My pregnancy log

By Hand On The Hip - 7/03/2020

Hi there!

I recently shared a post on how we have been managing having a baby and everything on our own in the midst of COVID-19 and the love you all have shared has been extremely heart warming! That has only motivated me to be more consistent with my blogging. Before my memory vanishes and before my baby wakes up from his afternoon nap, I wanted to walk you guys through my pregnancy journey and everything that went down before we had our bub. I went through a completely uncomplicated pregnancy and I wanted to make this post for those expectant mums who could use this as a guide if you end up in the same path as me. That being said, every pregnancy is different, so don't hold me accountable if you can't relate! :p

Maternity photoshoot just a few days before bub was born

First Trimester 
Sometime during mid-September last year, I took a pregnancy test and was super excited to see the two lines. Of course, it was no surprise since I was expecting it, but it was still very exhilarating. I wanted to have my first baby before I turned thirty and let's just say I did cut it close! :)

L to R - Picnic at Davidson Park, Weekend getaway to Berry, Chilling at Bald Hill Lookout

One of the first symptoms that I had experienced was sore, painful breasts followed by a missed period. I was looking forward to my pregnancy because my sister-in-law made it look so easy. But alas, I'm not gonna lie, my first trimester was pretty awful! All the terrible things you hear about pregnancy symptoms are all VERY TRUE! Within a few weeks, I felt bloated, I had a lot of acidity and acid reflux and as a result of it, I was constantly throwing up. I wasn't sleeping very well either and that made everything worse. At about 6-8 weeks or so, I even had an episode of mild spotting and was asked by my doctor to stop exercising for a while. I was extremely careful since then but the vomiting never stopped! What helped a little bit with the nausea was Zofran Zydis and I had to eat small, frequent meals and consume some Gaviscon every now and then for the reflux to get better. Another weird symptom I had was this insane pain from my butt all the way down to my ankle. It was almost diagnosed as sciatica, but praise the Lord, it vanished one random day. I also experienced some massive mood swings and overall, my first trimester was just terrible for me and I couldn't wait to be done with it!

L to R - A week after I found out I was pregnant,  Road trip to Kiama Blowhole, Anniversary date night

I could participate in most activities like traveling, dining out, meeting up with friends etc. My parents-in-law paid us a visit and pampered me. We also had a fun gender reveal party. Nobody could tell that I was pregnant yet and I was glad that I could still fit into all of my clothes!

Gender reveal party

Second Trimester
All of a sudden, the nausea and reflux subsided and I felt amazing! It was almost as if I was not pregnant at all. I could resume my exercise regime. I did go swimming a few times, took short walks and also went for Zumba classes.

L to R - Hospital visit before my India trip, Christmas party at work, Random trip to a furniture store

The best part about my second trimester was the fact that I could travel to India and spend a good one month with my loved ones. My family threw me a baby shower and a traditional Indian ceremony as well. I also could spend time with my cute little nephew and that made me even more excited about having a baby of my own! :)

Baby shower with the family

Some lovely memories with my nephew

Traditional baby shower back home

I was still not sleeping very well, but I felt great. I rapidly put on 7-8 kilos in a span of two months (thanks to home food :D) or so and my breasts had grown four sizes! I couldn't find a bra that would fit me well enough. It had started to get a bit difficult to sleep as I was advised to sleep on my sides. I had also started to get very tired which was later fixed by some extra Maltofer (iron supplements) that I was already consuming. But all in all, it wasn't too bad and sometime in January, I could find some butterfly-like movements in my tummy! :)

L to R - After attending another baby shower, Weekend getaway at Malpe, Back to NSW after a long India trip

Third Trimester 
The final trimester was not as bad as I thought it would be. I was told that it would get worse and that my back would break and so on, but I enjoyed myself. It did get a bit exhausting carrying all that weight around and by 6th or 7th month, I had gained a good 15 kilos. I had finally started to show! I was sweaty all the time and bub was kicking the life out of my ribs! And then sometime in my 7th month, COVID-19 took over the world and we were in a lockdown.

