Princess Christine's Maternity Fashion Runway

I am happy to say that I have finally compiled sufficient maternity clothings to tide me through the pregnancy as my tummy grow in size every day. As I am a no frill person, it isnt a surprise that when i do my compilation, I include dresses of size variation up to the the full trimester and even the nursing tops!

Now in order to make the clothes representation as truthful as possible on how it will appear on a pregnant mummy, I asked Ah li (my wonderful sis in law) to help me out with the mini photoshoot taking for all these maternity clothes with no make up and editing and of course we took the picture during the time when my tummy is already up and showing, with me fattening up by a great lot. Of course I will look not as fabulous as when I was slim but heck with it as I am here to capture my pregnancy journal with accuracy to show it to my little one in future when he/she grows up. To date I am heavier by 3.9 kg and now at a weight of 53.9kg. Quite in tune with the weight chart I have computed with the pregnancy weight calculator sometime ago.

We used 2 cameras to capture all the details of the dresses since no editing (which makes me look kind of pale but i like the natural look of it too) is to be done (ok i admit i have no idea how to edit accept for cropping and adjusting brightness and contrast like a junior). All pictures are taken at home with no frills.

So here's the Royal Maternity Runway Parade brought to you by
Princess Christine!


Princess Closet 1 : Sweet Navy Casual (Spring Maternity) . (Black ribbon brooch own)
A dress that makes a mummy feel slim, royal and lady like with the simple but yet elegant cut.

Princess Closet 2: Eco Chic (Grey Satin sash own) (My Little Angels Maternity)
Love the refreshing green colour which brightens up a mummy's day out!! Can be worn for my third trimester as it can be a big size dress without the sash on.

Princess Closet 3: Hip Hop Yoyo (9mos) (Grey spagetti own)
Suitable for my third trimester as this is a L size piece. I love the creativity of the design of the dress as it looks so hip hop on a mummy to be.

Princess Closet 4: Pastel Pink Rainbow (Spring Maternity) (Pink tank top own)
The sweet pink pastel stripes won my hearts down =)

Princess Closet 5: Oriental Elegance (Spring Maternity)
Gorgeous mandarin collar meets summer garden green. A fusion fashion statement with a East meets West.

Princess Closet 6: Nerd Me Not (Nursing top from spring maternity)(Nerd specs own)
A bright pastel purple stripes brightens up even the day of a super nerd, making it a fun filled day!

Princess Closet 7: The FantaEeeeeeeeeelastic Pants (3/4 pants from Spring Maternity)
The navy blue stripe details on the pocket is something i love very much and the pants easily goes well with all the various maternity tops that i bought.

Princess Closet 8: Princess Juliet (Nursing top from Moms in mind)(Necklace and pink tank top own)
A classic juliet cream top which brings out the romantic poet in a mummy.

Princess Closet 9: Purple Butterfly Dream (Nursing top from Moms in mind)(Brooch and pink tank top own)
The front twist highlights the sexy curves of a mummy from bust to baby tummy.

Princess Closet 10: Macha Delight (Scarlet) (Hairband own)
A very comfortable top suitable to be worn esp in my third trimester. The tradition macha feel of the top makes me wanna go KONICHIWA!
Princess Closet 11: Hawaii Shopaholic (Nursing top from Spring Maternity) (Grey spaggetti own)
Going on a "beachy", wild and notty shopping spree? Here's the perfect mummy nursing top which makes the mummy shine with a vibrance which glares into the eye of every onlookers.
Princess Closet 12: Passionate Spring (Spring Maternity)
Great for the coming chinese new year!

Princess Closet 13: Sweet Spring (Spring Maternity)
A refreshing floral garden dress that doesnt need much accessories to flatter the mummy itself. One of my hot favourites too.

Princess Closet 14: Glamour (Marc Jacob) (Acessories own)
One of my great favourites! Uptown taitai in an instant! Suitable for parties and attending banquets =)

Princess Closet 15: Runway Wave (Marc Jacob)
I was taken aback by this dress as it didnt really feel flattering until i personally put it on. The many details from sequins to to cross ties on the side of the dress gives me lots of surprise on how much a fashion runway piece this dress is!

