Gynae package + mummy's insurance

So I forgot to add that after my detailed scan, my gynae finally made me sign the package. My gynae's package is $600 ($642 including GST) and includes scans, ultrasound photos, urine test. No meds or vitamins though. Anyway nowadays I've only been getting calcium pills from my gynae, I've been getting my multi-vitamins and fish oils from Watsons or Guardians.

So now the baby kicks rather regularly. Sometimes he would kick during the day, more often at night. There have been times when I've been woken up at 6am by his kicks but I still love it. Feeling the baby's kicks/movements is one of the greatest, most miraculous joys of pregnancy. I have this little trick of changing sides when I am lying down so as to feel him kick. I would lie down on my right side for about 5-10 mins and after that switch sides. Usually the baby responds. :)

I read online that it is better to sleep on your left side rather than your right as the right side is where the inferior vena cava is (that's the artery that carries oxygenated blood to the baby). Been sleeping a lot on my left sometimes the entire night. It is not the most comfortable sleeping position (imagine staying on the same side throughout the night) so sometimes I will sleep on my back but that is somewhat uncomfortable too. Ah well, 3 more months to go!

I bought an insurance plan for myself (during pregnancy and childbirth) and the baby (up to 3 years old) from OCBC. It is the only plan (I think) in the market that does not come with an ILP. It protects mothers from 8 pregnancy complications, protects the baby from 18 congenital diseases and covers certain hospitalisation (eg. from dengue) for the baby up to 3 years old. Of course, the coverage is not much, for the $659 plan (which is the one I took up), you are only paid $5000 in the event of pregnancy complications. It is not a lot, but definitely better than nothing? And of course, everyone buys such plans with the hope of never putting it to the test or utilising it. The plan is called MaxMaternity Care and they let me purchase although I am not an existing OCBC customer, but the condition is that I have to open the CDA account for the baby with OCBC.

Well, just sharing in case some mummies are looking for something like that :)

Our baby journey - Detailed scan

Two days ago, we went for our detailed scan at Mt Alvernia Hospital. We were naturally very excited because we were about to find out whether we belonged to Team Pink or Blue.

Our appointment was at 10.30am, so we reached right on the dot, informed the counter staff who gave me a queue number. It was indicated on the number slip that the waiting time was about an hour so the hubs and I went to grab some food at the cafe. After which, we went down to Basement 1 to wait again and soon it was our turn.

First thing the hubs told the radiologist (or whatever you call those people who do the ultrasound scans for you), was that we wanted to know the gender. She replied, sure she'll take a look and soon enough as she was scanning, she saw the penis hahaha and informed us it's a boy! Team Blue!

She then went on to take photos of the baby's four limbs (both upper and lower portion), abdomen, heart, brain, kidneys, spine, foetal profile, eyes, nose and lips. She said the fingers and toes are too small to count but we did manage to see them and they looked perfect! Overall she said baby is healthy which was a huge huge relief for us. The scan took about 45 mins (depending on how cooperative your baby is).

She said she would send the photos back to my gynae and he will review them with me at my next visit, which is this Friday. :)

Meanwhile, the hubs had already posted our baby's penis on Facebook for the world to see. -_-"

Now the important thing is to think of a name for him! :)

Our baby journey - The essential fish oil

The fish oil my gynae gave me has finally finished. The clinic charged me $70 for each bottle, which lasted me exactly one month.

So I went to get my own and this brand came very highly recommended.

I like that I only have to take one capsule a day, instead of two capsules which the one my gynae gave me required me to take. This brand also has quite low EPA which is good.

This small little bottle contains 30 capsules, which also lasts me an entire month, but this bottle only costs $45.50 (from Watsons). 

So I saved $24.50 every month. *beams* (It's even cheaper from hospital pharmacies I think)

I just googled it and realised this is a malaysian brand but online there are quite a number of mothers who recommended this so I shall just stick to it for now. 

Week 22 - the baby kicked!

