There is SO much to learn regarding pregnancy and taking care of a baby! This was a world that was completely new to us and we wanted to make sure we were as prepared as possible. Jerry and I had planned to take an antenatal course at our hospital (Matilda), but they were all cancelled due to the pandemic. Luckily, many awesome organizations and companies decided to offer their courses for free, because they knew it was difficult for people to get out and attend classes during the pandemic! Jerry and I are major nerds, so we took a number of different classes and also ordered a bunch of books to read about pregnancy, prenatal information, and parenting. I wanted to create a list here to share some of our thoughts on all the resources that we tapped into. I will be updating this list as we go, because we plan to keep reading and learning after the baby comes!

Courses 

Online courses

• Motherly’s “Becoming Mama” Birth Course: We absolutely loved this course! It is super informative and also positive and empowering. It recognizes how difficult and intense child birth can be and then provides you with lots of practical information, such as movements during labor that can help you get the baby in the optimal position, things you can do to alleviate any discomfort, and how to handle medical interventions. I found this course to be more informative and realistic than the Positive Birth Company Course (will review next), because it doesn’t gloss over how big of an event giving birth is, but instead gives you the tools to make the experience smoother. The course also reminds mothers how strong and capable they are. This course is offered for free during the pandemic! The presenter has a certain style that can take a tiny bit to get used to, but overall she is pleasant and each session is concise and helpful.
• The Positive Birth Company: This course came highly recommended by lots of mamas to be! I really appreciated its refreshing approach to giving birth, which was very empowering and positive. At the same time, I found some bits a little hard to believe (for instance, giving birth is not painful and you can “breathe” the baby down instead of having to push). I did like how the entire approach is to view birth as an empowering experience and not something for women to fear or dread. I think that oftentimes in society we only hear about the horrific and traumatizing birth stories and we forget about the powerful and positive birth experiences. This course provides some hypnobirthing techniques (such as breathing routines), but mostly it is about how to change your mindset towards birth. It also provides tactics to assess whether a medical intervention is right for you and it reminds women that we have a right to question a doctor’s recommendation. The presenter is a a super supporter of home births, so that can sometimes feel a bit unrealistic as well (for those of us in Hong Kong). Overall, we were happy to take this course for its positive message, but felt that some parts were a bit repetitive and the course could be a bit more concise. I would highly recommend this course if you are nervous about giving birth, since it did make me feel more confident and understand that my body was perfectly designed to deliver our baby. This course was not free.
• Tinyhood’s Breastfeeding 101: This is an excellent course on breastfeeding by an international board certified lactation consultant. The videos are super easy to watch and have informative picture slides and videos throughout. The course also comes with lots of useful infographics that you can save or print out for easy access later (such as massage tips for engorgement and how many diapers to look out for). I learnt a lot from this course and the presenter is also very supportive and encouraging. Breastfeeding definitely seems A LOT harder than I expected, so I was really glad to have gone through this course. This course is not free at the moment, but I was able to sign up for it for free during a special pandemic sale.

In person course

Even though many in person courses were cancelled, we were lucky to be able to catch a pediatric first aid course at the end of May when social distancing measures were eased a little.

• Family Zone Pediatric First Aid and CPR: This course was also highly recommended by many mamas to be in my WhatsApp chat group. I was happy to see that the lady who runs the program worked at the Matilda Hospital for decades and was in charge of running the programs there before starting her own company. I used to be an EMT back in college and was really glad that I took this course, because I realized a few things have changed since then! Yvonne (the course director) was very good at demonstrating the skills along with providing lots of personal anecdotes and stories to keep things interesting during a 3.5 hour class. Yvonne’s company, The Family Zone, offers many other services, such as postnatal visits and first-aid courses for helpers. It was a really useful and informative course and I think every parent should take it. It is a bit scary to hear all the stories and freak accidents that can happen, but you leave the course feeling a bit comforted that you have the skills to deal with these types of accidents if they were to occur.

