As a couple, even if physically only my wife can conceive it should be considered that both of you are going in the pregnancy season of life because you are considered one body, one flesh in God.
(excerpt from Prayers & Promises for Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize)
Tag: pregnancy
Baby’s Gestational Age
So recently, my baby belly has been showing up and people are starting to hesitantly ask me whether I am just gaining weight (a.k.a getting fat), or it’s a baby in there =)) As I am not fond of maternity clothes (yet!), my baby belly is proudly showing in my pre-pregnancy clothes, so I’d give them a smile and say yes with anticipation of the next question of “what month are you in?”, I’d offer the answer before the follow-up question.
Actually, I did not figure right away how to know “how many months” baby is in (medically known as baby’s gestational age ), because the due date is computed in 40wks. This is not a straight 9months times 4weeks. So I usually answer in weeks, just to be sure.
So I searched in books and online articles, and here’s the gestational age of Baby Jam week after week.
Today, we are in my 2nd trimester, 5th month, 19th week. On Christmas day, I’d be exactly half-way of my pregnancy on 😀
Most Selfless Prayer
[A Christmas-y thought this season.]
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 NLT
For years in my entire life, I’ve prayed for countless [mostly self-gaining] prayers: salary raise, new car, fully paid condo, physical healing, losing weight, guidance on my career, and a lot more trivial things.
I did not realize that after our wedding, this time I have asked for the most selfless prayer ever: that is to conceive, and a have baby, and be a mother.
And because God is faithful (it was His promise I’ve been holding on to), He granted this prayer right away.
Suddenly, there were tons of selfless things I have to do, and most of this is to give up. I now think less of myself and more of baby for almost everything I do: no more eating of chocolates, no more coffees over cheesecakes, no more impulse buying and shopping-only-because-its-sale, less travels on a whim, and a lot more stuff within my comfort and luxury zones. From my walking to my work habits to my sleep position, all are being done thinking of our baby and how it will affect him/her.
And so it really amazes me how could Mary say “Yes” right away going through all the pregnancy challenges and giving birth in a manger, and eventually giving up that baby for a selfish world. Isn’t it the most unselfish act you could ever think of?
This thought makes my Christmas more meaningful.
Our baby is not just another blessing. It’s God’s way of giving me and Hubby THAT special privilege to experience how it is to be REALLY unselfish with love. I cannot imagine the magnitude of that love to be able to give your Son to a selfish world (us!), which Mary selflessly conceived and raised. How could you reject that love? Two thousand years ago and still this unparalleled loving and selfless act is still celebrated and remembered today.
I hope that amidst the parties, gifts, food, sweets, and decorations, everyone finds also the personal meaning of Christmas in their lives. It’s where all the love in the world began after all.
A blessed Christmas from us and our little J! <3
16 Weeks: Sweets and Teeth’s Time
It is baby’s 16th week this week, and I am on my second trimester! #ThankYouJesus really for this milestone.
By now, I am already relieved of morning sickness, bloated feeling, nausea, food cravings, fatigue, and sleepiness. I felt better all of the sudden.
But of course, as my body goes on to the next phase of preggy adjustments, the past weeks have also been challenging.
First, because of the notable high sugar in my comprehensive blood tests (so expensive, btw). I was advised by my OB to look for an endoctrinologist. As my schedule did not permit me to go to St. Luke’s BGC, I went to a doctor in Makati Medical Center instead.
And so the endo advised me to go through the OGTT, which is a sugar level test usually taken by women who are around 20-25wks pregnant. So mine was advanced few weeks ahead, because I was bordering beyond normal level in the fasting blood sugar.
It was a terrible feeling, having to fast for at least 8 hours, then being required to drink 75ml of syrupy, super sweet orange flavored liquid. And I cannot eat, drink, and vomit for the next two hours, untill all the blood samples were extracted. But I made it somehow, haha.
The results of the OGTT is almost consistent with the fasting blood sugar test, so I was advised to monitor my glucose/sugar level everyday every after meal. I have to prick myself 4x a day to get blood sample! So Why do I have to go through all of this? Because being diabetic is bad for baby. According to my OB, it can cause unwanted negative effects (congenital) if left untreated.
So I’ll have to do everything to make sure baby is ok.
The minor challenges I had was the toothache and flu combo I had last week! Oh it was so terrible, that I literally cried to Hubby as I requested him to buy ice to numb the toothache. That is in between major headache and sneezing due to my flu. As I cannot take any pain relievers, I have to endure everything with only water, including washing down the flu with lemon juice only. When we went to see the dentist the next day, she told me that it is common for pregnant women to have weaker gums and teeth, and anything not ok before I got pregnant will also be aggravated. I am very thankful she knows what to do, as I cannot also have major teeth fix like root canal while pregnant. Next week, I’ll have to go back to check the rest of my teeth.
On the bright side, it was my OB appointment yesterday. We heard again baby’s fast heartbeat <3 And I was told that 1-2wks from now, I will start to feel baby moving in my tummy. I am so looking forward to that!
