Baby & Maternity Items to be bought

When you are expecting you get advice...from all sides. Some you want, some you dont, but you dont have a choice. If you have certain people from whom you want advice and tips, keep only those people updated about your current status and queries (which you will have in plenty).

So you will be entering a new phase, of which you do not have much idea. There was no need for me to look at baby products earlier in life, so the choices available could be mind boggling. I started spending a lot of time on First Cry, Baby Oye and the baby section of sites like Amazon and Flipkart.
You will be amazed at the type of products available these days for babies. When I was a baby even diapers werent easily available, I dont know whether they were available at all actually, cause mom always says you guys are lucky that diapers are available now!

I have cousins and friends who live in US and recently had babies. So received a lot of inputs on what I could ask my brother to get when he came down. Since I had a lot of time on hand I did the following:
- I made lists in Excel of things I was suggested to buy.
- I sorted the list based on what I actually wanted.
- Later I checked the prices in US and India.
- When finally I had list of things required from US, I checked the US sites for prices
- Final step was making a Google Sheet with links and sharing it with my brother!
(US sites include - Amazon, Costco, Target)

Here are some things which I was suggested to buy (I did not get them all - some I got from cousins)
- Diapers (much cheaper in US as compared to India)
- Baby Wipes (same logic as above)
- Nursing Pads (Disposable as well as washable)
- Cooling Nipple Pads
- Nipple Cream
- Feeding Bottles
- Breast Pump
- Nipple Shield
- Sturdy Diaper Bag (preferably back pack style)
- Baby Health care Kit (one with thermometer, medicine dispenser etc)
- Quick Dry Sheet
- Disposable Underwear (post delivery)

This is most of it, if I remember anything else, I will edit the post and add it.

I was lucky that I got a lot of baby clothes and did not have to go and buy them. Otherwise, they would be a major part of the baby shopping budget!

The last few weeks

I did not have a full time job and used to work as a freelance writer. During the last month, it got difficult to sit at a place for long durations and I informed all my contractors that I would be working only till the 11th of April. My brother was supposed to reach India on 14th, so I would have some time to spend with him as well before the baby arrived.

I am due on 4th of May. I kept a track of when the babies of my friends and cousins had arrived. Starting from 37 weeks, the baby could be expected any time. I expected my baby to arrive early as well. Why? No reason as such! Just that the baby was too active and I thought, this one wont stay 40 weeks inside.

I thought the baby has been delaying because V has not come here yet. But now V is here since 2 days - working from home - yet no sign of labor! 

It is 39.2 weeks now and I am tired. Tired of waiting and contemplating what day the baby might arrive. It is like watching a boiling pot of water. Mom keeps saying that if you werent prepared, the baby would have arrived and surprised you. I had my hospital bag ready, everything with a plan. So probably the baby says, you wait, I will take my own sweet time.

All days I am checking for some signs and symptoms - nothing! The head lock had not happened on the 39 weeks check up either! Last night I did not sleep well, barely slept actually. Baby decided to move a lot and I think has descended a little. The pressure in the lower abdomen is very high! I woke up to pee every 90 minutes.

This wait game is difficult...very difficult! I wish I had something to keep myself occupied.

Where to deliver?!

To find a good doctor is very very important and I had this task ahead of me after coming back to Mom's place. The gynac I used to visit did not perform deliveries herself, so I had to rule out that option.

The usual criteria when searching for a good doctor as well as hospital or maternity home is:
1. Excellent doctor with good record (recommendations are preferred)
2. Feeling comfortable interacting with the doctor
3. Clean hospital with good record
4. Facilities for pediatric emergencies
5. Being close to home

And of course the budget would also be a factor. I looked up some threads on Baby Center forum, which helped.

A new term that you will come across is - Pro Normal Delivery. C-sections are very rampant, especially in India. They cost more and that is simple logic behind the increased numbers. At the point of delivery, no would-be-parents are in a state of mind to question the doctor.

I am not saying that this is being done everywhere, however, it does seem curious, how the number of C-sections have gone up drastically.

So, this is the reason for the new terminology. Some doctors still believe that normal delivery should be given first preference and do not suggest C-sections at the drop of the hat! So I wanted someone who fit in this category as well.

Surprisingly to me, I chose a male gynac, because he seemed nice and did not make me feel uncomfortable. The hospital has been recommended a lot and is functioning since 1950!

They provide good meals as well, besides other facilities for the mother and the new born. The doctor's brother is a pediatrician and they have a dedicated section for neo nate care.

One major point crossed off my list and it is such a huge relief!

If you are from Thane and need some details of hospitals, continue reading:

1. Nest Hospital - Dr. Ulka Natu. (Ice Factory - Naupada)
The best gynac I know. However, I ruled out since she does not perform the delivery herself. The administrator said they provide tea twice a day for the mother and everything else needs to be got by the family. She did not seem very pleasant either.
They have Dr. Bedekar on call for pediatric emergencies.

2. Dr. Geeta Vaidya (Opp. Telephone exchange, Naupada)
Vaidya hospital was also recommended by many friends. It was run by a couple - Pradeep and Geeta Vaidya. Dr. Pradeep was very well known and famous as a gynac. However, sadly he passed away recently.
Dr. Geeta seemed quite pleasant, and I did get my name registered there. I still wasnt very convinced, but needed some option.

