Tummy at 33 Weeks:
Tummy at 34 Weeks:
Today, I reached my 34th week and 4 days of pregnancy, almost 8 months and 3 weeks pregnant and I am so tired. Here’s what I am experiencing right now:
Water Retention – Swollen feet and legs caused me to walk even more slowly now.
Braxton Hicks – Yup, mild contractions every now and then that started sometime last week. Sometimes it gets just a little bit painful and all I have to do is ‘tonggeng’ on the floor or bed and it’ll go away. (so I heard real contractions hurt A WHOLE LOT MOREEEEEEEEEE.)
‘Lightening’ – I didn’t know what that sharp pain at my pelvis area was at first until I asked Diah. Her reply to my question was ‘Oh My God’. Yup, and she said she only experienced it when she was in labour ward. I freaked out and I honestly wanted to cry. So I googled and found out that it’s called ‘Lightening’ and definitely a sign of labour. Everytime I get that pain, I would automatically feel like keeping my legs together and pressing hard. That is the baby’s head moving further down my body.
Nesting – YUP, again I didn’t know what nesting was until I googled and when I read, it totally describes what I am doing RIGHT NOW. “the insatiable desire to organize and clean the house, or to suddenly tackle a big project” HAHAHA. That is so true! I suddenly had the urge to clean up my room and studio to make way for baby and buy all the necessary items in one day. As for that big project, yes yes a big project for Studiofrost that came also out of nowhere and I kept telling myself that I can do it and I must do it before I give birth.
I am currently experiencing all of the above PLUS backaches and pains, swollen fingers and toes, trouble sleeping, heartburn, itching tummy and etc etc. Alhamdullilah, i have been fasting since the first day of Ramadhan. Maybe it’s berkat from Him, but I don’t feel hungry or thirsty throughout the day. It feels normal. Baby S remains active even during fasting month, especially around 6 in the evening right up to when I break fast. Maybe he knows it’s almost time to ‘makan’. 
Right after breaking fast, Baby S will be dancing chachacha in my tummy and he will keep doing that until I go to sleep. Nowadays, I get so tired; I go straight to dreamland the moment I lie on my bed. I wake up several times at night, of course because of the pain and erm to urinate. Also, I realized that I only sleep in 1 position. There was one night, I went to bed lying down facing my right and I woke up the next morning in the same position. It is too much of a hassle to change positions when sleeping because this whale will wake the husband up with her BIG movements. LOL
To all other pregnant mummies who are at the same stage as me, leave comments and tell me what you are experiencing please? It is so comforting to get comments from people who tells me ‘it’s going to be ok’, because although I know it will hurt like %$$#%@$#!$@#, the words of encouragement and support will always make me feel slightly better.
Inshaallah everything gonn
a be fine ok Amin
Hey u!
First n foremost, can i jus say that i am overly jealous of u!! Thru d pics u’ve showcased, u’re still slim likE nobody’s business! I on d ther hand da like ball bergerak! Haha!!
I’m abt 36wks & 5days heavy and yeah.. Is currently goin thru all d sympoms dat u’ve mentioned above. Lagi teruk i think.. I kena d rashes which itches like mad thruout the whole body when i was abt 8mth preggie. That was terrible. I actually went to KKH twice n private doc twice. That’s cos both parties dont dare to give a good amount of painkiller for the itchies. they only gave me the small yellow pill (d on for flu) and some mild steroid cream. So just imagine, me sitting there like a ball and scratching myself silly – at least d places wherE i can reach that is! Haha!! Drinking coconut actually helps to ‘keluarkan’ all d itchies at one time, rather than keluar sikit sikit. Docs all say ni pembawaan baby. And that it’ll clear up once baby is born. So at that poi t of time, i had a good 1 mth to endure the itching madness! But alhamdulillah, nowadays the itching has slowed down..
