Today's ultrasound revealed that baby #2 is measuring 2 weeks bigger than my gestation week. That means she is measuring 38++ weeks, when I am about 36 + 5. According to the sonographer, theoretically I would be delivering earlier than my due date, but nobody can really tell. This is the first time baby #2 is measuring bigger than my gestation week. Selalunya measurements semua ngam2 ajor dengan gestation weeks. I am starting to wonder if the sudden growth spurt has to do with me indulging too much sugar these past weeks. Hihi.. But than again, masa dengan Diya dulu, I was on sugar high throughout 9 months and she was still born a healthy 3.37kg. Hmm.. Anyways, my O&G said that baby#2 would probably be about the same weight as Diya when she is born nanti and she is not anticipating that baby #2 will be a big baby.

Oh, also I expressed my wish to deliver at the midwifery-led unit and my O&G explained all the risks etc. She was not opposing to the idea nor was she enthusiastic about it. But she did forward my concern to the midwifery-led unit and I have an appointment to see the head of unit next Tuesday to discuss further about my option. Basically the head of unit will be the one to decide because she would be responsible for all the labours there. I'm having my fingers crossed that she will say Okay.  Tapi seperti kata fabulous, I'm keeping an open mind about my labour and birth. It doesnt matter if I cant go under the midwifery led unit but its still worth the try. :)

ps: PhD-wise I tak buat apa2 kerja pun for the past 2 weeks! But the worst thing is I dont feel guilty pown. Aiyo!

Saspen tak baca tajuk entry nih? LOL! No, I havent given birth yet, but I'd like to tell you about my dillemma about some labour and birth stuff in this entry. Kalau tidak berminat, sila tekan X at your top right page.

Anyways, yesterday I went to tour the hospital that I will be giving birth at. And for the first time I really understood the whole system of maternity care here in the UK. Before this I macam faham lite lite aja. Apparently, kat UK ni ada beberapa level maternity / labour care. You will be given routine check ups at your GP by local midwives and only need to go to hospy for ultrasound. Ultrasound will only be carried out 2 times only throughout pregnancy. This is provided that you have no complications whatsoever throughout your pregnancy.

If you have complications such as family history illness, diabetes, high blood pressure etc, you will be monitor intermittently at the nearest hospy and you will have alternate check-ups between your GP midviwes and consultants at the hospy. In my case, I had to be monitored because I had chicken pox at early pregnancy so they want to monitor the fetus growth every month.

Aside from health complications, you can also be categorised as high risk pregnancy if you have had a c-section in your previous pregnancies. Therefore you are advised to give birth at a hospy that has more complete facilities and consultants. In my case, I was referred to Heath hospy (which is different from the hospy that I do my regular check ups and ultrasound). So kesimpulannya, i have 3 places that I have my pregnancy check up.     

Complicated tak? It doesnt end there okay. I just found out from yesterday tour that kat Heath hospy ini ada 2 different labour care. One is called consultant-led unit and another one is called midwifery-led unit.

Currently I am booked in at the consultant-led unit (because I had previous c-sect). The thing is, I macam tak suka dekat consultant-led unit tu. The rooms are tiny, the atmostphere is very2 uninviting and I dont know why but it brings back bad memories of sakit contractions etc. Lepas tu the building is currently under construction so what you can see outside the window is tiang2 construction! Aiyo. mak tak suka..

Looking in the labour rooms!

The midwifery-led unit pula is 100 percent the opposite! The rooms are at least 4 times bigger than the ones in consultant-led unit, they have 3 huge birth pools. And husband can stay over night (if necessary and space ada). Kat consultant led unit hubby cuma boleh stay from 9am to 9pm ajor. Lepas tu atmostphere kat midwife-led unit adelah sangat2 soothing. Sesuwai dengan plan makk nak try for hypnobirthing. But the midwife-led unit is for the low-risk pregnancies and therfore cuma midwife aja yg ada kat situ. Hence, you can only opt for gas, pethidine or water pool for pain relief. Kalau nak epidural, kena pi naek consultant led unit and give birth there.

The midwifery-led unit labour room -
notice the huge birthpool, labour ball and space! 
Pastu the post-labour rooms plak ada double beds and ensuite bathroom! Best macam duduk hotel!

So anyways, my dilemma is, I want to give birth at the midwifery-led unit! I think I need to talk to the consultant and persuade her that I can be placed under midwife-led unit. Esok ada appointment and ultrasound so this myte be my best chance to convince them. I know that here in the UK, doctors are more supportive as to where you want to give birth. I know a couple mothers on babycentre that have opted for a homebirth after c-sect and their med caregivers are very supportive of their decision. So esok makk nak try my luck and pesuade them to change from consultant-led to midwifery -led unit.

Oleh itu, I've prepared some alasan for this:

1) I have been and remained to be healthy in this pregnancy.
2) All my ultrasounds have shown that my fetal growth development are normal
3) Baby is in good size and weight for vaginal birth
4) I'm planning for a natural hypnobirth VBAC so I need the atmostphere to be as calm and serene as it can get
5) Visiting the consultant-led unit has brought back traumatic memories of my previous labour. I am afraid that I will give in easily if surrounded by such atmostphere.
6) My previous labour was induced but had failed before I reach establish labour stage, so I have a higher chance of normal delivery.
7) Oh, did I mentioned that I am very2 keen on having a VBAC, so any support would be very much appreciated.
8) If there are any complications that arise during labor (Nauzzubillah), I can still be wheeled in the consultant-led unit, because they are in the same building.