Well, I suppose the baby has been kicking all along, just that I couldn't really feel it up to now.

It happened 2 days ago, when I woke up at 4.30am to go to the bathroom. When I got back to bed, it took me a while before I fell asleep. I felt it then, twice. It didn't feel like any of those things that people described online, not really butterflies fluttering etc, but more like a punch or a kick from inside my womb.

I placed my hand on my tummy and then I felt it, again. My hand moved together with my tummy and I smiled. I have been waiting for this day. I realised that I don't feel it very often, I can only feel it when I am lying in bed at night, or have been in the same position for a while (e.g. sitting on the bus).

It's awesome to feel the baby move. More awesome that we will be finding out the gender of the little one this coming Saturday!

Oscar test results and gynae visit (week 17)

This morning I went to the gynae. Was happy and a little nervous, happy because I can get to see the little one, nervous as today I would get back my Oscar test results.

Ended up the Oscar test results were good, I belong in the low-risk category, ratio 1:10000. Another portion of my blood was used for a blood test, everything seems good, except my iron level is slightly below average. Average is 11.5, mine was 11.4. So doc asked me to load up on iron-rich foods. GIMME MY STEAKS!

So today I was given another round of meds to last me till my next visit. Doc said can stop folic acid, but had to continue taking everything else, plus he gave me fish oils (or rather, more like algae pills yucks).

The bill was really expensive today coz I also paid for the detailed scan to be done around week 20.
Multivitamins - $38.00
Calcium pills - $28.00
DHA pills (what people commonly call fish oil, just that mine is extracted from algae) - $70.00 (!!!)
Detailed scan 4 weeks later - $85.00

Plus consultation and ultrasound scan, $364 flew away... *sobs*

I'm going to try going to the pharmacies for the supplements the next round. Many people told me buying from the pharmacies is much cheaper but I'm just concerned whether they have the exact same brand? Coz am also not very sure which brands are good/better for pregnant mummies.

Oscar test on week 13 and today (15+1)

I just realised I didn't post an update regarding my Oscar test.

The Oscar test was over in 10 minutes. They scanned my stomach, looked at the baby and the lady told me the Neck Thickness (NT) is 2mm. I even asked her how accurate is this and she replied that it is quite accurate. 2mm is within the normal range (anything above 3mm is more high-risk) so that really helped to put my mind at ease a little. The gynae also drew my blood and sent it for blood test, but the blood test results would only be out 2 weeks later.

The Oscar test costs $300 and plus consultation, blood test etc and more pills, the bill came up to $500+ for this visit. But I feel that it's worth it as I really wanted a peace of mind.

The gynae gave me more folic acid, multi-vitamins and calcium pills. Some other mummies on our FB group have gotten fish oil as well. However, I feel that I need to trust my gynae if I am going to stick with him throughout this entire pregnancy rather than keep doubting him based on hearsay.

Anyway 4 pills a day is already very hard to swallow so am thankful I don't have more. Anyway, last week I drank a cup of coffee in the morning and it was so heavenly I almost weeped. Never realised how delicious and satisfying it was to drink a cup of hot, fragrant coffee until now.

The night sickness has stopped (for now) although when I eat too much I still feel really uncomfortable but I guess that's normal.

I haven't been eating healthily nor have I been eating a lot of fish like what other mummies have advised. I feel like I am quite bo chup (can't be bothered) when it comes to food and eating healthily but I do feel a little worried and guilty at times. Perhaps it's time to really start watching my diet!

Our baby journey (11+3)

Went for the 4th gynae visit again yesterday. Baby's doing ok, even bounced a bit while we were doing the scan. :)

I've scheduled my Oscar test to be on 20th August. The Oscar test costs about $300 and will test for trisomy 13, 18 and 21. Fingers crossed and hope the little one will be ok.

I realised that my gynae is actually quite budget. Each visit consultation is $60, each scan (with photo) is also $60. I've heard of some gynaes consultations and scans being $80 or $100. One mummy even told me her scans cost $155 per time.