Princess Closet 16: Sweet Blush (Necklace own)
Going for a casual marketing trip to the nearest supermarket? Fashion up with this cute purple print dress that makes your marketing trip a whole lot KAWAII!

Princess Closet 17: I Mean Bizness (Maternity Skirt)
The 2 sexy slits in front makes a mean biz woman a sassy woman!

Princess Closet 18: Split Tease (Maternity Skirt)
No worries about the split in front as it is actually all covered but definitely a tease to those around you.

Princess Closet 19: She isnt Preg at All? (Maternity Skirt)
Love this skirt to the core for the very fact that it has a visual slimming effect! I almost look non preggy at all lol!

Princess Closet 20: Vintage Princess (Mother World) (Necklace own)
A sweet vintage dress that reminds me of a similar dress i worn when i was young. So sweet that it will melt your hubby's heart!

Wah so many pieces of maternity clothings and I have yet include a pair of maternity jeans which i plan to wear it during my third trimester with its plus size.
Total Damage for all 21 pieces?

KACHING of $136! (Avg of $6.50 per piece!!! WAHHhhhhhh)

How can this be when so many of the pieces are branded???? These are actually the hardwork i have put in for the past 2 months in collating and sourcing the various affordable 2nd hand maternity dresses from the various mummies on the forum. I guess as long as they look fabulous on me, who cares about it being a used piece right?

Another truimph victory by Princess Christine!! WOOHOOoo!!!

How Baby Prince Looks Like!

Well I havent been updating much while being coop up at home most of the time due to my severe back pain, I did enjoy a trip down to the library occasionally browsing through motherhood magazines and cant help but express how fabulous it was for reading to help me prepped bit by bit and to update more on my knowledge bank.

I have also been keeping myself busy with online trading for 2nd hand maternity clothes which is a real GEM as I no longer have to find myself running out often as when I was preparing for my DIY wedding all the stuff I need. Plus if you ever visit a maternity boutique store, you will be shocked by the crazy prices they are selling the clothes *shocked*. The expensive cost of this and that really kills parents and I will soon have an entry about all my nice exclusive 2nd hand buys as soon as i think i stocked up sufficient. Then I will asked Sir woodblock to help me snap my 1st Maternity Fashion Parade lol!!!

I am glad I am finally getting happier now as the past few weeks was a killer and I cant help but admit that I might be suffering a mild pre natal blue. Not only did I suffer early from a lower back pain, I also suffered from many other symtoms like UTI (urinary tract infection) and a rash which i think is similar to this PUPP rash (Pruritic Urticarial Papules or Plaques of Pregnancy).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruritic_urticarial_papules_and_plaques_of_pregnancy

This rash is so terrible that it started appearing all over my tummy area and spread even to my butt and neck area. It felt terrible to be itching all over and I have to apply lots of diaper rash cream over my body to help overcome the itch.

I guess all these 101 symptoms add up to a lot of depression and hormonal imbalance and eventually I started to have pimple outbreaks!! The most frustrating thing of all is that I realise I wont be able to use any pimple related products or those retinoid products to help with the pimples and they are harmful to the baby. Thank goodness I have 2 saviour products that eventually help me out => Aloe Vera Gel (Jorubi) and Hiruscar. These 2 are WONDERS! Esp HIRUSCAR!!! I started using this after I know that that Hiruroid is a gel that doctor often prescribed in the hospital for healing surgery scar. However, back then, I only use it for body scar and not the face as it was not meant for it. However, a year back ago, the company started to release the Scar healing gel for the face too !!!! It's a super yay as this works so much better then the condolisa scar heal which is not only more expensive and comes in very minute quantity. Of course when I say it works wonder I dont mean it in a day but it does show real significant results in a quite a few days!!