As to baby’s gender, the comprehensive ultrasound will be done on the first week of January. Both Hubby and I are excited to know if Baby Jam is a boy or girl 😀 We are praying for a healthy baby, so any gender is great! It’s God’s plan, so He gets to decide the best for it <3
14 Weeks: Second Trimester
We are celebrating a major milestone this week, which marks our second trimester! Baby Jam is estimated to be lemon-sized by now. Baby is growing fast, and sometimes I’m not sure if I’m really feeling him/her like “swimming” in my womb, or I’m just too excited about it 😉
I am just grateful for all the prayers I was getting from family and friends, especially during the first trimester. I know it is with the help of these prayers that I’ve had a relatively easy first trimester. For my age and no bed rest at all, I really thank God for that 🙂
Loudest applause next to God is for my Hubby, who did everything for me (and baby) during that time–I felt like a queen! More than the cleaning of the house, buying me food and my cravings, doing the groceries, sorting out the laundry, being most patient and loving, and reading “The Expectant Dad” book that I bought him and forced him to read–what I appreciated most is when he would lead praying for me and baby, especially during my most “preggy” moments (like whenever I don’t feel well, or crying out of nowhere). A whisper of prayer from this man always made me feel better (aww!).
And now at the start of 2nd trimester, I’m amazed how fast the transition was. As soon as it started, all seems a lot more easier and better (physically and emotionally). For a few days, indigestion and bloating were major problems for me. But thankfully again, I learned how to avoid it and now I felt much more normal 😀 I’m sooo excited to get back to exercising (preggy-allowed, of course) and start to move more again 🙂
On a side note, we are in the process of keeping tabs in my sugar level, which will hopefully turn out normal. My glucose test results will come out soon and I will see the endocrinologist this week.
For now, I am just looking forward to more of this journey. My baby bump is starting to show, and now I’m starting to sort of panic (for real) where to start learning the ropes of pregnancy, and preparing for baby. I know we are not even half way, but I am not doubting and not praning with anything because I am holding on the most sturdy stronghold, our God. 🙂
To close this post, I’m sharing our 14th week prayer for Baby Jam. I got a book that Hubby and I read/pray in parallel with baby’s development, and here’s our prayer for our 14th week:
Dear Lord, we thank you for making it to the second trimester this week! We praise you for this miracle of baby that I am carrying. Truly, you are a great and wonderful God! We’re amazed at the exquisite detail You planned for Your creation. Thank you for caring for our unborn baby.
Lord, we pray that baby will exhibit the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and temperance. Help us to be role models of these. Help us to be loving parents that you want us to be.
And Lord, we pray for the physical development of our baby. Please cause everything that is happening this week to develop properly.
Psalm 139:13 says, “You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb”. We thank you for this encouraging message. Please knit together–cause to develop properly–every part of our baby’s being: body, soul and spirit.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
–Praying Through Your Pregnancy, by Carolyn Warren, Jennifer Polimino
100 Days Maternity Leave
I know it’s still a long way to go, but spending a longer time off work to be with Baby Jam after delivery is something I really look forward to. That’s why the progress of House Bill 4113 is important to me (and to the rest of currently pregnant moms in the Philippines).
Last week, House Bill 4113, or the proposed “100-Day Maternity Leave Law,” has been endorsed for plenary approval. When fully approved, it will increase ML period to 100 days with pay for government and private sector employees.
Currently, Philippines allows only 8-10weeks of maternity leave.
Compared to the rest of the word, i found interesting data from Huffington Post. Based from here, I’d like to be in UK for the 50+ weeks of paid maternity leave:D
Here’s a related illustration I got from HERE:
I hope our leaders and those who will be in the planary will consider the need to extend MLs in the Philippines.
We’d be forever thankful if this is approved real sooon (before May 2017 please!) 🙂
Cravings
And so I confirmed from the past weeks that it’s true: pregnancy cravings are for real.
Mine was Turon or Banana-q, bananas wrapped with sugar and fried in oil. How satisfying it is! I would bug Hubby to buy me 2pcs everyday from their office canteen. It helped me make it through the first trimester blues! 😀
The Heartbeat
Today, we heard Baby Jam’s heartbeat!
I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing, that fast galloping sound is the sweetest sound of all <3
And when I saw Hubby’s smile while hearing baby’s heartbeat, I could almost hear my own heart saying my gratitude to God for His best gift ever.
Our OB noticed that baby is sensitive, and very aware on what’s happening. Baby Jam reacts whenever the ultrasound device is re-positioned. It took a while before we heard the heartbeat (though we already saw it in my first 2 VGS ultrasound weeks before). I was asking baby not to make us nervous. And few minutes later, there it was. Loud, soft, fast, and happy beating <3
On a side note, I failed to complete my blood tests today because of the required fasting (which I didn’t remember!). We’re coming back on weekend to do it.
Keep that heart strong, Baby. We love you!
11 Weeks: Super Sensitive Smell
This morning, someone was eating Jollibee meal in front of my office desk. Oh the smell–I have to endure! I have to rely to my menthol stick or I have to vomit @-@ I hope baby Jam is not smelling it. I know that he/she has already sense of smell by now!
10 Weeks: Praying for Baby’s Heart & Brain
we pray for a memory and a brain that would remember You first and everyday. we pray for a loving heart that beats in perfect rhythm after Your own. <3 – Psalm 119:11
