Proud Mama

I just want to share some of my pictures while i'm 7 months pregnant. Like what my OB said, my tummy is too small for 7 months, though my baby's weight is above average for 2lbs 11 oz.

A lot says that its just proportion to my body since im slim, and they said that slim figure normally have small tummy during their first pregnancy. So far i don't have any problem when it comes to my skin including stretch mark, thanks to VCO. Though they said that my tummy will still get bigger as the size of my baby will also get bigger and heavier but i wish i will not going to have any stretch mark. And i wish everything will just normal and fine for the two of us.

click pictures for better view

Banana for constipation

Most women suffered constipation during pregnancy and we need fruits that rich in fiber in order to avoid this. There's too many fruits that reach in fiber though some of them are quite expensive and seasonal, that's why i recommend Banana as you can find this fruit anytime for the whole year.

Why Banana?

Ripe Banana is rich in fiber content and promotes healthy digestion because of its soft texture and blandness and it normalize colonic function in the large intestine to absorb large amounts of water for proper bowel movements. 

Their usefulness in constipation is due to their richness in pectin, which is water-absorbent and this gives them a bulk producing ability.

Its recommended to eat one or two Banana a day to keep the bowel movements healthy.

New World Diagnostic Laboratory - Cheapest Ultrasound

I'm going to have a baby girl soon.

I just came from my ultrasound to figure out my baby's gender and since im into budget i tried to checked for cheaper way just to figure out my baby's gender and at the same time check if my  baby is fine.

Then my friend told me about New World Diagnostic Laboratory as the clinic offer cheaper ultrasound and laboratory services. I just choose the Transabdominal Ultrasound as its quite cheaper for 400 pesos though im not sure if they also offer 3D or 4D Ultrasound. I know 3D or 4D is more better for good images  but since its expensive then i was just contented with the transabdominal.

You can also check the result online and reprint a copy, all you have to do is to visit their site then enter the official receipt number as the username and your last name as the password. Though i waited 2 hours before they issued the result so we need to go back just to get it.

So here's the remarks for my Ultrasound

Impression:
Intrauterine pregnancy with a single, live fetus or about 27 weeks 6 days age of gestation in cepalic presentation, normohydramnios, anterior, high lying placenta, grade 2, female fetus.
Sonologic estimated fetal weight - Adequate for gestational age

Since my course is not related to medicine, im trying to figure out what Normohydramnios means for me to understand better about the result and i found out that its related to a normal amount of amniotic fluid.

I'm also glad to know that my baby is 2lbs 11oz which is also normal for the 28 weeks baby. The position of the baby is fine, the size of the brain including the heart is also remarkable.  I'm glad to know that shes fine and right now i only wished to have a normal delivery so i hope the baby will cooperate with me to lessen our expenses. Its really so hard to get pregnant without a job and yet without a father to at least help me financially. I just hope god will still with us all the time.

Noynoy Aquino - The New Philippine President

It might not officially stated but Noynoy Aquino is not far for being the new President of the Philippines leaving all his contender behind. The only son of the late President Cory and Senator Ninoy Aquino is now starting to make his own name. We are looking forward to see a lot of changes in our country under his leadership and we hope that our votes will not turned into waste. Viva Philippines!!!!!

Too much ice cream is dangerous to your health

It's been 2 days now that im not feeling well due to clog nose and slight head ache and its been 2 days now that im drinking pure lemon juice.  Actually 3 days ago, since its too hot here my sister bough almost 2 gallons of ice cream and that's what we've been eating from morning till evening aside from the foods we eat daily of course, as were just thinking that ice cream will help us to cool down ourselves from too much hot. As you can imagine just right after shower and your not done drying yourself yet, then you can feel the sweat through your body.

Ice cream is everybody's favorite specially during hot summer and i can even finished half gallon of ice cream in a day.