See review by another preggy mummy:
http://mybeautyreviews.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/hiruscar-scar-remover-gel/

Even if you are not pregnant but if you have trouble dealing with pimple scar, I cant tell you how much you should just have one and start using it.

I wish I started using that earlier as all these pimples and etc makes me feel a little angry with my baby because I just felt someone must be blame for all these terrible ordeal I am in. For many days, I refuse to talk to my baby (as in to my tummy) nor even stroke baby (my tummy). Thanks to Sir woodblock, he took time off and started to bond baby Hui and me which was not easy as I have quite a temper during the depressed period. So now Baby Hui and me are best friends again =) Yay!

Since now me and Baby Hui are best friends, I felt that I really need to take a peep at how my new best friend will look like:

DRUMROLLLLLLZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:


HARLOW BABY HUI!!!

Ancient Calendar for Baby Gender Prediction

After all the excitement of the pregnancy news in the early weeks of pregnancy and the reassurance of the baby's survival stability in week 12, the next wave of excitement which is plunge into all mummies and daddies' mind will be about the baby's gender.

Now I discovered that it seems of be a fashion but both the ang mos and the chinese mummies are all turning to this Ancient chinese gender chart for the fun of predicting of their baby's gender. My cousin Pearlyn shared with me that she did refer to the chart and it was really accurate for her case.

Of course for those who may be thinking of having your first or second baby, this is probably a chart you may want to refer to if you have a specific gender in mind. But if you ask me, this can only be refer for reference to predict baby gender and not really to prepare a baby with a specific gender as concieving is not as easy as it seem to be like those tv drama.

OK here's some historical information of the origin of the calender:

History of ancient chinese gender chart
Ancient chinese gender chart calculator is the oldest method of baby gender prediction. It was discovered over 700 years ago in Beijing. Many people ask how accurate is the chinese pregnancy gender predictor. Chinese gender prediction charts claim to be accurate, however were not proven to be accurate, and are used mainly for entertainment purposes.

Ancient China came up with the ancient chinese gender predictor calculator because throughout history the chinese preferred boys over girls. In China, they always needed more farmers and soldiers. Boys would bring more money into the family by working in fields, while girls stayed home until they got married. China has also been through many wars, and they needed more soldiers. By creating lunar chinese pregnancy calendar boy or girl gender prediction chart and calculator, they were able to come up with the pregnancy chinese gender prediction chart that predicts the gender of the unborn baby. However, the free chinese baby gender chart predictors have never been scientifically proven. So when you wonder how accurate is the chinese calendar boy or girl predictor and calculator, keep in mind that they might not be accurate.

It is said that the ancient pregnancy chinese gender prediction chart was found in a royal tomb by a chinese scientist. Chinese gender calculator test was recently discovered, and now chinese table quiz predictions are used to predict the gender of the baby during pregnancy. Chinese gender calendar boy or girl chart is based on lunar calendar which shows dates according to the phases of the moon. Chinese lunar calendar baby predictor uses mother's chinese age at the time of conception and the month of conception. This baby gender prediction is based on the belief that women of the same age are more likely to conceive babies of the same gender.
Source: http://www.fortunebaby.com/chinesegenderpredictionchart.html

So now we get to know about this calendar better, it is good to warn the users that this calender must be use in the correct way!

Many of the ang mos webbies failed to address the right usage of this calendar as they were not familiar with the concept of the chinese lunar age and chinese lunar month which is the actual numbers that we have to input for reading the chart. So for those of you who are lost in calculating the lunar age and lunar month of conception, here's 2 websites I found who can do the conputation for you.

The longitude for Singapore is 55E. So here's my lunar age computation:

Calculate your chinese lunar age
Source: http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/TDB/Cage1.asp

My lunar age is 27!

The lunar age will definitely be accurately but it is the lunar month of conception that is the tricky part. No one knows for sure when is the conception date as it depends on the rate at which the sperm travels. It will be a gullible statement if you assume that the dates that you have sex is the same day as the conception which is not absolutely true. So my advice is to input a range of dates in which you might think you have concieve. So it's really like give and take.