Books

We got a number of different books and divided them up amongst us. Some books were read by both of us and some by just one of us. Jerry has provided some guest reviews/summaries below! Jerry also has a blog that has more in-depth reviews of each book (and many other books) so please go check it out!

• Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block: This book gives an in-depth look into what causes colic in babies. It provides interesting evidence from an anthropological and evolutionary standpoint to allow parents to understand why babies act a certain way. Most importantly, it provides parents with a set of skills to handle a baby who cries for hours on end. Reading the testimonials from parents who had babies who shrieked and cried nonstop was a little intimidating, but we both felt much more confident and ready after reading this book because we felt like we had a better understanding of why such behavior occurs and what to do when it does.
• Mayo Clinic’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy: Mayo Clinic is a reputable and highly respected US based medical center and this book is a great resource to have (we also ordered the Mayo Clinic First Year but it is stuck via Amazon for the moment). The book provides detailed and scientifically sound information for each stage of pregnancy.
• Brain Rules for Baby: What does it take to raise a happy, smart kid with a decent moral compass? This book’s answer is simple: help kids lead a healthy and social life. A practical guide to early parenting. The suggestions in this book are simple and easy to incorporate into daily life. For instance, during pregnancy, the best way to help a baby’s brain develop is for the mother to eat well, exercise in moderation and lower stress. (https://jeroen2307.com/2020/05/18/brain-rules-for-baby/)
• Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Parenting absorbs ever more time. People wrongly believe that happiness and having (more) kids are incompatible. This book argues that you can cut back on a lot of things without harmful effects on the child. For instance, kids can do with less supervision and you can scrap boring activities that have modest long-term benefits. The book is a helpful reminder that sometimes it’s okay to do a little less, but what should you do more of? You will not find any answers to that question in this book. (https://jeroen2307.com/2020/04/11/selfish-reasons-to-have-more-kids/)
• Prepared: What do you enjoy doing? What are you good at? What is the best way to pursue these interests? If you can answers these questions, you are prepared. You can make better choices about your future. Most schools are not designed to help kids answer these questions. The author of this book is the founder of Summit Public Schools (a network of US charter public schools). This book outlines Summit’s philosophy. It revolves around project-based learning, self-direction (kids make their own choices from a healthy buffet curated by you) and working in teams. These tools create an environment that encourages curiosity. It also allows kids to discover their strengths and likes. They can use their strengths to build productive habits and set meaningful, purposeful goals. This is a great read. (https://jeroen2307.com/2020/03/13/prepared/)
• The Fragile Generation: A well written article about the “kids are over-protected and under-prepared” argument. Its main point is that kids should have plenty of free play. Free play helps kids build social skills, become more resilient, experience failure and make friends. You can explore the Letgrow.org website for more information on this topic. (https://jeroen2307.com/2020/04/06/the-fragile-generation/)

Apps

• What to Expect: This is an OG resource for new parents and their app is great! The app is visually appealing and also FULL of interesting and accurate information. There are a lot of informative and fun articles that I found very helpful. Their medical information is backed by peer reviewed medical journals and organizations such as the American Association of Pediatrics and the CDC. We especially love the week by week videos where you get information on the baby’s development and changes in mom’s body. They also provide a fun “your baby is the size of ____” feature that we look forward to every week (right now at 36 weeks my baby is a the size of a bunch of kale).
• Baby Center: We don’t use this app as much but I like the “Bumpie” feature where you can upload a photo of your bump week by week. Even though I don’t use the app that much, Baby Center is a good source of information in general and they post a lot of helpful articles.