L to R - Walk at St. Leonard's Park, My quarantine birthday, Full term pregnancy self-portrait

I worked from home till my last day and occasionally went out for a walk. I later realised that I should have taken a few weeks off to get some rest. Along with office work, I managed to cook and do some of the household chores as well. Sleeping was a bit difficult due to the size of the belly and constant trips to the bathroom to pee. What's most important during the final trimester is keeping track of the baby's movements and boy, that was tedious job!

Random photoshoot on public demand

At about 34 weeks, my doctor asked me to use a pelvic muscle trainer called Epi No to make vaginal delivery easy and free from injuries or cuts. I also did some kegels, perennial massage and occasional squats. After all that prep for a vaginal delivery, you'd think I'd have effortlessly pushed out my boy. But of course, things didn't go according to my birth plan. At 38 weeks of gestation, my waters broke and due to the cord being around the baby's neck, I had my baby the C section way, but that's a story for another time.

Initial attempt at a maternity shoot

What to pack in the hospital bag
I like to travel light and packing my hospital bag wasn't much of a task since I didn't take too many unnecessary things. My hospital stay was for 7 days and I packed accordingly. I would recommend packing your bags at the beginning of 8th month and using a regular duffle bag or a suitcase. Here is a list of things that I carried with me and would recommend you do the same -

  • Comfy clothes that you are confident you can feed in are a must and they can be simple tees and shorts, need not necessarily be front-open nighties. 
  • Also pack some nice clothes that you want to come home in, take photos in etc. 
  • Do not forget your underwear, beauty supplies and toiletries.
  • Sliders or flip-flops are recommended because your feet tend to get a bit swollen.
  • Do pack some baby clothes as well, although the hospital will provide something basic for the baby.
  • Maternity bras are not necessary and it's completely up to you if you want to wear them. I just let them girls breathe! :D
  • Check with your hospital if they provide a breast pump and if not, carry one. I use the double sided Medela Swing Maxi.
  • Maternity pads are an absolute must if your hospital doesn't provide them.
  • Do carry some basic things for your entertainment like your phone, i-pad, a book etc. although I never really had any time to do anything :)

What to buy for a newborn/during postpartum
Sometimes it can get really overwhelming when you buy stuff for a newborn. You really don't know what's necessary and what isn't. After two months of having a baby, we still constantly keep ordering stuff online.

I have a list for you that might be useful -
  • Bodysuits or rompers of newborn size and 0-3 months size - 10
  • Vests of newborn size and 0-3 months size - 10
  • Swaddles - 4
  • Muslin cloth pieces - 10
  • Towels - 4
  • Face towels - 20
  • Bedsheets - 5
  • Blankets - 2
  • Mittens - 4
  • Socks - 3
  • Caps - 2
  • Mattress
  • Crib
  • Nappy change table and mat
  • Dry sheets - 4
  • Bath tub
  • Nappies 
  • Cotton balls
  • Wipes
  • Baby bath products
  • Nappy rash cream
  • Baby moisturiser
  • Baby bottles
  • Electric steriliser
  • Nappy bag
  • Pram
  • Car capsule
Some additional items (optional) -
  • Stuffed toys
  • Crib mobile
  • Baby books
  • Baby carrier
  • Baby sling wrap
  • Baby play mat
  • Rocker/Napper
  • Educational/story books
Things to buy for new mums -
  • Maternity pads
  • Breast pump
  • Breast pads
  • Camisoles or maternity bras
  • Nipple cream
  • Hydrogel pads
  • Belt/recovery shorts
I hope this post was useful and if you are expecting anytime soon, I wish you good luck and happiness. Enjoy your freedom now because once the baby's here, you are going to be on your toes! :)

Love,
Hand On The Hip

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