Calculate your conception lunar month
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/CLunarCal1.htm
So after the computation: My lunar month of conception was the earliest at July and the latest possible month will be in September.


Looks like Baby Hui have a high chance to be a boy boy!

What do me and daddy woodblock yearns for? All I can say is opposite sex attracts. So while I want a baby boy, daddy woodblock and Ah ma (my mother in law) prefers a baby girl. However, if you asked me, I have a hunch my wonderful hubby and MIL is really thoughtful as I understand that they must have thought a few steps ahead about the quota problem as sir woodblock is the only son. Definitely, due to this, both of them refuse to let me get stressed out over this nitty gritty problem of gender issues =)

I love both my family and in laws family! I feel bless and happy=)

Source: http://www.babygenderprediction.com/chinese-gender-chart.html

Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator

I always have a habit of weighing myself on a daily basis especially now that I am pregnant. This is the beginning of week 14 of my pregnancy and I cant help worry if the weight gain is appropriate and normal. A mummy is always selfless and prior to that, in order to make myself concieve better and I try all sort of ways from taking wu ji bai feng wan
http://www.euyansang.com/index.php/product/flagship-products/gold-label-bak-foong-pill
to getting some weight gain from 48kg to 50kg (I heard from my colleagues it is not wise to continue slimming while trying to concieve). I hope my baby will appreciate all the lengths i have to concieve her/him.

But then again a lady is always vain and it dreads me to step on the weighing machine to worry about both sides of the coin.

Scenario 1: Gaining weight fast
Worries: Am I eating too much and getting fat on my own instead of due to my babies growth??? Princess Mummy Christine: this is something mummy need to look out for as we often keep thinking we are eating for 2. The truth is we should be eating at the same volume as we were eating but we should be taking in nutrition for 2. Therefore, the mummy should be taking related pregnancy nutrition and supplements by changing the type of food we are eating and not the amount.

Scenario 2: Losing weight
Worries: Oh my god is my baby still there?
Princess Mummy Christine: Actually it is normal for mummy to lose weight or gain little weight after 1st trimester due to vomiting(morning sickness) etc

Scenario 3: Gaining weight hardly
Worries: Is my baby not getting enough nutrition? Why is it not growing fast?

Anyway my worries are not unfounded for. Here's what I found out:

Women who do not gain enough weight have an increased risk of delivering small babies (low birth weight of less than 2.5 kg). In Singapore, Indians tend to deliver smaller babies than other races. Small babies can die in early childhood and have many health problems. They are more prone to asthma, and respiratory tract infections (cough and cold). Small babies are at greater risk of having cerebral palsy (a nervous system disorder causing difficulty in talking and walking). Their Intelligent Quotient (IQ) is lower and they may have delayed development.

Gaining too much weight can also be a problem. It may increase the risk of developing hypertension and diabetes in pregnancy. The pregnancy becomes an unpleasant experience, causing backache, leg cramps and varicose veins. Besides it is also difficult to lose weight after delivery. The baby tends to be big. Large babies make vaginal deliveries difficult, increasing the risk for cesarean section. Overweight babies may become obese and diabetic in later part of their lives.


I am glad in the end I found this pregancy calculator online instead of the general pregnancy weight gain chart that customise the estimated weight gain according to the mummy's orginal BMI before pregnancy.

So here's the customise one for Princess Mummy Christine:


I am not sure whether if it is a coincidence, but I am now into the week 14 of my pregnancy and my weight is now 52.5 kg. Just nice =) Puts me at ease.... WHEW!

It is recommended that women should aim for a weight gain related to their pre-pregnancy BMI:
•If BMI was above 26, you should aim for a weight gain of between 7 and 11.5kg.
•If BMI was between 20 and 26, you should aim for a weight gain of 11.5 to 16kg.
•If BMI was less than 20, you should aim for a weight gain of 12.5 to 18kg.


