Lately I've been experiencing cramps (similar to period cramp) in my lower abdomen as well as the occasional strong and sharp uterine contractions. From what I've read, it is not uncommon to feel this in late pregnancy. Just last Saturday, when I was out shopping with my parents in One Utama, I couldn't help but noticed that my bump has started to drop (commonly known as lightening/engagement) and found it extremely difficult to walk long due to the pain on my pelvic muscle. Never knew that I'd one day consider the sight of benches in shopping malls a sheer bliss. In the course of my two hours there, I was pinning so much to sit so my back, heels and thighs won't ache like hell. I kept repeating to mum "I've got no more stamina to walk anymore" and we ended up in Delicious cafe for a meal instead, not so much for the food to be precise but rather to rest my heavy bum bum and incredibly huge bump.
Saw my ob-gy on Tuesday evening and as usual, we waited for like 2 hours to see her, performed the usual protocol of taking my urine test and stepping on the scale. This time I tipped the scale at 60.7kg, not too bad, 300g in two weeks but my urine test remained at 2 plusses/2 bar, to which one of the nurses remarked as high. The vaginal swab culture test came back and I was told that there was infection (heavy) but the bacteria does not pose any danger to me or the baby. The remedy: an antibiotic tablet,white in colour and about an inch long, to be inserted into the vagina (with an applicator) before bed time.
For my personal benefit and for the benefit of those who don't know the seriousness of getting your vaginal swab for bacteria in your 34 weeks of gestation: There is this certain bacteria called the Group B beta-haemolytic streptococcus (GBS) which can be very fatal to your newborn. The GBS has been identified to be the number one cause of life threathening infections in newborn and is usually found in your down south genitilia, vagina. Majority of the GBS infections are acquired during childbirth when the newborn comes into contact with the bacteria via the mother's birth canal and bare in mind that c-sect delivery does not eliminate an infected mother from transmitting GBS to her newborn. This lethal bacteria has resulted in the death of 2000 infants yearly while leaving others mentally or physically handicapped. (Information is extracted from www.childbirth.org/article/GBS.html). Pretty alarming isn't it? Therefore treatment is eminent before and during labour to prevent your newborn from contracting it.
My ob-gy did an ultrasound to measure the baby's growth from crown to rump and also showed us the blood flow in his umbilical cord (the reading is 1.29 and it is a healthy level but said it could go up to 1.8). He has put on 1 kg in 5 weeks and now weight in at 2.9kg. A physical check on my bump also confirmed that my baby's head has already engaged. Engaged here means when the fetus descends into the pelvic cavity during the last few weeks of prenancy.
The doc also did a VE (vaginal examination) to determine if my cervix had dilated. It was an extremely uncomfortable experienc and a little painful when she inserted her fingers into my vagina. Lo and behold, my cervix has dilated to about 1 finger wide or 1 cm wide. Doc said baby's weight is good and he's big enough to come out so I can expect to go into labour anytime this week onwards. Naturally I was shocked cause I wasn't expecting it this soon but hubby was pleasantly pleased with the news. Doc said if I walk a lot, it will expedite the labour so I'm now contemplating on whether should I walk more or less?
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