Pregnancy is a wonderful time when you get a lot helpful tips from other mamas and support from friends (pregnant or not!). I connected with a lot of new people and truly enjoyed this new community. Here are some ways to form awesome connections during this time:

• Reach out to friends/acquaintances that are pregnant. They may not be your close friends and/or people you usually talk to, but I’ve noticed that everyone is eager to chat and I’ve really enjoyed these conversations. Don’t be shy! You might also become new mommy friends.
• Join a mommy-to-be Whatsapp group. I was initially a bit apprehensive about joining a big group chat with complete strangers but I have actually found myself really enjoying it. Women with around the same due dates (within 3 months) are in the chat group and share a bunch of information regarding baby products, baby care, hospital procedures, you name it! Everyone is also super supportive and kind. It was particularly helpful to connect with other women who are pregnant during a pandemic.
• Getting input from people who already have kids. We all have different parenting styles, but you get a lot of valuable insights from people who already have kids. You don’t have to agree on everything, but you will definitely at least get some helpful information. I also was lucky enough to get a lot of maternity wear and books from a good friend who gave birth a few months before me. The items she gave me were so useful and it made me feel very loved!
• Don’t forget about your friends who aren’t pregnant! Even though they might not be as interested in the latest baby bouncer, my close friends have been such a source of support and happiness during this time.

Pregnancy is such an exciting time but it is also a time when you get a ton of unsolicited advice and some may even be quite negative. I don’t think people usually mean any harm, but they don’t always put a lot of thought into how their comments will make a pregnant person feel. One time I was in a group setting and a woman who already had a child kept telling me how I won’t have any time to do what I want once I have the child, that I definitely HAD to get a helper or else I won’t be able to manage, and that you get dumber after giving birth and would struggle at work. I was absolutely shocked by this and was in quite a bad mood after. Perhaps she was having a hard time personally and wanted to tell me her honest opinion, but I definitely did not appreciate her input and felt attacked and insulted. I have yet to experience this crazy adventure of taking care of a newborn, but I am hoping to face it with optimism and excitement. She is definitely not someone that I will be reaching out to for any pregnancy or newborn advice. Shortly after that exchange, another woman came up to me and said “I think you can do it, it wasn’t easy for me either, but I am slowly getting back to work and also working out”. I was incredibly touched and appreciative of her comment, and I hope that I can be a source of positivity and encouragement to others in the future.

Pregnancy is an amazing time, but it is also a fragile time. You are wondering what your life will be like after giving birth, whether you will be able to keep doing the things you loved, how you will embrace this incredible but demanding new role, and how your identity will change. Don’t waste your time on people who doubt you and don’t support your dreams during this sacred time.

It is important to learn how to filter through all the input and advice that you get and make sure you surround yourself with people who encourage you and make you feel strong.  You should also make sure that you are not too bothered by other people’s remarks. I was taken aback by this woman’s comments, but very quickly recovered because I know that I will do what I want and that her words don’t mean anything. She doesn’t know me or what I am capable of. It know that it will be a huge change and a big challenge, but I have confidence that I can still be a vibrant and ambitious woman after having children. Find people who share the same enthusiasm and energy as you, and ignore those who try to put you down. This is such a special time and to put it eloquently, you don’t have time for that shit.

I’ve been lucky to have an overall smooth pregnancy with limited morning sickness and other symptoms. However, the two major things that were more worrying during my pregnancy were an intense rash and two fainting spells. As described by this article, dizziness can occur during pregnancy due to the following reasons:

• Insufficient blood supply for the rapidly increasing circulatory system.
• Higher levels of progesterone that cause blood vessels to dilate and that have effects on blood pressure.
• The growing uterus exerting extra pressure on your blood vessels.
• Overall body temperature increase due to pregnancy, which can contribute to light headedness.
• Changes in blood sugar and higher risks of being dehydrated.

Even though it can be normal for dizziness to occur during pregnancy, you should always keep your medical provider in the loop on your symptoms and also seek medical attention if you experience:

• Blacking out or or losing consciousness.
• Slurred speech.
• Impaired vision.
• If dizziness happens often and is persistent.