On a Trimester Basis:
•First trimester: Most women put on around 1.6kg in the first three months.
•Second trimester: around 0.5kg a week for the next three months (5.5 - 6.4kg) in total.
•Third trimester: and only around 5kg over the last three months.

If you are wondering how much goes to the baby exactly? Only 3-4 kg out of the total 11-16kg gain by the mummy!!!!


Source: http://www.baby2see.com/pregnancy_weight_calculator.html

I guess it's good for mummies to get a digital weighing machine to monitor our weight closely =) I cant wait to find out the gender of Baby Hui soon!

How to fold a traditional cloth diaper - Origami Style!

Now I realise my mum-in-law had secretly bought a packet of cloth diapers and hid in some dark corner of the house and I didnt realise about it until last Friday when she finally couldn't hide her excitement and took it out of the hiding place and show it to me and my aunt!

She bought the smallest size 28" for the newborn Baby Hui. I think she is pretty accurate even though I know there's giant size baby like my cousin Calvin's one. Looking at the growth of Baby Hui with the standard chart, I roughly guess Baby Hui is going to be a petite size like me and Daddy Woodblock.

It wasn't soon she started demonstrating and teaching me the daugther-in-law on a trick or 2 in folding a cloth diaper. I was pretty excited of course and it makes it even more(in fact it was an element of surprise) when I realise that the style of diaper folding she taught me was pretty the Origami style => not as boring or as simple or straight forth as I assume it would be.

Initially I wasn't very keen about using cloth diaper as WASHING DIAPER?!?!?! EEWWWW, IS A SMELLY AND DIRTY JOB that I cant imagine!

But then after much discussion and checking things out, I realise that it may not be such a bad idea for the following reasons:

1) The baby actually feels more comfortable wearing cloth diaper =)

2) The chances of nappy rash is now much reduced and saves the cost of expensive nappy rash cream (if you buy those cheapo nappy rash cream, it doesnt work and your baby continues to cry so what's the point?)

3) It is cheaper and economical then to use the disposable diaper full time (I am planning to use a mix of disposable(outdoor use) and cloth diaper(home use)).

4) To minimise the risk of dirt and mess on the mattress, there are a few strategies that are available =>
(a) Lay a layer of waterproof rubber protection mattress at waist line down so that any leakage could be prevented.
(b) Wear a waterproof diaper pants outside the cloth diapers. I went to look around and it cost about $6 bucks/piece and it comes with different cloth designs. So I will only start my purchase after I know the gender of Baby Hui.
(c) Put in a diaper liner within the cloth diaper which we can throw it away as faeces are sometimes a killer for washing.

5) It is a fact that baby urine and faeces are nicer smelling to deal with then adult ones as they only drink milk and have not much of other excretory products add on to make it smelly.

6) I am a sucker for anything that's OLD SCHOOL. LOL (ok I know that's an absolute stupid reason)

I have been surfing online on cloth diaper folding and I was amaze that there were so many different ways of doing it. I guess it is a free style world even in diaper folding! For a moment, I thought the one taught by my mum in law was the Asian style and couldn't be found in the youtube but I guess I am pretty lucky that in the end I found a video which feature the Origami style that my mum in law taught me!

Presenting a step by step guide on an ORIGAMI diaper folding style by
PRINCESS MUMMY CHRISTINE!

1) Spread and lay the diaper flat on the bed.

2) Fold the cloth into half.

3) Fold in the midpoint in order fold one side of the cloth into a triangular shape.

3) Turn the cloth onto the other side.

4) Fold the other side of the cloth into 1/3 length into the center.

5) Fold in the last 1/3 again.

6) Fold the extra cloth at the top edge down.

6) Place the baby in and then fold the bottom up.

7) Finally fold the 2 sides in to cover the baby and you may use a clip to clip the cloth in place. It is a trend for mummies not to use pin these days as there is a risk of accidentally pinning the baby's skin and hurting the baby.


For those who are not the pictorate people, here's a video to show how to do it from Purechristianity in youtube( I am not a Christian in case you have any misunderstanding)



Enjoy!

