Friday, October 21, 2011

Passport to a healthy Pregnancy

This is my first entry in the WW contest. I so love the topic. Thanks WW for giving me a chance. Here is my entry.

It was 3+ years that we were married and working and things were going ok. Hubby wanted to make a surprise trip to India to meet his parents. Little did he know that there was a surprise waiting on him. A week after he left to India, when my monthly cycle did not show up, I took a quick trip to the gynae. The gynae who was around 50's was a jovial and light hearted doc and had tonnes of desi patients coming to him. I was briefed about him by my desi friends. A day later the blood test results were out and Yes I was pregnant. All overjoyed, called the hubby who in turn promised to tell both sets of parents.
A week or two later, the gynae calls up to say that the detailed blood analysis reports are out. I would need to visit him urgently. After a little questioning from my side, he said that my thyroid levels have been low and i need to be on medication immediately, else i might miscarry. The moment i heard the dreaded word miscarry, i just told my team lead and left work. Doc had already ordered for the medication at the nearest walgreens pharmacy. He explained to me the consequences and i went to the pharmacy to pick up. There has never been a day that i forgot to take this medication during pregnancy along with the pre natal vitamins.
For one i noticed, the doc would give you all his time in the world for any questions on every check up. Curiousity sometimes drives one up the wall. I would google up to find answers and try and confirm with the doc on the next checkup. He realised this and the next checkup asked me "So what does the internet have to say?" I was taken aback but he was joking. He said never confuse yourself reading too much and never be ignorant either.
My first one was a small baby a 5+ pounder and when he got the baby out during delivery, he said "She is a peanut can i put her back in again??" Maan that was painful but he almost kept the whole process lively and going. The one thing i noticed was he was always available for me and mentioned to have trust in myself and the doc and everything would be fine. Again post delivery (1st and 2nd babies), I was low on breast milk and had to supplement it with formula. I wondered, why it is always me and i know my friends who had babies at the same time were able to fully nourish their kids without any formula and for almost close to a year. This is when i felt guilt struck and asked the doc. All he said, just respect your body for all it did and please do not blame yourself for it. Each body can process things differently so accept it.

Going back in time, i loved the whole process of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Delivery though was normal was pretty painful both the times just that one was long and the other was short but pain is pain and does not make a difference.So for me what worked out was finding the right gynae and trusting him/her and respecting one's body.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

School Season starts and the drama unfolds

So it was a short 15 day vacation for the kids. We did the most of it or atleast I think. We went on 4 day trips to Coorg and Pondicherry. Did a lot of sight seeing and looking around. Stayed in resorts, had fun swimming, playing at the beach, visited a wildlife sanctuary, birthplace of river Kaveri etc. Today kids are back at school. Yesterday night I had to cut their nails, one thing is that the schools follow strict discipline in this aspect and second is that the nails were real shabby what with all the painting and coloring done in the holidays. There is a lot of resistance to this activity, so much that, I just have to hold each one tight and cut the nails. Seriously a big effort. I somehow got Tiny's nails cut. Now it was the turn of the little guy. After lot of fuss we got the finger nails cut. He was not in for the toes. Here goes the conversation between myself and him:
Me: Mam will check your nails tomorrow and if you do not cut it, she might check you out of the class.
Little: That is why I have cut my finger nails no..
Me: How about toe nails????
Little: To check my toe nails she will have to remove my shoes/socks and tie it back as well. So she will not do that.
This boy all of 4.5 has grown so arrogant, I run short of where to start.