My first fainting episode occurred around 11/12 weeks into my pregnancy when I was in Bangkok for a bachelorette party. I stayed behind in Bangkok while the other girls went to a music festival and had signed up for a cooking class with Jerry. The class was mostly in an air conditioned room, but the woks/cooking stations were in a hotter room with exhaust fans. We were having a great time learning how to make coconut milk when I suddenly felt unwell. I felt like I could not concentrate and was also feeling a bit unstable. I turned to Jerry and told him I felt a bit unwell and the next thing I knew I woke up and I was on my knees. He had held me against him, so luckily I did not fall, but I was shocked to see that everyone else in the class was looking at me with a concerned expression. I was kneeling on the floor, sweaty, and had no idea what had happened. The cooking school staff was amazing and took me to the air conditioned room immediately. Another staff member came and told me that she had often been dizzy during her pregnancy, making me feel a bit less silly. She gave me some menthol to sniff and I felt much better after resting. I felt good enough to return to the class but picked the stove nearest to the door, so that incoming fresh air would blow against me. It was a very scary incident and I was really grateful that Jerry was there with me. I told my ob/gyn and he told me to monitor the situation and let him know if it occurred again. The cooking room was very hot and stuffy, so I reminded myself to definitely be more careful in the future.

Having fun moments before fainting

The second incident occurred in the beginning of my third trimester around 29 weeks. This was actually a very strange incident, because I was sitting at home taking my health coach course on my computer. I was not in a hot room nor doing anything physically demanding. I was sitting at the desk when suddenly I felt very breathless. I tried to take deep breaths, but it did not feel like that was helping and suddenly I was breaking out into a sweat. I tried to walk around, but it felt as if I was going in and out of consciousness in waves. I was on the verge of blacking out, but I always managed to come back after a while. Suddenly I felt a bit better again and we had to break out into practice groups in the class. Looking back, this was silly because I should have left the class and went to rest, call Jerry, or call my doctor, but instead, I continued with the class. As I was going through the practice with my partner, I was suddenly experiencing the same symptoms. Miraculously I was able to finish the practice with my partner even though I felt like I was going to pass out mid-sentence. The class ended and I went to the living room and told Jerry (he got back from his walk with Mister). I looked up my symptoms on the internet and and saw that blurred vision was a warning sign and that I should seek medical attention. I called my ob/gyn and was told to call an ambulance to get to the nearest hospital! This seemed quite intense to me as I felt normal by then, but he had said that he was concerned because my vision was impaired, and this could point to more serious medical issues. I called the closest hospital (a private one) and found out the regular ambulance does not serve them. Therefore we decided that the best thing to do was to have Jerry drive me over (I am not suggesting that everyone do the same thing as we did, I felt fine by then and we decided that it made more sense to get to the nearest hospital quickly by using our own transportation. We were also a bit more wary of going to a public hospital due to the pandemic. If you are still feeling unwell, please do call an ambulance).

At the hospital, I was seen by an emergency physician, who told me that my vitals were normal but that I should see a cardiologist to be safe. The cardiologist performed an ECG and I was relieved to learn that everything was normal. The doctor told me that the issue could be lowered blood pressure and that the chance of a deep vein thrombosis was very low. He said that I may also be breathing less when dizziness occurs due to anxiety and that this can also lead to increased light headedness.

One important thing that cardiologist told me was to make sure that I don’t panic and rush off somewhere when I feel faint. Many people are scared and will try to rush to the bed or couch when they feel faint, resulting in falls and accidents. The best thing you can do is to sit or lay down, so you don’t hurt yourself. Other tips that I think are helpful include:

• Stay hydrated.
• Make sure rooms are ventilated and not too hot.
• Dress in layers and in loose fitting/airy outfits.
• Get up slowly if you have been lying down for long (I always get lightheaded when I stand up too quickly).

These two episodes were quite scary, but I was very relieved that all my results came back normal and that nothing serious happened because of my fainting/dizzy spells! I hope that this information is helpful to you and also allows you to be on the alert for warning signs, so that you can seek medical attention immediately!