AnothEr thing that i’m experiencing is that i cant lie down n face my right side for too long! My tummy like huge bola ready and the area just under d boobs is kinda numb/sebal.. Nanti the area just underneath the boobs will just have this stinging sharp pain. Sebal but stinging pain. Geddit? I also dunno how to describe la. Hee.. N lastly, i kena d dreadful Carpal tunnel syndrome. I sometimes couldnt grip/hold something for too long!! My sausage like fingers will just jam up and be so tingly, like semut2 all over.. Sometimes like i feel as if i ni invalId pulak.. Kena makan pakai fork/spoon – in a cacat way ok! Haha… Do hit me back wif a reply if u wanna know in detail wat i had to go thru esp part yang rashes tu.. Take care gorgeous!
Yep, kakak feel the same way too except the lightening and water retention. Slight spotting also apparent. Kakak coincidentally at the same phase as u are, nearing 35 weeks.all the best ya and insya’Allah ur delivery will be a smooth one.
I remember the same thing happening to my sis in law when she was preggy! And of coz its gonna be ok…I ve seen ppl who are so afraid of delivery and all esp 1 of my cousin. She said “I am only gonna do this once!” Irony is, she is now a mother of 4! Haha. Jia yo Nurul!
Hi Nurul.. At least, ure looking super duper good.. I look like an oversized penguin already.. And, yikes, I have stretch marks already and it’s just 32 weeks for me.. I’m super nervous too especially when I start to visualise the labour scene.. Hmm.. I frequently experience lower back pain everyday and almost all day
but hang on there, I think you’re doing just great.. May you have a smooth remaining journey..
Hi Nurul,
In the same boat as you. Experiencing all the same things that you are going through now. The backaches are the worst and knocking out immediately when i see the bed is like a hidden blessing. I feel sooo tired all the time.
Its good that the baby is still active during fasting. Alhamdulillah. must be the berkat of the month. Like yours, my baby also seems to know the timing for sahur and buka. ;p will always kick me without fail.
No worries, you will get there eventually and everything will be fine. The pain will be a killer but once we see our babies it will be worth it. =p
Hi nurul.. Tum Tum looking good..
Well all of ur symptoms are normal.. Keep track of your contractions. When it’s 5-8mins apart, do get ready.. U might just ready for labour.. And and.. Please look for unusual leaking.. It may not be a water gush.. Mcm adik I didn’t know that I was leaking!! Then when my last appointment (36weeks), I told the doc that I felt lesser fetal movements.. So they did a scan and ya Allah!! My amniotic fluid was low.. So they tried to induced me because low AFI might stressed the baby inside and risk of infection.. In the end, I kene ceasarian delivery to get the baby out.. So a great advice.. Keep track of leaking and fetal movement.. Very important.. Go straight hospital if u find baby is not moving much as per normal..
Whatever it is, every pregnancy is different.. Enjoy your last laps of preggy!!
Hey babe
just wanna tell u this, am not gonna pain a beautiful picture here but during this time u are experiencing all sort of things which are pretty normal. But i got to share one wonderful thing with you. All u gotta do now is hold on n endure all this but the moment baby S pops out the feeling of giving birth will be so wonderful n one day u realize how beautiful the pain of giving birth to another life. This feeling is so amazing only a mother will be able to feel this…… Its beautiful feeling n the joy it brings.
Hope your journey thru this will make you stronger. Amin. I wish you all the best.
Cheers
Hey Hun..
Looking good there..
As Ive recently given birth to my 2nd one, I remembered clearly how I felt before birth clearly..
I remembered walking for 5mins n then I would need rest another 10mins before I start moving again.. Haiya…
I gained almost 25kg during my pregnancy.. Before I was only 52kg..
I can’t sleep most of the time during my 8th month…
I always need to pee every night almost every 2mths..
I had simpul biawak every night…
I can’t fit into my maternity jeans…
I can’t each too much as when I need the toilet it I would have fears that I might give birth..
The point of me telling you this is that overall it will be a memory of a lifetime..
No matter how painful labour Is, once baby pops you will not feel tg pain anymore..
Just remember to selawat as much as you can..
God will help every mother in this world as this is one amanah that he is giving to us..
It may seem unbelievable but I gave birth to my first one for abt 4hrs
and the second one is only 1hr…
All you think abt is to be the best mother in the world..
All you wanna do is to give him the best carr n guide him to the righ path.
So pls dun think too much of the pain as you willforget how painful or hard it is at the end..