My Room's Baby Wall of Cuteness

Initially I was all up and excited to decorate and put up a baby corner for Baby Hui like the many pretty nursery rooms that I see online etc. However, this will involve a lot of paintwork and honestly as a nervous mummy, I wasn't keen on risking Baby Hui's well-being for my aesthetic vainity. So I decided to abort the plan and perhaps design and decorate a corner for Baby Hui after he/she is born instead.

However, it can be pretty frustrating sitting around all day doing nothing despite there is a fire of excitment in me and Daddy woodblock. Yet on the other hand, I wasn't read to commit my emotional attachment for the great fear of any disapointment as I mentioned that the first 3 months involve a lot of risk of miscarriage. How high is the risk exactly? Here's what I found online:

Re: Why do miscarriages happen? Is there anything I can do to avoid it? How do I know if I'm at risk?

Unfortunately, there really is no way to prevent a first trimester miscarriage, and it is the most frustrating thing about obstetrics. But, after ultrasound confirms your baby’s heartbeat at eight weeks, the risk of miscarriage is only about 3%. The risk falls even lower (1%) after a normal ultrasound at 16 weeks. (Overall, from conception, about 10 to 15% of pregnancies end in miscarriage.) Most pregnancy losses are diagnosed in the first trimester when a patient experiences bleeding or cramping. Many women may have no symptoms that the pregnancy has stopped progressing until a routine ultrasound examination indicates no heartbeat.

Source: http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy/first-trimester/qa/miscarriage-risks.aspx?MsdVisit=1

In the end I couldn't help it but I decided that since I cant decorate a baby corner at all or get any baby items at the moment, why not put up baby posters? The cost of baby posters in the market is about $2.80 which is still pretty affordable. The only thing that I didn't like was the lack of variety of Asian babies =( Hence I have no choice but to DIY my own baby posters instead. Here's the stash of cute baby photos I found online:





I love chubby baby so this is one of my favourite.




I went down to Sunshine Plaza and printed all of these photos out and pasted it onto a black coloured paper for a nice contrasting frame. Instead of laminating (which is expensive), I opted to put them into plastic folders(50 cents each) for protection before pasting them onto the wall.
Total $$$: $8.00 + $4 = $12.00 (approximately)

So here I have in front of my bed a Baby Wall of Cuteness to inspire me to give birth to a kawaii and chubby baby! On the extreme left is a poster given to me by my Cousin Mummy Pearlyn. Isn't it inspiring? Every morning when I wake up, these babies will always be the first to greet me a sweet morning!

Tmr, Daddy woodblock will be bringing me and Baby Hui on a cruise ride on the Royal Carribean! I am so thrilled that I bought a simple 2 piece swim wear ($10) to go for Baby Hui and my first swim after I am pregnant. I guess it will be a great bonding time together for the family! Will be back next week to continue with my blogging! See ya=)

The 3 month Rollercoaster

I know everyone including myself expected myself to be writing something on my beloved blog ever since my pregnancy thrill but I must say that everything just wasnt what I expected!

From the constant sickness and nauseousness feeling, I cant tell you how much I feel like giving birth immediately in the past few weeks and there was no excitement because I just felt terrible. It didnt help when I suffer an acute lower back pain so bad that I cried last Tues night and only to be accompanied to see the doctor at the KK hospital the next day. Even though the doctors have not been able to tell what's really wrong with me, it is a relief that the pain is slowly going away =)

So with all these physical conditions, I have problem even with sleeping, let alone much about blogging happily at my laptop.

But to say that as I am at the end of my 1st trimester - week 12 of pregnancy, it is happy to know that my baby is kept safe and sound and it suddenly makes all the hell suffering worth it! So now here I am back on my hobby of blogging again!!! YAY isnt it?

Ok here's to share with you, my friends, some of the excitement you have miss while I am always on my MS (morning sickness) all this while.

Hmm let me recall and let's start off with our excitement of the royal pregnancy with Sir woodblock!