The second trimester is often referred to the “golden period” of pregnancy because you will have more energy and some of those pesky symptoms in the first trimester (sore breasts and nausea) may also subside. The second trimester refers to week 13-28 and I definitely did feel the fatigue and nausea subside once I passed week 12. I was very excited for the nausea to go away but I definitely wouldn’t say that I felt as good as I did pre-pregnancy. I definitely had more energy as compared to the first trimester, but I still struggled to find motivation to get outside and follow work-out routines (as mentioned in my exercise post).

My baby bump was quite small and did not grow much until week 18. It started to look more like something by then, but it still mostly looked like I just ate a lot. However, the extra weight was starting to give me some back pain and I made sure to use a hot compress on my back and sit with extra cushions for support. I was also starting to get ligament pain – pain due to the ligaments stretching as the baby grows. This occurred when I sneezed or coughed hard, and also when I went for walks. I would always get a sharp stitch on the right side whenever I went for a walk or started too quickly on the treadmill. It was frustrating because I already did not have the highest level of motivation to go out for my workouts and this made it even harder. I tried to start off at an extremely slow pace and I also took more breaks during walks to address this issue.

Speaking of sneezing and coughing, I was also experiencing some mild symptoms of pregnancy incontinence where a small leak would occur when I sneezed or coughed too hard. While it is not a great thing to experience, it is a common thing to happen to pregnant women and nothing to worry or be embarrassed about! The baby and uterus is exerting a lot of pressure on your bladder so there is a chance for a little leakage to occur when there is a sudden movement. I will have a more in-depth post on the importance of strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and kegels soon! I bought some very light pads and also went to the bathroom more often to make sure it happened less often.

I am allergic to dust/dust mites and we actually moved to a new apartment because my allergies were so bad. We were delighted to find out that my allergies improved drastically in the new apartment but then found out that pregnancy can exacerbate allergy symptoms. It was still a lot better than when we lived in the old place but once in a while I would be extremely sniffly (not great during a pandemic!). I checked with my doctor and found out that the allergy medicine I was taking was safe for pregnancy. However, I still tried to minimize taking the medication and instead we vacuum more often and also have our air purifier on 24/7.

I usually get a rash during winter due to the dry weather, but I had a much more severe rash that spread all over my body during the pregnancy. It was so itchy and Jerry had to keep reminding me not to scratch. I would poke or pinch my skin since I was trying not to scratch and it actually resulted in bruises! It started to affect my sleep because I would wake up in the middle of the night and start scratching. I ended up seeing a dermatologist and she told me it was just eczema that was exacerbated by pregnancy hormones fluctuations. She gave me a topical steroid cream and a medication to decrease the itching. I also tried to moisturize more (I use QV lotion, fragrance free and not sticky at all). Rash is common during pregnancy and here is a helpful article regarding all the different types. Most can seem relatively harmless (although extremely uncomfortable), but do watch out for symptoms of intrahepatic cholestasis, a condition that could cause preterm labor and puts your baby at risk for stillbirth of lung issues.

Other second trimester symptoms included more sensitive gums, dry eyes, and a headache once in a while. I also realized that my scalp was a lot dryer and itchy. Since it was winter and I also did not engage in intense sports, I just washed my hair a lot less so it would not dry out as much.

I also experienced a fainting spell at the beginning of the second trimester which was quite scary. I was in a hot and stuffy place and completely blacked out for a few seconds. Luckily Jerry was with me at the time, but it is definitely something that pregnancy woman should be wary of (there will also be a separate post regarding pregnancy and fainting).

Apart from all these wonderful symptoms, I was happy to not experience any constipation, swelling of hands and feet, UTIs, or stretch marks!

Hello baby bump!

