a lot!
• Hemorrhoids - when there's constipation, there's hemorrhoids! It's annoyingly itchy and sometimes painful! Oh goodness! But eating green helps lessen this problem.
• Stretchmark itch - sometimes when it's unbearably itchy, i wanna scrape off my skin! Joke! But really, my hands are everywhere! around the growing belly and boobs and upper thighs. I try to reduce the itch by keeping myself hydrated, pack on Vitamin E, body butters and lotions and hot compress whatever is available at hand and on the go.
• Edema/Beriberi - as my belly grow and boobs larger (I had to buy new extra bras), so does my legs, arms and abdomen. my OB told me it's because of water retention. Its natural but I need to go extra careful on dipping on salt and eating salty food.

Good comes with the bad. So just take it easy! When I feel frustration is so overwhelming. I look at the ultrasound pictures, talk to my baby, keeping things light and positive to avoid depression!

Are there other things you hate about your pregnancy? Share them below and lets deal with it! :)

Bed Rest During Pregnancy

Everyone wants to have a healthy pregnancy, right? But let's face it, there are our enemies: the stretchmarks, beriberi, urinary tract infection, the list go on and on and that includes some moms-to-be left bed arrest for the 3rd trimester of their pregnancy to keep the baby safe. I knew a mom with almost the same age as my tummy and she have to stay in the hospital for several days because her cervix open up 3cm, earlier than her due!

There are different levels of bed rest, like all-day bed rest that could get you bed sore, to just like a home arrest, where you must not exert effort or do heavy lifting. It's a challenge, heck being pregnant is already a challenge! Its more uncomfortable and even frustrating at some point. But here are some of the "how" to ease the boring bed rest...

• Fresh flowers and real plants on pots could make the room livelier. It can definitely affect your mood in a positive way. Just remember to stay close to nature! :D If you want to, you could also lit aroma incense and scented candles. ;)
• Sunshine and fresh air! Open the windows to allow fresh air to circulate inside the room plus the heat of the sun can give you energy. Go munch on the vitamin D!
• Personal Hygiene! Bed sore can tough you out but never forget your hygiene! Take a shower or a sponge bath, put on some make up (if you're up to it like me!) put on some cologne or perfume, wear your favorite clothes even when you're just staying home. Keep in mind the phrase "Look Good, Feel Good!"
• Fight depression with these simple  tips and tricks! Emotions during pregnancy is a roller coaster, just enjoy the ride! :)
• Hobby! Do something that relaxes you, like me you might want to prepare a Scrapbook for your little one, or play some board games with your visitors like word factory/boogle, organize photo albums, learn a new language, sketch or paint, I know an old miss having fun with her coloring books, its endless!
• Read! Whether it's a real book, a blog, e-book or audio-book, I've learned that reading is the best relaxation :) You might wanna read about parenting and how to take care of newborn. You'll be ahead of the game, and this will make you more excited, happy and confidence when the little bean arrives! :D You could also put ultrasound photos of your little bean next to you to remind you that chilling this few more months in bed equals hugging the that little baby! :D
• Keep everything in order. You don't want to stress out more because of the mess your with! Make your bed, keep things in order, set up and organize different areas of the house including the baby's and oh you could also file important documents you'll need like your Philhealth card, IDs, marriage certificate, birth certificates, etc. You could also review the income, organize bills and expenses so you could adjust it according to your future needs.
• If you work at home just like me, you could set up your "office desk" where everything you need is in place. Mine includes my laptop, books I read, my belle de jour power planner 2012 where I could mark the things I accomplished and celebrate as I get closer to my goal, FMN notebooks, cellphone, bottled water and body butter for my fight against urinary tract infection and stretchmarks, vitamins and High Dessert Supplements, and my make up paraphernalia.
• Seek help. I ask my sister and mom to help me do the shopping for my baby, come with me on my OB Check up and do some errands I can't do anymore. :) My hubby voluntarily drives me to anywhere I need to go. <3 Though I consume much of the day inside the house, I try not to isolate myself, I'm thankful for my postpaid phone, Facebook (hit like) and Twitter (follow me). :P
• Exercise and massage! Stretch up, put legs up in the wall, ask hubby for a light massage, walk the hallway :) Have a comfortable pillow and get those minty pain relievers easy to reach!

Always keep your spirit high! :) Remember that staying at home will make sure your little baby is safely growing inside and both of you will stay healthy until the little bean's ready to come out! :) Just enjoy solitude that you'll miss when you're out and about to give everything for the baby! <3 <3 <3

How to Treat Depression During Pregnancy

So, here's the third installment of my posts about Depression. If you wanna know my other posts just click the links below:

• symptoms of depression during pregnancy
• risk factors and possible triggers of depression

When depression is not well treated it can have potential risks to both mom and babe. Depression can lead to poor nutrition, drinking alcohol, some mom smoke and some think of suicide. Plus the baby will also become less active, less attentive, more irritable and agitated.Definitely NOT HEALTHY! The desire to take care of yourself and of the growing baby lessens when a woman is depressed. So its important to help yourself and ask help from others.