Dr Tan also didn't give me many vitamins to take during the first trimester. Folic acid is relatively cheap at $10 a box and it's about a 2 weeks' supply. Utrogestan is more expensive at $30 per box but it is so yucky I stopped taking that myself (I really couldn't take it anymore).

Excited to see the baby at my next visit 2 weeks later. And I can't wait for the night sickness to stop completely.

Second visit to the gynae

Yesterday was my second visit to the gynae. He did an ultrasound scan again and I saw my baby for the second time! It has grown bigger compared to the last visit, but all along I thought I was week 7 this week, but the gynae yesterday measured the baby and told me I am at 6 weeks 3 days. -_-" Which is why I've decided to not put the weeks/days in my blog titles until I am more sure how old it really is.

Anyway yesterday I heard my baby's heartbeat! :) It was really fast but I was so glad to hear it beating fast and strong!

Told the doc I feel quite nauseous at times and there is this dull ache at my sternum (right in the middle of my chest below my breasts) before and after food. He said it's just bloatedness and it'll probably last all the way till week 12 (if I'm lucky enough it stops after week 12).

So doc gave me utrogestan (progesterone pills) which I absolutely hate but he says I have to continue eating them until week 12. >_< he also gave me folic acid.

The bill yesterday came up to $171.20. So 2 visits already cost more than $350...this is probably not the most budget way to do this. The consultation is $60, ultrasound scan is $60, utrogestan is $30 and folic acid is $10 and all these not including GST.

Yesterday's visit with the gynae was somewhat more hurried, maybe because I chose the night timing and there were quite a number of patients waiting to see him. Anyway yup shall see how things go and decide whether I wanna stick to this one. Next visit is in 3 weeks' time! :)

Our baby journey (week 6)

So over the weekend things were relatively ok. Since I had my first gynae visit last week and my next one is in 2 weeks' time (week 7), I was a little concerned. Like, how would I even know the little one's doing ok inside me? I googled and the fact is that well, you can't. There is nothing to let you know the little one is ok, the only thing that lets you know that you are still pregnant is actually the fact that you still have all the symptoms e.g. morning sickness, tender boobs, fatigue etc.

So far I've been quite blessed in the sense that I haven't had morning sickness. My fatigue is under control as well, I can function relatively well the entire day but at about 10pm my eyes would turn droopy and I will be yawning non-stop. I've been having lots of very vivid dreams, mostly about arguments with friends/ in-laws etc. Hopefully this is not a premonition of things to come. :P

People have been saying to avoid drinking cold drinks, to eat more fish etc. For me, I've been drinking cold plain water. I think everything done in moderation is good (that's what my gynae said too). I've been refraining from sugared drinks as much as I can and also fried food. Also, I keep telling myself that I am NOT eating for two so there's really no need to stuff my face with food.

I've downloaded 3 different applications onto my phone. Everyday I just read a little, but basically they are more of weekly updates rather than daily.

Really can't wait for this first trimester to be over!

Our baby journey (Week 5)

I just found out a few days back that I am 5 weeks pregnant. So one of the biggest concern right now for the hubs and I is our finances. We literally spent quite a bomb on Oscar's various treatments. So suddenly we are both feeling really stressed.

Anyway I went to visit the gynae on Tuesday and he gave me Folic acid as well as a hormone pill thingie called utrogestan which supposedly helps to support the pregnancy.

So far this week has been fine except for the occasional headaches, constipation (no matter how much water I drink) as well as occasional cramps.

We are trying to do everything budget style yet of course not compromising on the quality of services rendered to us and our baby. I've chosen Dr Tan Poh Kok at Nex to be my gynae. First visit he did a scan and I saw my baby which was sooooo tiny, just a little black dot. Dr Tan is friendly and kind. So far so good! The first visit costs $192.60 including consultation, scan, the folic acid and the utrogestan. 

The hubs and I are definitely excited but scared at the same time. Suddenly we are gonna be parents! *gasp* 

More updates to come!