Psychologically, the start of the second trimester was exciting because this is when you can finally tell your friends about the pregnancy! It was also a relief because the chance of miscarriage is extremely low once you pass the 12-week mark. Around week 12/13 we got the NIPT and combined test to see if our baby was at risk for any genetic abnormalities. That was also the time where we were able to determine the gender of our baby via the blood test (gone are the days of finding out via ultrasound!) and our doctor called us a day or 2 before Christmas to let us know we were having a baby boy! Around week 20 is the time for the structural ultrasound where the doctor does a detailed look at your baby’s anatomy to identify if there are any abnormalities. The waiting period between testing and results always made us a little nervous but we were so ecstatic to find out that we were going to have a little man join our family and also relieved to find out that all his results came back normal.

I also had to take the infamous OGTT test to find out whether I had gestational diabetes during the second trimester and while I was lucky and did not vomit or faint… it was pretty nasty. It was also a LONG test where I had to stay at the clinic or nearby for 2-3 hours. You basically get your blood drawn multiple times and you also have to drink a venti cup of sugar water. While it takes up a lot of time, it is an important test to do and I was glad to get it over with and also find out that I did not have gestational diabetes.

The second trimester felt quite long but it was definitely exciting to feel the first baby kicks! I think I felt the first one around week 18 but I am not too sure the exact timing. It felt like a little flutter or muscle spasm but during an ultrasound I realized those feelings were kicks. It definitely made the pregnancy feel more real and I felt more connected to our baby. The baby bump finally grew more significantly around week 23 and I finally felt like I looked “pregnant”. For a long time I still felt like it was not that noticeable and friends only knew because I told them. It was nice to finally get that pregnancy baby bump instead of just feeling like I’ve gained all this weight and just look larger. Near the end of my second trimester I do feel a bit like “I cannot believe there is still one more trimester”, but I am grateful that the pregnancy has been pretty smooth (apart from the pandemic) and that Jerry and I are staying happy and healthy.

Apart from all the crazy changes going inside the body, pregnancy also has drastic changes on our outside appearance as well. I’ve always thought that it was so amazing when women say that they have never felt more beautiful in their lives and they are embracing this change with all their hearts. I don’t think it is a time to be hard on yourself and try to maintain a certain figure because you need to gain a significant amount of weight in order to have a health pregnancy, but I also found the weight gain to be something that took time getting used to. As much as I feel incredibly blessed to be pregnant and to experience this entire process, I definitely would not say that this is the most beautiful I’ve ever felt. I do recognize that my body is doing something amazing but it was still a bit of a shock when I could no longer pull my leggings over my butt or when I looked in the mirror and saw that my arms and legs have lost all its previous definition.

In the last few years, I have been dedicated to triathlons and have spent countless hours sweating away to a strenuous workout regime. I do not do triathlons in order to look a certain way, but I definitely was proud of the physique that results from the dedicated training. Scaling back on workouts was initially a nice break but soon I was missing the intensity of the workout and it also took a bit of time to get into a healthy eating routine (I was STARVING during the first trimester). I knew that it did not make sense to workout at the same intensity level or expect my body to look the same but it was still something that bothered me at first.

I think it is important to remind yourself all the time of what your body is going through and that the weight gain is there to make sure you have a healthy pregnancy and is beneficial for your baby. The healthy weight gain for a woman with a normal BMI is 25-35 pounds and as long as your doctor says that everything is fine and you are exercising and eating a healthy diet, there is no need to worry or feel bad about your weight gain. However, it is definitely easier said than done though because even though I KNOW that this is healthy and normal, the weight gain is still significant and not what I’m used to. I have been trying to find a balance between recognizing these feelings and trying to stay positive and realistic. These feelings are valid and I don’t have to feel the same way as others. However, there is a fine line between being aware of your feelings and letting it affect you in a negative way.

