39 weeks

Today I had a CTG (Cardiotocographic Monitoring) session - essentially I got to be strapped to two devices, one monitoring the baby's heartbeat (the doppler) and another my contractions. I lay on a bed in the clinic for 30 minutes and at the end of the session, my doctor reviewed the printout documenting the heartbeat and contractions.

During the monitoring, Kisu who was with me noticed that the baby's heartrate was lower than what we're normally used to (when we get to listen to her heartbeat during ultrasound scans) - it was going at 130+ when it's usually around 170 or so.

Well, turns out the little critter was dozing!

Nurse had to come in and "zap" my tummy to wake her up. There's this contraption they place low down on my abdomen (where her head now is) that emits a nasty sound and some sort of zapping action to prod the baby awake. She immediately woke - I felt her jerk - and her heartbeat zoomed up to 160ish. Atta girl!

She's put on another 100g in the past week bringing her estimated weight to 2.8kgs and her head is fully engaged - "completely in" were my doc's words. Although my EDD is a week away, doc expects me to make it to hospital somewhere early part of next week. Again she mentioned my irritable uterus - even pointing out a contraction as it was taking place - something about it hardening. But to me, it just felt like the baby moving. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to not know what a contraction feels like?! Yeah, fat hope!

I have been experiencing some cramping in the early hours of the morning when sleeping last couple days, but that's about it. Not painful, just very mild period cramp-ish and a little accompanying backache which would go away once I start moving around.

I've been briefed on the signs:
+ To be prepared when show appears or waterbag breaks, but I can afford to wait it out till:
+ Contractions are approximately 10 minutes apart - which means I would be about 3cm dilated, at which point we need to get going to the hospital.

Warning signs, i.e. emergency action required:
+ Bloody discharge - failing placenta or
+ Greenish (and not clear or pink) liquid when waterbag bursts - baby in distress (meconium in waterbag)

I actually was pretty sure that I would be subjected to a VE (vaginal exam, or what another mummy blogger unceremoniously refers to as "the fingering") today to check the status of my dilation but thankfully managed to get away without going through it. Think my doc is really very chin chye.

One more weekend of freedom, at least!!!

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Have been enjoying catching up with friends the last couple days - been trying to meet up as they know I'm going to pop soon.

Yesterday Selena visited me with baby Emily for lunch, and Stella visited in the afternoon bearing a baby gift!

This afternoon's lunch was spent at House - Barracks at Tanglin Village with Jenny.

In addition, I've also stopped cooking since last week. Kisu and I figure we won't have much chance to in future to dine out, so we decided to explore food places instead, one of which was Tanglin Village. Got to dine at Margarita's - I'm glad because Kisu loves Mexican and was dying to go. Me, I'm not a big fan of Mexican but Margarita's is not bad for food even if service was spotty and the place incredibly noisy.

Supposed to catch movies too, while we can, but nothing I really want to watch besides Lee Ang's Lust, Caution (Tony Leung, whoo hoo!) - the uncut version which (disasterously enough for me) opens on 8th November, ONE DAY before my EDD!

Craps....don't know if I can make it. But I figure I could maybe sneak away for a little while during confinement since I have the nanny....you think??