For 10 Months

Was looking at this picture and thought of all the bittersweet experiences which I have gone through to carry them full-term for 10 months in my womb and deliver them safely.

Do I wish to get pregnant again? Oh yes, I wish, hehe. Actually I have always wanted three kids, but the hubs said stop at two. So two it shall be. And pregnancy reminds me of some bittersweet experiences which I have been through, especially with baby G. Why? Here's why:

The bitter ones first. I had bleeding twice when I was carrying baby G, around 5th month during my pregnancy. I could still clearly remember, I was in the office washroom, and I saw reddish-brown discharge in my underwear. Gosh, I then rushed myself to see my gynae, given a jab, and was told to bed-rest for a few days. That moment, I couldn't wait to get over with the pregnancy and just give birth as soon as possible. 

Another irritating one? Heartburn (or gastro-esophageal reflux). 40%-80% of pregnant mummies suffer from this. My English is simple. Very layman. My version means stomach juices "travel" from the inside to my throat, and up (then out) through my nose! Yes, my nose! The "juices" come out through my nose, causing me to puke, and it happens each time after a big gulp, especially at night. Usually, I must have my beverage every night before bed, and since I always feel hot during pregnancy, I will drink a big glass of iced beverage or a cold drink before bed. But the larger the amount I drink, the larger amount of "stomach juices" will come up to my nose. And after about half an hour, true enough, the "juices" will go up to my throat and out through my nose, and I had to puke before going back to bed. It happens every night during the third trimester.

Those days, I just let it happen, and told myself all these will be over after the pregnancy. But now, pregnant mummies who suffer from this need not worry about this problem because there is pregnancy-safe liquid medicine to help sooth heartburn, like Gaviscon. It's completely safe, and 68% of pregnant mummies feel better within 10 minutes after consuming the liquid. Good news, ay?

Ok, bitter ones done. The sweet ones? Needless to say, the "freedom" to eat whatever I wanted (without gaining weight and having gestational diabetes), and also feeling the baby kicks. I craved for sweet foods when I was pregnant with baby G. Anything sweet, you name it - soft drinks, tong sui, ice cream, canned fruits, and I never get gestational diabetes nor gain much weight every month during my monthly antenatal checkup. Magical? 

Be More Aware

Baby G is 7 months old now. Look at how time flies. I remembered not long ago, I just gave birth and breastfed him. He doesn't take the breasts now and I missed the feeling of him suckling my breasts.

I remembered after about a week giving birth and breastfeeding, lumpy milk ducts formed on both my armpits. Yes, you read it right, on both my armpits. It felt like "soft marbles" and it could "move around" when I squeezed on it. When I squeezed them, hell, it was painful but I wanted to know what was inside, so I squeezed harder. White-yellowish milky liquid oozed out. I believe it was breast milk, no? The lumps stayed in my armpits for more than a month. After confinement, they miraculously dissapeared. Did I think about that big C word? Yes I did, for a moment.

A friend of my sister's is only 30, mother of 2, breastfeeds, has no family history of cancer, yet, she was tested positive for breast cancer at 3rd stage recently after a "milk lump" didn't go away after a few days. 

So be more aware of your breasts. Wearing a pink ribbon is just not enough. 

If you know of any warriors or survivors, somebody wanted me to create awareness and spread the word that AXA AFFIN, in collaboration with National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), are supporting cancer patients currently undergoing treatment under their program. For every blog posted by one blogger, AXA AFFIN will fund the NCSM daycare usage to one cancer patient going through recovery for one day.

If you are interested to blog about this and want to know more about how this blogger campaign works, you may contact her.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid post and I am not in any way related or working for AXA, but I am just sharing what I think every women should be aware. It could happen to you, whether you are 13 or 31, and whether you have family history of cancer or not.