Though i know ice cream is not good for pregnant woman due to too much sweet but i was thinking that its not everyday so why not give it a try, besides we all craving for ice cream those days and since its both our favorite so my sister decided to order some, and so one day morning i was able to finished 3 glasses of ice cream and when i wake up that afternoon i already feel something in my nose and so i immediately made pure lemon juice and so far i only have clog nose and head ache without colds yet but i wish it will not continue coz im not allowed to drink any medicine.

I just sleep and sleep since yesterday but every time im awake im still feeling bad coz its too hot, as of now i can't eat ice cream anymore coz im afraid i will going to suffer a lot and also my baby, im such a selfish mother.

Summer become so bad already, i wish rainy days is coming as long as its not raining everyday for at least it can help refreshed myself.

Importance of folic acid in pregnancy

Folic acid or folate is a B vitamin that can be found in green leafy vegetables including some bread and breakfast cereals. You can also buy over the counter folic acid supplements as studies shown that women who take folic acid daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk of neural tube defect in the baby.

It will also reduce the risk of having a baby born with cleft lip or palate and congenital heart disease, it also plays a large role in cell growth and development as well as tissue formation.

Ideally, you can start taking folic acid supplement even before getting pregnant but if pregnancy is unplanned then start taking folic acid as soon as you found out that your pregnant.

Human fetus as food - Modern cannibalism

I was just searching for what nutritious soap to prepare when i came across this link were some people in China and Taiwan eat human fetus. I just saw and read the article though i don't know if many of you already now this stuff. Anyway, i tried to search for more information if its really true or not but its absolutely confirmed to be genuine.

At first, I was shocked and at the same time scared, thankful that i didn't live in those country as i felt that if i do then i might not be safe with my baby as i can never tell that while walking, someone might going to grab and force me to abort my baby. I was also thinking that maybe those girls who accidentally got pregnant rather want to abort and sell the fetus, or perhaps others will make it as a business, like want to get pregnant then abort and sell the fetus for money sake. I don't really want to judge people from China and Taiwan as i know that not all of them are into it and i know that both country prohibit this kind of activity.

I read that some exclusive restaurant offer this kind of food and it's known to be very expensive. According to the articles, Those people who eat human fetus believe to increase their overall health and stamina thinking that they will absorb the energy of the fetus.

But the question is how it all started. No one knows of course, though since i got more interested to the topic, i decided to search for more information about China.

In 1978, due to increasing population  in China, the Chinese government decided to implement a one child policy restricting couples to have more than one child though most wealthy family pay a certain fee of having 2 children, the policy was first applied to children born in 1979.

Chinese people also prefer to have a male babies thinking that male can do more task than female specially in the farm, that's why poor family end up selling their female babies, while most of them specially female babies end up in the orphanage,  and so i was thinking and based on my own thought that perhaps its where the legend of eating fetus started, as they rather want to abort and eat the baby than be penalized of having more than 2 children in the family.

Anyway, whatever the reason why they do it, there's only one thing i want to say, it's still a form of cannibalism and must not be tolerated, Babies are also human and need to have a peaceful death as human is human and animals are animals and the two can't be the same.

NOTE: Topic and Picture posted is for sharing and awareness purposes only and was taken from cannibalism and fetus soap, you can visit the them for more information.

Kegel Exercise - How to do it

Kegel exercise helps strengthening our pelvic muscles that will help us during labor and delivery, it can also help control urinary incontinence and have been known to increase sexual pleasure.

You can do Kegel exercise anytime and anywhere though you must know first on how to do it the right way. If its your first time then its necessary to do it inside the bathroom in case of accident that you really can't control the flow of your urine.

So how to do it, just try to stop the flow of your urine midstream, thats how Kegel exercise work as you tried to strenthening your pelvic floor muscles by stopping the flow of your urine. Remember how you hold your pelvic muscles so you can do it anywhere without the need to go to the bathroom and play with your urine.

You can do this exercise while lying or sitting or even while your standing. Just hold the contraction for three seconds and then release, you can repeat it for 10 times. you can also increase the holding time up to 10 seconds but make sure to also relax your muscles in 10 seconds after releasing it. Dont hold your breath, just breath freely and relax, focus on the tightening of the muscles around your vagina and rectum. You can do Kegel exercise 3 to 4 times a day.