Week 7 of Pregnancy: Our Very first Baby Scan

The father to be looks compose but he was so excited that he almost tear like me when we found out about the new joy! He immediately went scouting around the clinic looking for relevant information booklet about the week by week development of the foetus in Princess Mummy's tummy =)

Daddy woodblock comparing the information in the booklet and our baby's growth development.

As for me I couldnt help posing with the first photo of my little baby even though it is so small that it is still in the yolk and sac form. However, during the beginning of the pregnancy, I must warn all the vain ladies that due to hormonal imbalance, it is easy to suffer from pimple outbreaks =( I felt ugly for about 2 weeks until the pimples finally subsided after I used my fav Clinque Lotion for Blemish=> works wonder. So for those BTBs, you may want to consider getting this as I find it value for money for it's fast effects over a few days.

Now at this stage of pregnancy, it's good to start looking for a private gynae as you will want proper and private attention. Other then a good reputation, you should be looking at the cost and the hospital which your gynae is attached when you make your selection.

For me, being lucky that I have an experience cousin mummy, Pearlyn, it didnt even take me any effort to do any research at all and I was recommended a gynae who delivered all my 4 nephews and nieces and even my colleague's baby! However, this gynae is pretty popular and his appointment is packed but his fee are pretty reasonable. I wanted to be thrifty as I know having kids are expensive so why not start now?

So here I am, seeing Dr Lawrence Ang, a gynae whose clinic is located at Sun Plaza.

During our first visit, to our delight, we have a little nice booklet to house the picture scans of our little baby.

Yes, I guess being a first time parents-to-be, we cant help about being so excited about it!

Now to share the thrill part- the baby scans!
Here's how to read the abbreviation and what it means:
CRL: Crown Rump Length
Meaning: A pregnancy ultrasound measurement that measures the length in centimeters from the top of the baby's head to the bottom of the buttocks. A crown rump length can be measured by around seven weeks of pregnancy and may be useful in calculating a gestational age.
EDD: Expected Date of Delivery
Meaning: The estimated average date when a woman will give birth

Week 7 - 1st detection of life! The nurse shows us how the fast flickering on the center of the yolk was the foetus heartbeat!
CRL: 9mm , EDD: 1st June 2011

Week 8: It was the first time we hear the heartbeat sound of our baby when we see Dr Ang for the first time at his clinic. Feeling emotional, I almost want to tear again! The heartbeat sounds strong and rapid =)
CRL: 1.38cm EDD: 5th June 2011 (notice the EDD changes here and there? but this is normal and varies with each scan)

week 12: It is like seeing magic when I saw the scan pic because the yolk and sac(which is actually the mini waterbag in its initial stage), has now evolved so fast within the 4 weeks that I have not being seeing Baby Hui! It looks so much human like with the head, eyes, nose, mouth and hands clearly formed! Dr Ang magnified the head to check out the nose and told us that the chances of Down Syndrome is low (whew) so he didnt push for us to do the test unless we want to.
CRL: 5.28cm
EDD: 3rd June 2011

This is the first milestone for any preggy mummies to know that the chances of carrying out this pregnancy to full term is now highly elevated. It is also the time whereby most mummies will start annoucing the pregnancy to their friends and family. To be honest it is really not wise to buy anything for the baby during the 1st 12 weeks as it will often lead to emotional attachment between the mummy and the baby. As miscarriage is likely during this period, if the mummy suffers from miscarriage, it can be a big grief and hence depression. Hence to avoid all these worse case scenarios, I avoided buying anything for my baby at all.

BUT for Sir woodblock, now with the new title of Daddy Woodblock, is so kiasu and look at all these that he made me eat and drink on daily basis =( every since the start of the 2nd trimester!