After birth you will only think abt one thing!
Get back to your original weight!! Haha!!
Just remember to follow the pantang ya!
It will be somehow torturous but it will work out in the end.
And now I’m 55kg.. Still working hard to get bak to 52 or not 50kg ..
Motivation for me n you girl!! =)
I’m wishing you great health and hope to see you pushing a pram arnd White sands area one day!! Hehe!!
Hi kak nurul, saw you today at Vivo City. U looking good!! =))
Hi babe! I am 1 week behind you, and this is my 2nd pregnancy.
I can’t stand the backaches seriously and yesterday got SO BADDD I actually couldnt WALK after just 15 minutes of lying down. I had to scoot off the floor with husband as a walking stick.
Its a mix feeling really, cant wait to give birth and yet can’t wait to NOT give birth. Hopefully we give birth after at least 2 weeks of Raya ok, kalau tak we will miss all the good food! HA!
Its true what they say, labor pains are unimaginable and million times more painful than normal menstrual cramps bu yes, it IS WORTH ALL the pain. When you look at your baby’s face for the first time, or when you are alone with your sleepig baby, you’ll thank Allah for giving you this gift of life you can proudy call yours.
Lets go through this last leg of pregnancy with all the support and strength we can gather! Take care!!
salam nurul,
just wanna share some labour tips with you,
( this is when u already in labour ward)
first of all when u have the pain of contraction keep yourself calm and most important don’t keep thinking abt the pain cos it will just make u more restless and feel the pain even more. what u have to do just be positive and keep smiling. insya allah when you a ready to push the baby out u will have more strength to push.
another tips before u deliver once u had the contraction get some help from your family members to make a cup of milo with added of egg yolk(milo with out mixing sugar or condense milk) that will help your baby to come out smoothly. this milo might sound weird and eeeyyyeww but I’ve tried u won’t taste the yolk at all so don’t worry.
so far i’ve tried this thing above and alhamdullilah all my 3 delivery when smoothly and i pushed my baby out less than 5 to 7 pushes. but i all depends on how big ur baby is,my babies weigh between 2.8kg-3.4kg.
hope the tips given will help u and hope everything when smoothly,insya allah.amin….. remember keep smiling:)
Salam Kak Nurul,
I’m an avid reader of your blog! And I honestly have no advice, but my prayers are with you that your baby and you will go through labour smoothly, insya’Allah.
And Kak Nurul, you’re looking good!
Heh.
Take care and all the best!
Hi Sis Nurul,
I’m now in my 6th mnth pregnancy. Get easily tired, always urine. Takot nk give birth nie. I’m due in Dec and expecting a baby boy too!
Hi Nurul…
Insya Allah…you’ll be fine…. it depends on individual…for me both my pregnancy taklah seperit maner…tup..tup dah kluar…skali dua teran ajer dah kluar baby tu….You must now the tactic…. breathe normally and don’t be panicky….that will make your breathing inconsistent…
Btw….you tummy looks…..kinda….cute lah….
Dear Nurul,
Love reading your pregnancy updates! You’re 6 weeks pregnant ahead of me. And your updates give me the insights of what i should expect in the coming weeks.
Nevertheless, yes i agree with all the pains and the blessings of being able to fast while baby still remains active.
Same as mine…baby starts all his somersaults just before buka and will last throughout the night
Take care and keep healthy!
i was 1 week overdue. which technically meant i was pregnant up till the 41 weeks.
yes. i understand how it felt.
actual contractions were terrible. just stay focus on your breathing. breathe in and out.
aha the fear of the unknown..but 4 me evn after repeatedx5 deliveries, i stil very the scared..wat to do must face it lah. hoping it’s worth all the difficulties (muga diampunkan dosa2 bagi ibu yg melahirkan)
u r lucky cos u didnt put on weight overally. only ur tummy expands, the rest all maintain. so easier, only need to work on the tummy aft delivery. most of us not dat lucky.