Here are a few tips if you are also struggling to get used to your new body:

• Remind yourself that this weight gain is important for your pregnancy and the baby! You may already know this, but reminding yourself that you are on the right track can make you feel more accepting and positive.
• Look to positive influences and photos of pregnant mamas of all different shapes and sizes. I think there is an important difference between comparing yourself to others and being inspired by women who exude confidence! You don’t have to look at someone and be like “I wished I looked like her”, you can see a beautiful women and admire her for her confidence.
  • I had a number of maternity photos that I had saved. I thought all the women looked beautiful and it was only after looking a little harder did I realize they all had around the same sized thighs as me. It was weird that I did not notice that at first and when I see photos of myself the first thing I thought of was “my thighs have gotten so much bigger”! It was a great reminder for myself that many of these thoughts are just in my own head and that I was also a super strong and beautiful pregnant woman.
• Maintain a heathy workout and exercise routine. Your health and the health of your growing baby is the most important thing right now. Body image is also important because that affects us psychologically and we want to be happy and healthy in both mind and body. Even if your body changes are taking time to get used to, it would be very encouraging to know that you are doing everything right in terms of eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a heathy workout routine. These things also make you FEEL good and can also increase your confidence level overall.
• Buy clothes that are cute and make you feel good! There are so many cute maternity outfits out there so definitely spoil yourself and get pieces that make you feel confident and sexy! You will definitely feel less confident if you wear super large and badly fitted outfits. Just like regular clothes, some things fit better than others so make sure you pick pieces that make you feel like the strong and gorgeous lady that you are.
• Be honest with how you feel and chat with others to get their experience. It may be helpful to chat with close friends and get their support. Pregnancy is a big process and many may have gone through the same emotions as you.
• Know that this is not permanent. This one is tricky. I think it is amazing to embrace this time period and not see it as a inconvenience, but it may also be beneficial to know that this is not how you will feel or look forever and that you can get back to your normal routine after this incredible process of creative a human being.

Lastly, one major thing that helped me embrace this new body and feel beautiful is my amazing husband! He has taken such good care of me and he also makes me feel so powerful and beautiful every day. I am honest with him when I don’t feel 100% instead of just brushing it off with some generic comment he actually sits down with me to listen and reminds me of what is going on in my body and how I am doing such a good job. It is also heartwarming to see his genuine amazement at the growing belly and changing body shape and I know that every comment is from the heart and not said just to make me feel better. He makes me feel like a Victoria’s Secret Model even when I initially felt like Shrek. So the last tips is to get yourself an awesome husband!

Getting used to this new body is a continuous journey but I am definitely starting to get a better hang of it. I know that I am doing everything right and I am also incredibly proud thankful of what my body is doing. I may never feel like this is the most beautiful period of my life, but I know that I can look back to this time and feel empowered and recognize what a special time it is.

The coronavirus is a major health concern, but it has also been detrimental to our mental wellbeing. I felt like I was going through an emotional rollercoaster of anxiety and was also checking the news religiously to see how things were panning out. I was also extremely pissed off at people who behave in such a disgusting and selfish manner during this outbreak. The pandemic has really revealed the ugly side of human nature with people hoarding groceries, the price gouging of items such as masks, the increase in racist hate crimes, and people breaking quarantine or ignoring the need to social distance. I was so shocked by many of these behaviors and it was very hard for me to understand why people can think that their personal liberties and needs are more important than those of others. I spent an unhealthy amount of time hating on these people and getting frustrated. Let’s not even get started on idiots who want to spew conspiracy theories and compare this outbreak to the flu. However, I realize that there is no point in ruining my mood over the actions of others. I am more than happy to blast people who are putting other people’s wellbeing at risk, but I also want to focus more on the GOOD people of the world who are making a positive difference during this outbreak. Therefore I have been sharing more happy news and contributing to worthwhile causes. Here are some links (1, 2, 3) to uplifting news and also a link to how you can help out during this time.

Having to social distance also takes a toll on our moods. I do consider myself very lucky to be able to be safe at home with my husband and our dog Mister. I love spending time with them and there is a lot to be grateful for. However, I am also a social person who loves spending time with my friends. It is a special period in my life and it is a shame that I am unable to be with my close friends.

There are a lot of things to prepare for during pregnancy and the pandemic definitely changed many plans. Below I have detailed some of these changes that were initially disappointing and how I changed my perspective around them.

