My Leaving Presentation and Surprise Baby Shower/ Birthday

** The ladies **

Feel totally blessed to have people around me who care and want to be a part of the biggest events in your life...

I finished work starting on the Feb 9th and before I broke up on the 8th, there was a surprise leaving presentation from my colleagues. Well, it was supposed to be a surprise but I saw a pop-up email notification at my colleague's PC when I was at her desk doing some knowledge transfers (as she will be taking over my role in my absence). It was a nice gesture and I was touched, the fact that not only my team was invited but also the whole BMS_Chester. People whom I rarely work with, they all came over to my desk and wished me well.

And also I got several great gifts during the presentation and a card - thanks to all! Got many advice from colleagues

Today, 18th Feb is also my 30th birthday (aiyakk! Old oledy!!). Dah seminggu dah my husband dok reka cerita about taking me out today. Mula2 cakap nak pi town jalan2, then another day he said don't plan anything today as he has football match to watch on TV, another day he would say he wanted to see the launch of new Man City's store in town and some famous Man City players would be there e.g. Mario Balotelli, etc and he wanted to see them in person. Then buat cerita pulak nak take me out to eat the best cupcakes at this little cupcake store in town. I was suspecting something is up but malas nak tanya banyak so I just went along with him la (though the day before he made me a bit upset and I threatened him I don't want to go out at all!).

So he took me to town, he said we are going to that little cupcake store (I didn't bother ask about Man City store nor the football match, etc). Kat depan pintu cupcake shop tu I can see some of my friends were there; Qama, Shaheeda, Aida and Mira seated at a table full of cute decos. Awww...

It was nice eating those comel little teatime desserts! And they taste sedap also, it was thoughtful of the girls to ask for custom-made decos to suit the tea-time baby shower theme. Too bad the kedai tutup awal so we were there for about an hour only...

Below are some of the pics...Sorry the pics are the inverse (terbalik) from the flow of this entry...

Gifts from the baby shower - opened

Still nicely wrapped up - the girls really did spend time to arrange this, not shop bought!

The cupcake store at Deansgate, Manchester "Hey Little Cupcake"

The baby hamper, on the left and right are gifts for each of the girls (bath fizzy)

Such effort they put in!

Cute cupcakes with baby shower theme - the pram one is too cute! The macaroons were just nice - not too sweet, almost as nice as L'aduree's I must say...

The sandwiches, scones licin ditelan yours truly, the clotted cream was heavenly...

Qama, Shaheeda and Mira - thanks girls!

The set-up from afar

The gifts from my colleagues for my leaving presentation - baby gym, musical cot mobile, hooded bath towel and some toiletries

Birth Plan

Sample of birth plan at hipp baby

Do you need a birth plan? A birth plan is a written record of what you would like to happen when you are in labour and after your baby's birth.

What to include in the birth plan? Below are some key areas to consider: -

• Where you would like to have your baby - hospital
• Who will be your birth partner(s) - husband
• How you would like your baby to be monitored (with a belt or with a hand-held device) - belt, but hopefully baby will be OK and not have to be monitored
• Whether or not you would like to stay mobile - would like to stay as mobile as possible
• What equipment you may like to use, such as beanbags or a birthing mat - birth ball
• What pain relief you would like to have - hopefully none, but if need be, for midwife to give options. For the time being, entonox (gas & air), birth pool
• Whether you want to labour and/or deliver your baby in water - if labour condition permits, yes
• How you feel about having an episiotomy (a cut to the skin between your vagina and anus) - if possible, not to have episiotomy. If need be, to be given local anaesthetic
• What positions you would like to use for labour and birth - kneel or side-lying....
• Whether you have any special needs, such as a special diet - vegetarian/ seafood
• Whether you would like to hold your baby as soon as they are born or let them be cleaned up first - cleaned up first
• Who will cut the cord - husband
• Whether you want a Syntometrine injection after the birth (this helps to prevent bleeding from the womb) - probably, midwife to explain side consequences
• Whether you want your baby to have vitamin K after the birth (to help with blood clotting) - yes
• How you want to feed your baby - breastfed

This can be used as a reference when you are in the labour suite/ room, and can be discussed with your midwife/ nurse/ gynae/ doctor etc whether what you have planned for is to be followed as close as possible.