Hi Nurul,
I m a mommy of two… Well like u i was very scared and very curious, about the pain and how it will be when i was pregnant with my first kid. In summary doctor had to burst my waterbag and the real contractions only sets in like around 3hours later. During that waiting time (before the contractions started) i spend time reading yassin over and over again. It helps to calm myself down and feel redha with what ever comes. I was very emotional too. LOL. Whatever it is, if you are not using Epidural, hold that Laughing Gass and breathe in as much as you can.. and dont let go…until they said time to push la… LOL! Now looking back, it was really a funny + scary but yet the most sweet and memorable experience..
Take care.. looking forward to read your part of experience … insyaallah…
Hi Nurul,
Nice preggy pic u have there. Im in my 32 weeks and expecting a baby boy too. You r indeed one lucky lady having to put on weight only on yr tummy area. This round, I hv bad episodes of pigmentations and lotsa pimples like thingy all over the body. My gynae said she cudn’t helped much & its due to hormonal changes.
Yep truly agree tat im juz like you who sleeps on the right side throughout & didnt change to another position till the next mrng. Strange rite? For the simpul biawak thingy, i didnt had a single one tis time cos i consistently go for my pre-natal massage at babies bellies. Since the delivery date is drawing near, i’ll go at least once in 2 or 1 week.
Nothing much to elaborate on the labour part as different ppl will definitely have a different experience altogether.
Most importantly, banyak selawat n without knowingly, yr baby will b out =D
Till yr next update & meanwhile take care babe
I’m on my 37th weeks. This is my second pregnancy with a boy. Nowadays..it’s more of the sleepness nights that’s bothering me. Since I had a c-section for my first pregnancy, I’m al so schedule for a c-section this time round too. I’m super duper nervous and scared too! I will deliver mind sometime next week.
hi Nurul,
Congratulations on soon to becoming a “Full-pledged Mummy”. I have recently given birth to a healthy baby boy…So let me share wat little knowledge i have with you and anybody else who is in the same boat with you….
About Legs swellings and Cramping, ellivate your legs on some pillows on the bed… for a few hrs if possible wen u lay down n reading a damn good book…. in fact, even wen i was 9mths preg, i still washing toilet, going up n down stairs… my legs swelled up at 8mths plus but nt as bad as others cos i did my leg ellivation routine every day….don’t drink water like a camel before you sleep… sip …sip… sip enough till ur thirst is quenched… this helps water retention, n the urge to wake up to pee at nite… seriously, wen the lil person is out..there goes all tat straight full sleep… so sleep good n well now…I find having those portable massager handy near the bed n massage your feet n calfs with em before you sleep.
so we have covered Leg swellings… onto Water Retention. Preggos have to watch what they eat. if you are having a craving and the food is damn salty or so sweet, please eat to kill the crave…. You still have to watch your Salt n Sugar intake… Salty food can increase water retention… Stay away from salty food n your body will not want to retain water… Believe me, i did not suffer from Water Retention….
Sleeping on one position is good if you are comfy… Remember, sleep is important now… I had my labour at nite n gave birth in the wee hrs of morning… my suggestion is wen u hit 9mths n 1 week old, pls sleep n nap during the day time so that in case you have to go into labour tru the nite, you will nt be as tired as Sleepy-Head me….
Remember, it is never too late to use your body oils n creams to rub all over your tummy, back, thighs n most importantly in btwn ur thighs as near as to ur Va-J-J. When preggos put on weight, they will swell down there abit n wen you walk alot, can cause irritations n sores… i started moisturizing asa i found out i preg… dont have the stretch marks but jiggly here n there la…
Braxton Hicks is normal esp wen you are in 8mths onwards. BH feels painful. in fact, wen you start your labour (the REAL LABOUR) you keep wanting to go to toilet every 5-10mins and you feel like peeing and shitting but almost nothing comes out… tats wen u shud slowly make sure ur docs, bags n hubby on stby….