Another way to do it is while inside elevator, you can start tightened your pelvic in the first floor before the elevator goes up and release when the elevator stop in the second floor. you can repeat it up to 4 times.

Kegel exercise is good for pregnant woman during delivery of the baby when you mastered Kegel exercise as you already know how to control the tension of your pelvic muscles.

Summer is almost over, rainy days are coming

After few months without having rain, summer days is almost over. Now, I can smell rainy days again.
The other night, its been a none stop raining and since my sister's place is just nearby the river though their house is on the elevated part but those in the lower area was already flooded, one thing i hate their place is that, sometimes if there's too much rain the water from the river will rise that causes flood.

I was just alone that night coz my sister and her kids went for an over night swimming, i didn't join them coz i was tired as i was processing papers and the my lower abdomen was quite painful so i need to rest. But then, that night, I lift up some things as i thought that the flood will continue to rise but luckily before it reaches the last level the rain stopped. I was not able to sleep coz im trying to monitor the water level, and my baby keep on moving inside as i though that i will going to have contraction but i just drink a lot of water and eat one ripe banana to calm down myself and then go to sleep.

When i wake up the next day I'm glad coz i didn't feel anything, maybe my baby understand the situation. But i will not going to do it again, lifting things while pregnant is not really advisable as its very risky.

Healthcare Maternity benefits - Philhealth vs SSS

I just realize the importance of having a health care insurance now.

I went out earlier to process  my health care for my maternity benefits since i can't reached the hotline number of the main health center to clarify things (i've been calling the hotline number for a couple of days now but still unreachable). Anyway, I used to be a member in our government healthcare and i was hoping that i can still use it even though i failed to continue paying it as a voluntary member after i lost my job last October of 2009. So from October up to now i didn't make any payment.

I went to the main office and they told me that im not qualified. I was very disappointed for the fact that im just wasting my time going there and yet i only heard those words. According to them, for me to be eligible i should at least make 9 payments within 12 months prior to delivery. So if i give birth by August i should at least have 9 payments from July 2009. I really felt bad coz i've been paying the membership fee ever since and i never used it even once since i normally use my medicard issued by our employer since the total coverage is more higher.

I was not aware about this things as i though the minimum is 3 months only and not 9 months.  Though they told me to try SSS or Social Security System as they only required 3 months payment to qualified for maternity benefits. Luckily i continue to make payments with my SSS as a voluntary member after i lost my job so i know i am more than qualified for it. I went to SSS Office and i've got positive result. And they offer better maternity benefits in terms of financial assistance than Philhealth but unfortunately you can only reimburse the money after giving birth and after submitting all the requirements though in Philhealth it can be deducted from your total hospital bills upon check out.

SSS basis for computation is your 6 highest monthly salary credit.
So if your highest salary is 15,000*6 months = 90,000/180 days = 500.00 will be your daily maternity allowance.

Total maternity benefits to reimburse would be:
Normal delivery 500.00*60 days = 30,000
Ceasarean deliver 500*78 days = 39,000

SSS requirements for maternity benefits:

- SSS form MAT-1 (Maternity notification) duly stamped and received by SSS. If your employed then ask anyone from Human Resources Department for more information, but if your a voluntary member then you need to file the form directly to any SSS office.

- SSS form MAT-2 (Maternity Reimbursement) you can only accomplished this after giving birth together with the other documents.

- Other documents
Normal delivery - Certified true copy or authenticated copy of duly registered birth certificate.
Caesarean Delivery - Certified copy of birth certificate and certified copy of operating room record/surgical memorandum.
Miscarriage or abortion - Obstetrician history stating the number of pregnancy certified by the attending physician. Pregnancy test before and after abortion with age of gestation and hystopath report.

- SSS digitized ID or E-6 with 2 valid ID

Its so nice to have health care insurance as you know that you can use it in case of emergency, like if you lost your job and other things.