3. Dr. Mahesh Bedekar (Gaondevi)
Established in 1950 by Dr. Vijay Bedekar, the hospital now has his sons - Mahesh & Anand. It has been recently renovated and the doctors stay in the same building as the hospital. This hospital fulfilled all the criteria I had when choosing a hospital and I did not bother looking anywhere else.
3 meals were provided to the mother, along with clothes for the mother and the baby, by the hospital. This doctor was also recommended as being pro-normal delivery.

Some other doctors which we had listed down but did not visit were:
Deodhar Hospital
Panandikar Hospital
Dr. Alka Godbole
Dr. Ashalatha Menon
Dr. Prasad Joshi - Ashwini Maternity & Nursing Home
  

Trimester Number 3 - Indian Baby Shower

So the New Year arrived and the Baby Moon also happened and I entered the last and final leg of my pregnancy. We started discussions about having a traditional Baby Shower also known as Godh Bharai or Dohale Jevan. It is usually done in the 7th month at the husband's home.

We also started discussing about when I would go to my mother's place, since I should ideally leave once the function is done or before the start of the 8th month of pregnancy. V was not very keen on me going away but then I wanted to, since this being my first pregnancy.

The function finally happened towards the end of month number 7, sometime in February. I stayed back till the last day of 7th month and V dropped me off. Felt quite weird, being away from V, even though I was staying at Mom's!!

If you want to know more details about the function, you can check out this link.

Babymoon - Goa!

 V makes an annual trip to Goa without fail. 2013 that trip turned out to be his own Wedding! I had not been to Goa for enjoying the beaches ever. It was a place where relatives lived, we visited. One sightseeing trip in 2007, thats about it.

So January 2015, my 23rd week we went to Goa with his friends. My Babymoon!! I find the term quite cute. But its like saying, enjoy your life before the baby comes, you wont be able to later :P. None of the friends on the trip knew about my pregnancy and it was quite a pleasant surprise for them.

It was 2 and half days of beaches, lazying around and food! Booze was around, but not for me, not that I like it so much. I had read up about alcohol intake during pregnancy. So I had a few sips of Bacardi Breezer - Jamaican Passion! Ahhh...bliss. I simply love the way it tastes, super refreshing. If there is a non-alcoholic drink available in that flavour, am sure gonna stock it up.

I am sure the above paragraph is going to raise some eyebrows. We had a lovely time at the beach, fun in the water and waves. It just did not occur to me to have some Pregnancy Photoshoot like pics to be taken. Regret it so much now. Just have one classic silhouette picture of me and one more of me and V.

Image courtesy: http://www.baby-moon.eu/questions-answers-about-going-on-a-babymoon/

I am glad we went on this trip and how it turned out to be my Babymoon! 

Anomaly Scan

An Anomaly Scan is usually done after 20 weeks and involves a detailed Ultrasound to check the fetal parameters closely. I got mine done at 20 weeks and 2 days. Since the radiologist has to look at a lot of parameters, it takes around 20-25 minutes for the scan.

The scan can be quite harrowing for the mother, if the person performing the scan is quiet throughout the scan. I wasn't happy because they did not allow V inside to view. It was upsetting that he did not get to see the images. The radiologist checked for quite some time and then turned the screen towards me.

Image courtesy: http://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a9257335/ned_tv_aka_anomaly_scan?cpg=2&csi=2031272023&pd=0

I 'saw' my baby!!! I was shown each and every body part - the face, the bladder cavity, the limbs, the spine, ribs and my baby's heart! I cannot forget how distinct the spine was. I could see the baby moving continuously on the screen though couldn't feel it. All through out, I felt terrible that V was just outside the curtain and was missing out on all this.

Some of the parameters that are described in the report are:

BPD - Biparietal Diameter
HC - Head Circumference
AC - Abdominal circumference
FL - Femur Length
EFBW - Estimated Fetal Body Weight

All these parameters fall under Fetal Biometry. The other body parts checked are Head, Spine, Abdomen, Heart, Chest, Face and Limbs.

Since I am from India, the gender of the baby is not revealed. Else, the gender is disclosed during this scan. I am made to sign at least 4-5 pages declaring that the gender has not been revealed, at every ultrasound!

First Baby Movement!!!!!!!!!!

Feeling your baby move is one of the most incredible feelings ever. I had been told this by many friends. I could not wait to experience it. I had checked online and found that it can happen anytime between 18-22 weeks, especially if it is a Primi or first pregnany.

I had completed 19 weeks and there was no movement whatsoever. One night, I just expressed this feeling to V. And as is usual for me, while speaking about it, I ended up getting too emotional and shed a few tears. Thats all that V needed to get angry. He scolded me for reading too much and then went on to say how each pregnancy is different etc.....(he reads up too ;-), mostly to ensure that I dont get hyper or paranoid over something :-P)

Anyway, the next day, the very next day - Baby moved!!! It was 9th Dec 2014. I did not want to jump in joy the very first time I felt it. What if it was nothing but something gastric :-/ But it happened again and was quite distinct. As described by most women, it is something like bubbles bursting. But feels like heaven!!

Image courtesy: https://edc2.healthtap.com/ht-staging/user_answer/avatars/448818/large/open-uri20121018-31710-1c719zu.jpeg?1386561653

V got a chance to say - I told u so, it would happen when it has to. I simply told him, baby got mad at him for scolding me and hence moved :-D

The movements werent strong enough for V to feel them. But he felt it on 22nd Dec :D