Dont forget your bird nest, brands essence now onwards to give you the extra boost….wen you are ready to go hospital, eat some kormas n drink milk + honey + eggs mix. The hospital staff won’t let you eat once you are warded…so you need the extra energy…
Remember, if the baby does not breech… n you are gonna do natural/normal delivery… you will have to fight the pains/contractions n then the crowning wen the lil person is ready to Boom boom Pow out! so i will be lying if i said its nt painful…. you must follow nurse n doc’s reccomendations n instructions… even if you dilate full 10cm, doc will snip abit to aid your baby’s head out… if you push n tear, lagi leceh… you can tear here n there n later wen they patch you up, its very unsightly…
G on Youtube n check up wat is breat crawl…. So even if you take “Happy-dural”, the baby still can do a breast crawl…mine did on me…the 1st 2hrs after their birth, they so alert. so i latched him on my tits so tat he couls learn to latch n suckle. if you dont intend to breastfeed, then dont have to do tat much..
Oh ya, after birth, you will have the fear to “berak” or pass motion. Eat lots of dragonfruit now, esp the red ones so your stool is soft n you can clear bowels just before labor n go toilet easily after birth….
I am looking at my son now as i type to you. really, its worth all the pain and sacrifice… its very sureal! but must be patient no matter wat… come wat may….
any more queries, you got my e-mail…. good luck! you will do just fine my luvly bella….ask your mum abt kacip fatimah akar….the more u soak n drink the water, the more the akar open n bloom, the more you dilate….heheheh… petua yg baik sekali…. i dilated full 10cm in 5hrs, its also my 1st child… some dilate faster, some more than 16hrs labor ….
take care yeah,
Myra
Hi Nurul..
I’m due somewhere around the same time as u.. And i’m expecting baby boy too!! Urs is Baby S and mine is Baby D!! Oh by the way, this is my second pregnancy.
Anyway i start to feel the discomfort too!! At times i feel sharp pain down there and the baby’s movement is getting stronger and harder. I have to agree with u. I got tired easily and it was so difficult to change sleeping position when you sleep. At times i got so breatheless that it was difficult for me to move around and even perform my prayers.
Now i start to feel the nervousness of labour!
Hi,Nurul! Congrats on your pregnancy!
Anyway,I’m a mother of 2 and reading through your updates on your pregnancy reminds me of mine… Both pregnancies were different(might be due to gender I guess)however we special in their own ways.
My first pregnancy with my boy was quite smooth sailing except for the terrible bouts of stomach flu that I had during the first trimester. The second with my girl was definitely more tiring and challenging. Apart from having to run after an active 2 year plus boy then, I was once admitted due to high and prolonged fever at 7 months.
Then at around 36 weeks or so,I sudddenly couldn’t walk properly cause I had sharp pains in my pelvic area. I couldn’t even spread open my legs to put on my pants! It was definitely tortorous!I read up online and found out that it is something called ‘pubic dysfunction’(sounds really scary,honestly) and will only worsen after I’ve gone through labour as I will need to spread my legs open during labour.My then gynae only smiled when I told him and said to my hubby,’Kesian eh dia!’Hahaha! Wasn’t offended though as I fully trust and respect my gynae..
Alhamdulillah,the pain vanished the instant I gave birth so I guess it’s just ‘pembawaan’.
Anyway,just a piece of advice..
I know how mothers-to-be out there are nervous of the unknowns during labour. I was very paranoid till I start reading up on others’ experiences online. I read as many as possible in both languages everyday. Somehow,it made me more aware and ready of the changes to come. Over the next few weeks, I grew confident. I told myself that if my mum could bear the pain to give me the life I’m living now,then I want to go through the same as well. So confidence is key.
Next two are priceless when it comes to labour. Yes,they are indeed painful and you will want to shorten the time going through the ordeal.. My first advise is squats. Do as often as you can.Thogh you may be afraid of inducing labour,what you should do is control your muscles as though you’re controlling your urine. Do it a few times a day to strengthen your pelvic muscle.
Secondly,this advice is from my 80 year old bidan and it works as a selusuh. As you’re nearing your labour date,you should practice this everytime you shower.
While in the shower,wash and shampoo your hair as per normal. Then,while still showering,selawat 3 times and niat,’Sebagaimana lancarnya air dari hujung rambut ku ini mengalir,begitu lancarlah anakku akan lahir’, Then you literally sip the water from the ends of your hair. You may think it’s weird but InsyaAllah it will help.
