Weight: 58.2 kg
Feeling: Like the appetite is SLOWLY coming back. Still can’t eat a lot of things and my nose still smells every molecule of Body Odour or cigarette smoke or neighbour’s curry spices, but I don’t feel so gassy anymore.
Yay! SO EXCITING SQUEE!
Omg It’s really been quite exciting looking for things to put inside the baby rooms. Like I said, we’ve managed to find somewhere to put the King-sized bed frames and mattress that currently occupies our guest room. And obviously once that’s gone, the hubs and I are going to have to spend a little time and energy cleaning up baby’s room before moving stuff back in.
Ok, actually it’s more me. Because I’ve got a tonne of shit in that room. There’s a free-standing cupboard in there that’s chock-full of my tank tops and t shirts.
Okay, that is truly damn sad.
Not only do I have a whole cupboard full of things that I still would like to wear, I might truly not every be able to wear any of this stuff anymore after getting pregnant and giving birth. SIGH. The other day when I told one of my friends about wearing clothes and all that and APPARENTLY, your freaking ribs expand because they have to make space for growing baby in your belly. And here’s the truth to the madness:
Finally you will also find that you undergo a lot of changes to the muscles and the ligaments caused by alterations in your hormones. Combined with changes in your posture this can cause uncomfortable changes in position around your body including the ribs. There are many tiny muscles situated between our ribs in our chest, and as these change shape and position we might feel cramping and other pains. During pregnancy the rib cage is actually expanding to increase your lung capacity as well as to make room for the uterus and this can of course also cause discomfort. Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/16152/1/Rib-Pain-in-the-Course-of-Pregnancy.html
Well here I am, hoping for as little pain as possible, so hopefully that means as little expansion as possible. And I am also coming to terms with the fact that this means that there are seriously going to be some slinky things and pretty clothes that you will TRULY never EVER be able to wear again.
And yes, we all know the ones i’m talking about – the “one day, i will lose enough weight and be able to wear this (for the first time/again)!! The day of reckoning is coming!!”
Just give it up already.
Hubs and I have actually agreed a long time ago that we would totally want to be hot parents and because of that, I’ve taken the time to actually find out how much weight I should be gaining so that I can get back to pre-pregnancy fitness in no time pronto after baby is coming out. See how committed I am to (trying to) be skinny?!
- If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the healthy range for your height (a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9), you should gain between 25 and 35 pounds, gaining 1 to 5 pounds in the first trimester and about 1 pound per week for the rest of your pregnancy for the optimal growth of your baby.
- If you were underweight for your height at conception (a BMI below 18.5), you should gain 28 to 40 pounds.
- If you were overweight for your height (a BMI of 25 to 29.9), you should gain 15 to 25 pounds. If you were obese (a BMI of 30 or higher), you should gain between 11 and 20 pounds.
- If you’re having twins, you should gain 37 to 54 pounds if you started at a healthy weight, 31 to 50 pounds if you were overweight, and 25 to 42 pounds if you were obese.
Source: http://www.babycenter.com/0_pregnancy-weight-gain-what-to-expect_1466.bc
So maybe it’s actually a pretty good thing that I haven’t exactly been piling on the pounds right now.
Sad truth however is that I’m chubby enough that baby is feeling he/she doesn’t need additional nutrition because I’m fat enough to provide him enough nourishment from the mass already on my bones *bawls*
Ok, no pity party 😛
MOVING ON…..
I’ve actually whittled it down to a few pieces of furniture that I’m going to want in my baby room. If you discount what I wrote in Sunday’s super duper long post about prices of stuff being MAD, take a look at some of these GORGEOUS baby room sets from mothercare – again don’t buy from them, just get inspiration.. Unless you’re lazy. Or loaded.
AHHH!! SO prRreEettyyyYYY!!
