Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Round Ligament Stretch- wat dat?!

28 Aug 06 - 27 weeks

Pregnant + Moving House = Ligament Stretch.

Simple equation. A pregnant woman should not be overzealously doing housework or carrying heavy stuff. Unless she's a stubborn pregnant woman who tells people "Dont worry, I'm pregnant not disabled". Like me.

Remember I said the little niggles were getting to me (aka pelvic pressure)? Well, the actual term my gynae used when I saw him 2 days ago was "Round Ligament Strech" which means as the uterus grows bigger to accommodate the baby, the surrounding ligament gets pulled making simple walking, standing up, rolling over in bed and carrying a laundry bag a painful task. Shooting pain will affect either 1 or both sides of the pelvic bone, which I felt deep in the groin (around the ovaries). The good news is that its not serious, the bad news is it stays with you throughout the pregnancy. At first I thought it had to do with my womb 'dropping' but my gynae assured me otherwise. The ligament stretch has nothing to do with the baby's position, more to do with Mum's daily activities. If she walks, turns and carries things like Superwoman, she'll be more susceptible to ligament stretch. The solution: take things easy, put your feet up whenever possible and put a cold/warm press to the affected area.

A visit to your gynae is also important since he/she has to rule out SPD which is a serious condition. Same symptoms but ligament hurts even when you're resting. SPD will affect your ability to give birth naturally.

If you are experiencing this, read up at the following websites:

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/prenatalhealth/205.html

http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/roundligamentpain.htm

http://www.babies.sutterhealth.org/during/preg_discomforts.html#25

Last check revealed a healthy 1kg bub, Doc says its 'very normal' but I'm worried she may be big since my baby book says at 28 weeks, baby should be around 700g. No wonder I get so tired after climbing up the overhead bridge. I'm carrying a sack of potatoes inside my belly! I've only gained 5kg so far and no water retention which means I look normal. Hafidz says from the back, no one would be able to tell I'm preggers. Her kicks and punches are very distinct now, most times my belly shifts suddenly from the tapdance routine or punches. Its really fun to just lie down and watch her in action, which usually starts from 9pm onwards.

(Excerpt from Childbirth Solutions)
Week 27

Mother:
You may begin to put on weight more quickly now, but don't let that faze you. Keep eating a healthy diet and the pounds will take care of themselves, paying off in a healthy baby with a healthy mommy. Some shortness of breath can be expected as the growing baby pushes up, crowding your lungs. Most accidental falls during pregnancy cause no problems, due to the superior cushion the amniotic fluid provides. You should, however, call your care provider if you fall and then notice a sudden discharge of fluid from the vagina or severe abdominal pain.

Baby:
Those beautiful baby eyes can open now, and the baby will notice and turn her head if you shine hold a flashlight against your belly. The baby's skin is very wrinkled right now due to the fact that the skin grows faster that the fat layer underneath it. They won't really even up for a while after birth. The retina at the back of your baby's eyes is beginning to develop. Brain wave recordings show rapid eye movement now. The hair follicles on the skin are just now forming. Blood flows through the umbilical cord and through the baby's body within 30 seconds, traveling at 4 mph.

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BTW: Angela, congrats babe on being pregnant!!! I was completely shocked when you told me but so very very happy for you. I'll try to add in more details of my pregnancy experience in my posts, like you asked, so you can compare your experience and mine. As they say, 2 pregnancies are never alike!