Depression and having mood swings are normal part of pregnancy and here I wanna share how I keep things on minimum as much as possible.

• Keep your cool and take it easy - fight the urge to do dovetailing (during pregnancy we tend to abuse the advise of do everything you want that you know you won't do when the little bean arrive) i just keep my cool and let the worries be blown by the winds... so far i enjoy reading ebooks and listening to audiobooks, short walks and other light exercise like stretching, chitchat with single friends while taking my time adapting to motherhood. I sleep when i want to. I also try to choose healthy alternative to processed foods and junk foods. Trade a cup of coffee to a glass of water, and munch on Omega 3 fatty rich foods like fish with scales. Things that makes me feel good does it and taking care of myself physically and emotionally is important because i believe it's also a part of taking care of my baby :)

• Bond with hubby - why keep everything to myself? I don't wanna take my husband for granted in this special journey. we always chat about what we read about our baby, like his development and our future plans together as a family. Plus, we share moments like when baby's actively moving we take videos, talk to him and even play with him together! that's one of the perks of working at home together!

• I talk/share/blog about it - I share my worries and excitement to every family members like my mom and sister, friends and other moms-to-be. this way, I release stress! Why suffer in silence, right?

• Take down stress one at a time - never ever let frustration, fear, worries and doubt group together and build up against you! When I feel like it's creeping in and eating my insides, I move, literally, like walk from kitchen to living room, dance to my favorite song, ask for a hug from my hubby and read Bible-based literature and meditate :)

In short: KEEP YOUR SPIRITS UP! ;)

However, if you feel you need more help in struggling with depression, seek help! Like Local Support Groups, Psychotherapy and Medication or find someone you could confine to.

Watch out for my final installment about Depression soon! Is this post helpful? Post a comment below. :)

Sleeping During Pregnancy

One of my dilemma at this time of my pregnancy is the way to SLEEP!

I'm used to sleeping like a roller; lying flat, on my stomach, to the left, to the right. I still did this kind of sleep position during my first trimester, but on my second and now on my third, sleeping is a big problem!

My OB told me that sleeping on my side, most particularly, on my left side will definitely benefit my baby because

• it improves blood flow to the placenta which means more nutrients and oxygen to the baby
• it also helps my kidneys to efficiently eliminate waste products and fluids; including those coming out of the baby, from my body
• hence, it reduces beriberi; the swelling of hands, feet and ankles

Actually, it's not that hard for me to sleep on my side, because after my heart surgery (a 6inch stitch on my left backside) few years ago, I'm used to sleep on my right side so the cut wont hurt so much and i wont squeeze my heart so to speak.

And now, I must learn and practice my way to sleep on the left side. If you're a pregger like mwuah its good to start training yourself to be a lefty during your first trimester whenever you can. As for me, the left side position sometimes makes me feel that I'm squeezing my heart and of course staying in one position all night although possible is likely to be uncomfortable, so I tend to turn from side to side whenever my body wants to twist and turn while favoring my left side. My OB said its a good strategy because I'm allowing my nerves to relax and hence the blood flow will not be interrupted especially the ones carrying oxygen to my little bean.

How about sleeping on your back?

Beautywise, its best to sleep lying on your back because it will lessen the premature wrinkles from coming out and its a natural face lift! Cool huh? But if you're a pregger, you should avoid sleeping on your back! Well, it's not a problem in my case because when I'm sleeping on my back, I feel like the device the cardiologist put inside the valve of my heart is sinking; feels like a dagger pinching its way to my heart. So if you're not like me and you're used in lying on your back, then you should know that the weight of your growing uterus lies on the spine, back muscles, intestines and major blood vessels that when prolonged lead to muscle aches, back pains, hemorrhoids and impaired circulation which causes leg cramps, its uncomfortable to you and much more uncomfortable to the baby because it also means reduction of blood carrying oxygen. Really not good for the baby. Aside from that, sleeping on your back can make blood pressure drop that may cause dizziness or in some cases can make the blood pressure go up. It can also cause loud snoring and when your overweight it could lead to sleep apnea; breath stopping during sleep.

In short, when your pregnant, lie on your left! :P

Miranda Kerr's Pregnant Body in Vogue

Wow! :D I stumble to this pregnant goddess online and I just have to share it with you guys!

These pictures were issued last January 2011 Vogue Australia magazine, I know its more than a year late now, but I just can't help admire this beautiful mom-to-be...

I'm missing my skinny pants and fancy tops... I miss sleeping on lying on my stomach! But yeah, she reminds me I'm not fat, I'm pregnant. And soon enough, I'll see the little baby I carefully carry for the past nine roller-coaster-ride months! :)

Wait there's more! I saw this on Facebook and I also have to share this!

This beautiful woman survived breast cancer and is having a baby! God is GOOD!

I hope we all stay positive! Preggy or not, soon-to-be moms and been-there-done-that moms! :)