But try to be as reasonable as possible and don't be disappointed if things don't go as planned.

Good luck!

By the way, 38 weeks today!

Some Tips To Share

Hello...

Several people have been giving me tips for pregnancy...thought I'd list down some here to share with other moms-to-be. I got tips from my colleagues (something to talk about at the coffee machines in the morning!) whom are local so it's interesting to know what the mat salehs actually believe in and swear by, other than that I also got tips from my fellow Malaysian friends.

1. Drink raspberry leaf tea from 32wks onwards with one cup daily and gradually work your way up to a maximum of four cups daily. It apparently helps to tone the uterus muscles, making it work better in labour, some says it speeds up your labour, it also is meant to reduce the risk of you needing intervention with the likes of forceps. Also after birth, it is meant to help your uterus get back down to the normal size and help aid breastfeeding. Raspberry leaf tea is NOT the same as raspberry tea, and you can also take tablets instead of the tea. But, some people who had history of short labour, or bleeds in pregnancy might not be advisable to consume this.

2. Consume oil of evening primrose (2000mg p/day) as it helps soften/ripen the cervix.

3. Bouncing on an exercise ball helps your waters to break...swaying in circles on the ball might help with lower back pain...

4. Prenatal perineal massage is effective in preventing is effective in preventing the need for episiotomy and decrease amount of tearing a woman has during her birth. Particularly in women over age of 20 having their first baby. Can google up on ways to do perineal massage.

5. Drink up on coconut water (ayaq nyoq) so that your baby will have nice skin...as for me susah la nak dapat ayaq nyoq...maybe dalam tin ada juai tapi the sugar content might be high...

6. Minum air zam-zam - this one pun susah nak dapat kat UK

7. During contractions sway your hips in circles or figures of 8 while putting your palms on the wall/ holding bed rail

8. Suruh husband buatkan air doa, suh dia baca surah Yaasin and minta permudahkan delivery, and just drink up the water until delivery day...

Ada a few more...nanti lah tulis lagi...

Feet Up!

It's 2 days into my maternity leave today - you know what they say - time to put your feet up! Indeed I am, for I have been on the move like for almost a year ever since I started work.

Workload never ease up like we hoped to when we first started the team. Right up to my 36th week of pregnancy I've been doing late nights, definitely worse than when I was in practice back home. It is worse during the wintry days - snow, sleet, heavy fog, frost, subzero temperatures... you left the house in the morning and came home when it was pitch black outside.

Oh, winter is the worst if you have to go out and about. Last winter 2010 I was a housewife, the cold days made me dug deeper into the duvet, I even embraced the biting cold weather.

This year I repeatedly wish that I could stay longer in the duvet when the alarm ticked off in the morning, groaning at the thought of entering the cold bathroom, kitchen, and brace the rush of cold air to your face when you step out the door...

Worse, if your car is frozen in frost! To scrape the ice off the windscreen... only to find out you have to do it again in the evening in the dark at the office carpark. Painful times...

But yay - no more of those now! I declare everyday is duvet day from now on...

At least for the next 3 weeks or so - before the little one arrives!

Despite all that, I thank God that my pregnancy is an easy one, it did not hinder me to go through all the wintry challenges...

Throughout my pregnancy I did not throw up once, able to go for a road trip where most of the time I was on foot when I was 7 months, feet were never swollen, cramps are a rarity, never experienced heartburn, one of the lucky lots who has got no 'mommy marks' on the tummy, each midwife visit was very quick and satisfactory - midwife even asked if I am a sportswoman (you sure?!).

I just pray hard that labour will be as easy as my pregnancy insha Allah.

Reading up on hypnobirthing and gentle birth... one can always wish for a manageable and self-controlled labour.

I wish I have the courage to try for home birth... maybe next time round!