From the left:
New Obimin - Multi-vitamins for mummy and includes the essential Folic Acid
Use of Folic Acid:
Folic acid, also known as folate or folacin, is one of the B group of vitamins, also known as B9. Your body needs it to produce red blood cells, as well as norepinephrine and seratonin (chemical components of the nervous system. It helps make DNA (the body's genetic material), which normalises the brain's functions, and is a critical component of spinal fluid. Folic acid is also one of the few nutrients known to prevent neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, which, according to The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH), affects one in every 1,500 babies born in the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Health recommends that every woman who is thinking about pregnancy or is in the first third (trimester) of pregnancy to take a daily supplement of 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid and eat a folate rich diet to reduce her baby's risk of getting some types of birth defects. Women who don't get enough may also increase their chance of miscarriage. Once you are into your second trimester (from week 13), you may wish to stop taking the supplements, although continuing to take them throughout pregnancy won't harm you or your baby either.
Source: http://www.babycenter.com.sg/pregnancy/nutrition/whyneedfolicacid/

Princess Christine: In fact for ladies who are TTC (trying to concieve), they will start taking folic acid even before conception.

EnfaMama A+ Maternal and lactating Formula: Contains mainly DHA and choline which is vital for babies brain development and growth which will start to become rapid once the pregnancy is into the 2nd trimester.

Choline: Choline is an important nutrient that helps brain cells develop properly. Animal studies suggest that adequate choline during pregnancy has long-lasting effects on a baby's ability to learn and remember – and may even provide some resistance to mental illness.
Other studies suggest that choline can boost your brainpower during pregnancy, too – if your levels have been depleted. (Your need for choline increases during pregnancy as your baby draws on your supply.)

Princess Christine: I guess, it means it prevents mental illness in kids and also to prevent the mummy from growing stupid in the meanwhil during the pregnancy. Maybe I should have started taken it earlier because I started to feel stupid sometime ago.

Natal Care Triplus: Concentrated Fish Oil which is rich in Omega 3 Acids and provide DHA and EPA. Fish oil and walnuts provide an essential fatty acid that can help boost your baby's brain and visual development.

Use of DHA: There's nothing fishy about it: DHA (or docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, is an essential nutrient for women — especially during pregnancy. DHA helps build your baby's brain, nervous system, and eyes. "Omega-3s are a specific type of fat that our body needs but cannot make,"
Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/pregnancy/101/dha-in-pregnancy.aspx

EPA: It is noteworthy that all fish contain DHA as well as EPA (in general, most fish contain DHA:EPA ratios of approximately 2:1 or somewhat higher). It has been suggested that some of the benefits from consuming fish (containing DHA+EPA) may also be due to the complimentary effect of EPA with respect to various parameters including the risk of postpartum depression, etc. as well as potential benefits on the growth and development of the infant and young over the early months/years of life.
Source: http://www.dhaomega3.org/FAQ/Why-consume-both-DHA-and-EPA-during-pregnancy

So how do I look now? A guess a radiant mummy would be a good word even though the word fat comes along with it. Here's the latest photo on Monday where woodblock took me down to take Xmas decoration pics at Changi Airport. It was really nice of him to take a day's off to celeb our 2nd year wedding anniversary (counting from date of rom).

My first maternity like dress I bought for myself => 30 bucks! I guess it looks so gorgeous to the point that my youngest sis in law, Ah li actually borrowed it and wore this dress to a wedding dinner. I was really amuse knowing that she is like XS in size and yet she is still insistent of wearing it. Whatever!

Daddy woodblock, ask me to put my hands down to see the tummy bulge. Still very small for the moment!

Love this lively green pasture wall! It makes people wonder why we are not doing other interesting activities for our anniversary and the reason being that I feel unwell most of the time and I couldn't do anything strenous at all. On top of that it doesnt help having a higher body temperature throughout the pregnancy and always CRAVE for cold drinks(cant drink too much) and air conditioned places!


Don't I look like the blue puffer fishes (as I am now bloated during pregnancy)?


A sweet kiss between the pregnant Seahorse Daddy and the pregnant Princess Mummy Christine for both their hard work at concieving!

Our first Christmas with a special gift in my Tummy! I love you BABY HUI!!! Cant wait to see you soon!