So just to share with all of you out there who are wondering where to even get started, here’s what the hubs and I have decided to have ready for the unborn:
- Wooden Cot
modular one that converts to a toddlers bed. This means that the bed needs to have a number of different levels of adjustment for the base. So that when baby gets bigger, he/she can stand freely inside the cot without kinda reaching over the railings.Also, while the rails on both ends are removable, it becomes a rather delightful kids’ bed that will last baby until they turn about 6 (I hope), then we can upgrade them to a “big kids” bed! - Changing Table
Okay, some cots andplaypens actually come with something that they claim is a changing table attachment? I believe in getting things more on a separates basis. Like if you’re going to get something that’s meant to be functional, then you’d better just get something that only does what it’s supposed to do.THEREFORE, a changing table is necessary for me.I personally just want a dedicated place for baby’s poop and pee and diapers and bottom-cleansing implements. Also, from all the horror stories I’ve heard about golden spraying and poop-splosions, I am gonna be glad to keep the changing table and dirty stuff away from the beds and other upholstery items in the nursery. - Play Pen
These may seem rather redundant if you’re looking at the new types ofplaypens that are able to function both as a bed AND a playpen. but I have a totally legitimate reason for wanting this. And that’s because it’s PORTABLE.A solid wood cot is not gonna be as portable as a foldable plastic rail and netting play pen. I’m gonna want the playpen in the study when I”m doing work, or even out in the living room sometimes instead of in the bedroom all the time, so it would help if there wasanother enclosure for the little beastie*ahem* another safe place to lay the baby down.The husband and I were even contemplating getting 2 because we’d want one to be at our the hubs’ parents’ place for when we’re at dinner and need somewhere to put the baby down. - Nursing Armchair
Maybe I just want an arm chair in my house ok 😛 But in all seriousness, I think I need to take care of my back while I’m nursing the baby, and if that means I get to put a La-Z Boy or something equivalent in baby’s room that will last us throughout all time, then WOOHOO!! Am I right or AM i RIGHT? - Baby Chair
Just any old generic high chair for baby to eat from while at dinner table. So mummy and daddy don’t have to bend over or stoop - Stroller
Not just ANY stroller, but a convertible one that has a car seat that’s “plug and play” This is just to make sure that we don’t buy one that will last the bub like a few months. It’s quite ridonk to buy a stroller every few years to fit the baby as he/she grows. But again, if you’re got money…
To be fair, there is actually a superbly large disparity between cribs and cots in terms of quality and design and brands and all that. Also if you’re not a fussy mummy, you can actually get pretty good deals off gumtree and craigslist. It really depends on where you stand in the big brand new vs pre-loved debate.
Brand New:
Pros:
– Never used by any other baby. No drool or poop or pee or God knows what else remnants all over the items *blargh*
– Warranties and customer support intact so that you can get your stuff fixed and ask questions about features and best ways to use items from the sales staff
– You don’t have to look so hard. Just pick the one you want and pay only. No need to scrutinize. There’s always another piece in the backroom if you’re not happy with the one on display
Cons:
– MONEY MONEY MONEY
Pre-loved
Pros:
– CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!
– you can always check with the previous owners on their take on the item. Even if you’re fussy, you can always do a little DIY to spruce up the item when you’ve paid for it and brought it home.
– when you are lucky, boy are you lucky! Some people do sell away brand new items at heavily reduced prices so if you’ve done your research and know what to get, look out for those deals where the previous owner is selling a brand new item!
Cons:
– a little worse for wear. Most of the time the items have been in use for a year or two before baby’s outgrown it and it’s time for the item to move along – this means holes and scratches and chips sometimes.. Warranties may SOMETIMES be available, but don’t be too hopeful
– research is KEY. Don’t just go around buying something because it’s cheaper than getting it brand new at the shops. Find out if it’s what you really want.
– This also means you’re going to have to FIGHT with other people for items you want. If you’re able to find a good deal, that means that there are another 10 mummies who have spotted its great value too. Fastest fingers first!
– have to arrange pickup to the convenience of the seller. This means that you have to also keep an eye open for a good deal to swing by.
So here I am, just sharing with you my top 2 favourite places to start looking for cheap 2nd-hand baby furniture yay!
** Intermission: OMG THIS POST IS TAKING SO LONG TO WRITE because I keep getting distracted from all the things i want to BUYYYYY 😛
1) Gumtree and Craigslist
Okay it’s literally MAD in here. There are so many awesome buys in here, you just need to search well. Learn how to improve your googling skills in here to find the dream item at your dream price. Gumtree and Craigslist is a GREAT way to find the bigger ticket items that need a fair bit of manpower and dismantling.
You’ll find a lot of expats who urgently need to get rid of things because they’re moving away from Singapore, so if you’re diligent at trawling these sites, you’ll eventually find someone with something you need at a ridiculously affordable price.
We actually purchased a number of items for our house from here when we first got our keys. Just make sure that you ask well about defects and pickup points and whether you can view the items before paying money.
2) Mummy’s Pre-loved Baby Goods pages on FB
Okay, there are actually a LOT of these online nowadays. Also a lot of mummies are actually pretty generous and there are a lot who are eager to “bless” their items upon needy mummies who really need the extra help to purchase cheap and good used baby products. This includes like bottles and toys and basically anything under the sun when it comes to baby stuff. Hell, some people are also giving away like diaper samples because (let’s face it) diapers and milk powder is EXPENSIVE.
Again, take the precaution to just double check items before purchasing, unless you are getting stuff posted in. Most mummies on these channels are more willing to send the item on its way by Singpost, so be ready to pay the postage fees.
And with that, things have (for some reason) become a super duper long post here too. But I really hope that the sites and the advice has helped you to start planning baby’s room. I’m going to go back in there and start scouting for more awesome deals 😀
GIMME BUY THINGS,
Jessica
A LOT to Think About 