Okei tak alasan2 ni? Ada yang boleh ditambah tak?

Oh, nak jugak cakap bahawa, I cannot be induced this time around because I have had a previous c-sect. This is the practice in the UK. So I will have to wait for nature to take its course and hope that I wont exceed 42 weeks of pregnancy. Full term babies are from categorised as 37-42 weeks gestation. So if I do go over my due date, the doctors would still wait till i'm 2 weeks overdue before deciding what to do.

I am very2 hopeful that baby #2 will arrive before my due date. Not just because I cant wait to have her in my arms but also so that we would have a better chance of having a VBAC. Kat sini, if you have had 2 c-sect or more, you will be advised to have c-sect again. :(

Oh.. I'm gonna be 37 weeks this coming Sunday (yeay!!) so baby #2, you can come out any day after this weekends okei.. Mom is ready for you. :)

ps: During the tour, the nurse told us to bring our own stuff - like enough babygros, nappies, cotton wool etc. They do not provide apa2 okei. Aiyo..

It was a very fun night full of scary costumes, good company, great food and sweet TREATS! (that's 2 weekends in a row for me, Yikes!)

We carved halloween pumpkin (well, ubie did all the carving while we watched.)

Draw the face on the pumpkin first

Diya insisted that we carve a happy pumpkin, not a scary one.

The carving process

Then Diya put on her witch costume and some face makeup. Again, she doesnt want to look scary, so no spider web painting or dramatic eye. So we had drawings of the stars and moon on her cheeks. Makk pakai eyeliner ajor.. senang nak wipe afterwards. hihi..

Glittery eyes and some stars on the cheeks

Posing with our pumpkin!

After maghrib, we drove  to Hila's place. We didnt go trick or treat at our neighbourhood because our kawasan ni tak berapa happening dengan halloween. Almaklumlah, kawasan ramai pakistan and not mat salleh.. hihi..

We arrived lambat sikit. Shameem and Jue was already there. Had dinner before going trick or treat. Candlelight dinner with glow in the dark skeletons, and lotsa halloween decors lightings. Hila even had witch brooms on her window. :)

Desserts - pumpkin gingerbread cookies, swirly cuppies, Foot shaped cookies, and appetiser smoked salmon on cheese crackers

Window halloween decorations

Gorgeous table setting. Can you spot the glow-in-the-dark skeletons on the table?

Us having dinner. Roast chicken, salad, pasta and fruit salad. Yums!

Among the trick or treaters!!

After dinner, its our turn to go trick or treating!

Our trick or treat gang! Nabil a.k.a Darth Vader Batman, Danial the Dracula
and my lil Diya the friendy witch!

Choosing their treats!

Posing at one of the houses

Diya looking scared at one of the houses

Kiddies and mummies. And Oohh.. Taraaa! my new hair!

Oh there's also a video on my facebook for you guys to see.. I dunno how to put it up here sebab its not my video. But its really funny. You can see how chatty diya is in the video. LOL!

So thats our first trick or treating. Hopefully we'll get to do it again next year!  

ps: ninie, make sure tunjuk mama n papa gambar n video tu taww.. hihi..

Just came back from trick or treat-ing. So penat but so much fun! Will blog about it tmrw.

My little witch and her pumpkin

I remember being rather emotional and overwhelmed with sadness right after giving birth to Diya. I know that those are just hormonal reaction and it is quite normal to experience some level of post-partum depression. I remember hating myself and am pretty gutted at myself for letting that feeling overpower me because I generally am a very2 happy person. I remember hating my body so much. I was so mad at myself for 'letting go' and overindulgeding sugar and fats, all in the name of pregnancy. But I guess everything happened for a reason. And I did learned to be more prepared this time around.

This pregnancy, not only I was able to maintain my weight under my personal target, I think I consume healthier food than before (coffee being the exception). I still enjoyed chocolates and sweets but in moderation.

And as a preparation for possible post-partum hormones attack, I decided to pamper myself before the baby comes. I want to look good on the outside and feel good in the inside. Hopefully this self-pampering strategy will do the trick. :) So...I did a little bit accessories shopping, and...... I CUT MY HAIR!! Yup! I decided to trust ubie and his hair-cutting skills. I asked for a victoria beckham's pob but ended up with Eva longoria's bob. Haha.. I know asking him to give me a Pob is a it ambitious. But it was pretty nonetheless.

This is what I asked

This is what I got

I'm not gonna show my hair yet. It's not finish yet. I'm having some colours in, again DIY. I got this from boots yesterday (it was on a very good discount)

Mentang2 lah Eva Longoria is the ambassador for this product.. ngeh.ngeh..

Anyways, am going to get this done today. But I'm still unsure whether to put it as hair highlights or just color my whole hair. I read reviews on the internet and most ppl said that its gonna turn out darker than expected. Erk.. dahle I got the darkest shade.. hmmm...   Maybe I should first test it by highlighting my bangs and see what color it will turn out.

Then, I'm gonna ask ubie to trim my hir a bit. (masih jugak nak berangan nak dapatkan posh pob nihhh...!)  

ps: I have one grey hair!! Discovered it the day ubie cut my hair. aiyo! Didnt pluck it out coz they say 10 others will come to its funeral. LOL.