Both the squats and petua gave a fast and safe delivery,alhamdulillah. My boy was born within 3 hours of the first contraction weighing at 3.2 kg and my girl was born within 2 at 3.4kg.. Both were painkiller free as well!
So good luck on the last few weeks or even days of your journey! It will be fine,Insya-allah..
Hi Nurul, as i read ur post, it makes me remember how i felt last 10 mths ago..havin tat same experience tat ur having.. but worse is not knowing if its a sign of labour..i had 3 false alarm, mind u..n evrytime i told my mum tat i had the cramp tat last for 10 mins every 5-10 mins, she will prepare hot milo with egg yolk..she say it gives strength to push the baby out..hehehe..but everytime i drink it, the pain suddenly hilang! kelakar kan? ni budak pun leh tahan la..but aniwae, u dun wori soo much,k..a lot of mommies haven undergo wat ur goin n they came out fine..im veri sure u will b ok too, aite!
At tis point of time, jus prepare ur hosp bag and bnykkan baca ayat2 suci al quran..insyallah u will be fine..u take care and cant wait to c ur handsome prince! Btw, my mum kirim salam..she used to work at canteen skola chongzheng pri tat u went to..(Cik Faridah)yg jual nasi lemak..hheehe..
dun wori, u will definitely overcome it!
hi nurul..
im @ 36 weeks to date.. n my baby was @ 2.2kg d same time as yrs.. yr gynae Dr Irene Chua too? She mentioned my baby was chubby as well and asked what i fed her? padahal kita puasa, kan? heh..
i crave to chew on ice the whole day.. n so my sahur n buka used to begin with ice until my hubby told me to stop! coz he thinks baby musst get something warm first! anyways, my aunt’s bibik told me tt chewing on ice will make baby grow BIG.. so despite the fear tt baby too big for me to push out, i just cant resist chewing on ice la..
sleeping is such a chore for me too.. n i hate to see myself walking if i happen to walk towards the direction of a mirror.. im not as tall as u, so i really look like a penguin lor! its my 2nd pregnancy with a girl and my body totally out of shape as compared to my first, preggy w a boy.. tummy was sharper and d rest of body was leaner.. now everywhere also so bulat one!
although it my 2nd pregnancy, my first was too smooth for me to compare to this one.. i didnt feel braxton hicks, no backache, no cravings, no nothing.. i worked and played and jumped w preschool kids right till the day before i gave birth..
but this pregnancy, now my V already starting to feel swollen.. peeing like every half hour.. tummy have spots.. braxton hicks.. cramps.. and baby super active and tickle me down there make me feel so ‘ngilu’ all the time.. all i want to do is lie down, but even tt hurts! so ipractically donoe wat to do all day long.. walk also susah, baring also susah.. cant wait to give birth!
i wish u hv a smooth delivery and lets see if any one of us preggy at the same timing might bump into the labour ward! Heheee..
Woooooooooooooooiii….you look like you are hiding a basketball inside! Your belly is way too cute lah!
Ahhh….this pain…is all normal…when you do that final “push”…suddenly all the pain will go away you know!
Then you will see your little wrinkly child and go…ahhhhh….so cute! Then you will be HUNGRY. hehehehe!
Good luck my dear. May Allah make the last few weeks easy for you and make your delivery an easy one, inshaallah.
Hang in there and listen to what your body is telling you. Women are born to pop out babies, so trust what Allah has given you, hokays?
Much love,
Su
Hi Nurul! hope you are doing well!
Just wanted to share this with you. Someone wrote on my wall in facebook wishing me the most painful, longest and horrible labour when i was 35 weeks pregnant (husband was furious and she later apologised claiming she meant it as a joke). anyway, my point is i had a very very smooth labour! i was induced at 9am and i gave birth at 2.30pm! (first child lagi). im not going to lie and say it doesnt hurt. yes it hurts sooooo much. towards the end i couldnt tahan anymore and requested for the epidural but my gynae was against it! i was already 8cm dilated and she told me to bear with the pain and i took the ‘laughing gas’ instead. it was a wonderful experience (i was so lucky kan?)
insyaAllah everything will turn out fine. i pray for a smooth delivery for you. all the best nurul! =)