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Great Expectations- Pregnancy and Childbirth
*****
Great Expections- Pregnancy and Childbirth
Sandy Jones, Marcie Jones, With Claire Westdahl, With Peter S. Bernstein
My first 3mester, Perze bought this for me and from then on, i was a pregnancy junkie when it came to reading up on my pregnancy and my baby’s development.
This is a great book because it’s warm and personal, as if a woman’s talking you through it, and because as i read it from week to week, it seems consistent to what i’m feeling, and what i should be concerned about at that stage in my pregnancy. It was a way to influence my thinking and planning without sounding too much like a textbook, but more like a guiding voice, knowing that i’m 1 out of millions of women in the world going through the same thing. It reassured me that what i was feeling wasn’t alien or wrong, but common and ok.
The book is great because it is so comprehensive when it comes to every concern, whether it’s talking to your OB/GyN, what types of vitamins and how much you should be taking, what not to take, what to avoid, how to plan for a shower, consumer reports on baby gear, breastfeeding, and even lists of birth defects or diseases to watch for. It covers the types of tests you need to take, and it may be overwhelming, but more education is always more reassurance.
I’ve learned that pregnancy can be a scary time, but the more you read, the more you’ll know, and the more you know, the more you know what to do, what not to do, which gives tons of comfort as opposed to knowing nothing at all…
Learning How to Sing by Clay Aiken
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Learning How to Sing
Clay Aiken
Everyone knows i’m a huge uber fan of this singer, and not just as a singer, but as a person. His humility and sarcasm is evident in his idiosyncratic gestures, and that’s why so many people are drawn to him, and many with great aversion.
As for me, i’m a true fan, no joke, I’ve even attended one of his concerts, bought myself a huge poster book, and got his audio CD of this book as a gift from a good friend.
As for the book, i gave it a good 3 out of 5 stars because, 1- he didn’t write the book. I sort of wished he did, like i wished he wrote his own songs, but we all can’t be that talented in every field. 2- It was an easy read, but it was honest, straight to the point, and no holds bar when it came to personal things that could have been too vulnerable to share, but i admire the courage he had to say and admit the things he had to say about his birth father, about his geekiness, and even about his religion. It is an honest account that he gave knowing that it could be used to further taunt him as a momma’s boy, a geek, a goody-goody, but it also showed his resilience to stand up for who he really is.
and 3- it is inspiring. he is the underdog.
week 29 concerns and questions
What to consider this week
Planning Your Baby’s Birth
Getting to know the hospital
Giving Birth
Childbirth made simple
What’s Safe to Eat & Drink?
Is it safe to eat foods with MSG during pregnancy?
Getting the Nutrients You Need
I don’t like fruits or vegetables. What can I do to have a healthy pregnancy?
How much water should I drink while I’m pregnant?
Fitness During Pregnancy
Is it safe to do yoga during pregnancy?
Looking Good: Pregnancy
Essay: Against maternity clothes
Travel During Pregnancy
Getting there by plane
Avoiding common pregnancy discomforts when you’re on the road
Eight smart strategies for pregnant travelers
Is it safe to travel alone during my pregnancy?
What are the best clothes to travel in during pregnancy?
What should I do if I have contractions while traveling?
Will airplane cabin pressure harm my unborn baby?
Complications
Preeclampsia
Preterm labor and birth
Bulletin board: Thyroid issues and concerns
Baby Showers
Coed Baby Showers
Baby shower planning and etiquette
Top 10 baby shower gifts
Pregnancy Gear
Pregnancy buying timeline: Third trimester
Pregnancy Gifts
Gifts for expectant dads
Naming Your Baby
Life story: Baby names, big battles
Parenting Tips & Strategies
In search of the maternal instinct
month 7
current weight: 128 lbs.
current craving: water
as i write this, emma’s kicking or moving profusely inside. i haven’t been updating this blog, but i hope to do so more frequently now that i’m in my last trimester.
perze and i met with the ultrasound doctor and they’re having some concerns with her bone growth, particularly her thigh bones. They are much shorter than the rest that they’ve compared her to within their charts, but the doctor also commented that their charts are based on caucasians and african americans, therefore, emma being an asian baby, she is much smaller than the rest. so the doctor said that genetics may be playing its card here.
another factor may be the placenta being able to give nutrients and oxygen sufficiently enough to her, but i’ve done my first stress test where i was asked to sit on a couch for 20 minutes, just relaxing and being hooked onto a machine that records her heart beat and movement. this test administered proved positive results indicating that she is just fine.
also, the doctor said her brain is developing beautifully, and everything else looks great, although still on the smaller side. so for now, we’re all just hoping she’s tiny because of her mom and dad.
for the remaining weeks ahead, i’m scheduled to have the stress tests conducted weekly, having more frequent ultrasounds to monitor her growth, and biweekly appointments with my regular ob/gyn until she’s born.
i know she’ll be fine. we love you emma/noe/gracie.
ps: something also worth sharing: when the doctor was trying to get a good shot of her face frontal view, emma stuck her tongue out at us! even the doctor was startled, and perze and i just laughed, cuz every time before we get an ultrasound, we talk to her and ask her to dance. this time, she decided to be funny…
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