LITTLE PICKLE'S JOURNEY: FIRST TRIMESTER - WEEK 10 TO WEEK 12 (3 MONTHS)
an end to first trimester Monday, July 31, 2017
The struggle was real.
The craving struggle was... so damn real.
I was trying to catch up with all my backlogs, but you know what, in a way-- this late post helps because I may not contain that raging hormones when this part of my first trimester ended. I need to calm down. lol
I'm going to turn back time just a little bit to remind myself that being in this situation has its pros and cons.
Most of my friends ask me... do you experience morning sickness? mood swings? sleepiness? cravings? preferences?
As much as I'd want not to experience it, the whole process was a legit YES, but with little tweaks in between. I can't say I feel fine today and in the next few days, I might not. It really depends. Like for example, I do not really have morning sickness, since the nauseous feeling happens not in the mornings but on any random time of the day. The mood swings depend on what will my husband reaction would give me whenever I craved on something. Sleepiness is even an understatement.
WEEK 10
The discoloration and dryness in the borders of my mouth and in my ankle bone made me thought if I was suffering from any sickness related to the surge of my blood sugar. I consulted my doctor about it and he told me that it is not uncommon for expecting moms to show signs of these skin discolorations as it was due to the increase of hormones my body has accumulated. He advised me to check with any trusted dermatologist that I know if they could give me some pregnancy-recommended creams to at least lighten up the dark areas.
I tried to consult with a friend who is a dermatologist in the Philippines about it. At first, I wasn't planning to tell her that we were pregnant (yet) but on second thought, she needs to really know especially if she wanted to prescribe me any cream or whatever. When I told her the news, she instantly squealed in joy (as at this time, a few close people only knew) and jokingly told me to endure being ugly for now. It's a natural circumstance. For now, I just used a soap-free and fragrant-free cleanser (like Cetaphil) to wash my face and my private parts. Using it on my face did help smoothen out the roughness a little bit. As of this writing, the discoloration in my ankle bone has gone. But it now started on my underarms. Shit this is legit. hahaha
little pickle at 10 weeks! the head and face is already visible in a way you'd know.
There was this one part of the week (I guess, Week 9?) that almost the entire people in the house were down with flu and colds. I was so paranoid of not getting sick that I load up my water intake and my fruit intake just not to feel sick also.
As I was saying, the craving was real. It was so real that there were occasions that I am looking for something that would satisfy my taste buds. I am dead serious! Mind you, even if I wanted something or if I craved on something, I would make sure that the food is easy to reach for the person who will buy it for me. I wouldn't be so unreasonable to eat something that is very hard to find or out of the way for the person. I know that, that's too troublesome and too much of a hassle. I am just as realistic as that.
some cravings that I had, which are not as complicated as some preggy women. right?
There was this one time that I craved for a Singaporean dish called Hokkien Mee. Albert at that time was on his way home and as to where he would come from has a kopitiam or hawker center that sells the said prawn noodle. I am so sure of that. But at that time, he didn't buy it for me and kept on insisting that nothing is there and insisted for me to eat something else available in the food center across our place because he will be going home late. I am not gonna lie, I felt depressed at that time as I felt the hormones came raging on feelings I could not explain. It was too depressing that I cried to sleep because I didn't eat it on the time that I wanted to eat it. The craving was as real as hell, I guess.
The next day, I was still crying and did not talk to him all day. In the afternoon, I went to the mall where he went the day before, myself. There, I found the noodles I was referring that I wanted to eat.
This depressed me even more because I felt my husband took my request for granted. I didn't ask him to buy this in the opposite town or in Malaysia. It was just there and all he was supposed to do was to take an escalator and he could buy this with ease. I had a long conversation with him that night that my cravings were serious to a point that this little human inside me somehow also feels what I feel when things seemed disheartening or depressing.
So, note to self: please, do not underestimate the cravings of a pregnant woman! Haha
Even I, myself hated this new mood that I am experiencing. But what can I do?
WEEK 12
During Week 11, we have decided to take a prenatal test to check if our baby's other vital signs are working properly. It has to be done with a series of blood tests to check signs of Hepatitis B, HIV, and other cases. In this test also we did this thing called OSCAR, a short for One-stop Clinic for Assessment of Risk for Fetal Anomalies. This is to check if the baby has risks of having fetal anomalies, in particular the Down Syndrome. We did this so to prepare ourselves if we have one, but bearing in mind that it only prepare us on what form of care we need to do for it. It doesn't mean that we would discontinue the pregnancy if we ever find out. No way I'd let my little pickle go.
We've done the OSCAR at a different clinic other than Dr. Jon's. In that test, I was laughing at how little pickle was acting, while Albert on the other hand felt nervous of moving too much. Pickle was active-- so active to a point that he/she was being a bit of a mischief to the examiner when it needed to make proper measurements of his/her neck thickness, or head diameter, even a proper screenshot of his/her spinal cord and umbilical cord. Mind you, I didn't eat any sweet things that morning when we did the test because some people say, when you eat something sweet, babies became hyperactive.
After a few days, the doctor called me that all my tests were great. My baby is at low risk of fetal anomaly and with that I'd not need to worry. Although the test is only guaranteed at around 90% accuracy, I know that I have been eating healthily and properly. I need not to think very trivial things... I am just happy to know that both of us are living healthy.
Baby bumps? Hmm...
(L-R): me at 10 weeks, and at 12 weeks. Nothing much of a difference, other than the slight bloatedness hahaha
My sister-in-law told me to take pictures for memorabilia. I'd say, why not? Would it be best if I take it every month? XD
I am at about 14 weeks as of this writing, which means I am already past my first trimester. Yay! Next thing we need to know now is the gender, which we might already know in our next appointment which is by next week.
I'm so excited!
xoxo
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