Trip to Holland cancelled. We usually go back to Holland every 2 months or so to see Jerry’s family. We cancelled all our travel plans because it was much too risky to travel. We were going to buy a bunch of baby things including the crib and stroller from a specific Dutch brand that I liked. While I was disappointed that I could not make the trip, we were able to find all the things that we wanted in Hong Kong. After a lot of research, we also found a store that delivered that specific stroller to Hong Kong. Problem solved! 

Baby moon cancelled. I was initially thinking of going to Paris after our trip to Amsterdam for our babymoon. I was looking forward to it because it would be the last time Jerry and I would be able to travel as just the two of us. With all travels cancelled, this was just not going to happen. It was a bummer that we would never get this babymoon, but I told myself that it would be just as fun to go as a family with the baby. Also, if I go after the baby, I will be able to enjoy steak tartare and wine! 

Maternity shoot cancelled. My original photographer is also pregnant and we had scheduled the shoot in mid April. She emailed me to cancel because she felt uncomfortable with traveling and work since she was also pregnant. I was initially a bit unhappy but she introduced me to another photographer and we took some AMAZING photos that I am so excited about. It was a blessing in disguise because I really think those new photos are perfect and just what I had in mind.

Antenatal courses cancelled. We had signed up for the antenatal classes at Matilda Hospital along with an Infant First Aid Course. It is our first pregnancy so we were excited to learn as much as possible. I was truly disappointed when they were all cancelled but luckily I signed up for two online courses that I found and that were also recommended by a fellow mama. I would prefer the in-person course, but we will do what we can with the online courses! 

Amazon no longer delivers to Hong Kong. I had gotten SO many goodies from Amazon and had a bunch of things in my basket for my next order. I was shocked to suddenly see that they no longer delivered to Hong Kong. Once again, it was a shame but they were all things that I could find in Hong Kong. There is also time until the baby gets here so hopefully things will be back up and running by then! 

Baby shower up in the air. I was really looking forward to the baby shower and at the moment we are still unsure whether we will be able to have this. If the situation is still very bad in May or June, I may not be able to have one at all. If things are better I could potentially do something something outdoors or at home. 

While I understand that many of those problems are first world problems, I still accept that I am human and my disappointment is valid. However, dwelling on those thoughts won’t get me anywhere and I would rather find a solution and shift my perspective.

During these tense times, I always feel lucky that I have a comfortable home that I love, access to healthcare, access to a well stocked super market, the ability to go on short walks and be near mountains and the ocean, and access to a gym in my building. I also love the extra quality time that I get with my husband who coincidentally is my best friend (and cute pup Mister). I am also incredibly grateful for my health and the blessing of this active little baby growing day by day.

Here are some things I’ve done these past few weeks to stay busy and positive:

• Check in with friends: You might not be able to see your friends, but we have so many apps and tech that allow us to stay in touch 🙂 I also dropped off some food for one of my best friends who is a doctor and it was a happy “errand” in my day.
• Find a tv show to pass time: Crash Landing on You, Tiger King, The Sinner, The Great British Family Cookoff… you name it. There were some shows that I probably would not watch regularly but hey, you got the time!
• Sign up for courses: What a great time to learn something new! I signed up for a bunch of antenatal courses but there are also great classes on Coursera. You can also learn a new language on Duolingo.
• Schedule out the week: This keeps me motivated and excited instead of feeling like each day is drag. Events don’t have to be huge, they could be things like groceries, baking bread, etc.
• Make big batches of food: Ever wanted to make wontons, bread, or other big recipes? This will take up a big chunk of your day and you can also do it with other members of your family. Jerry and I made almost 100 wontons one day and that was a lot of fun.
• Try new recipes: This quarantine seemed to have spurred a lot of cooking… so write out a list of recipes you’ve always wanted to try and get cooking!
• Get your sweat on: Gyms may be closed and hiking trails are full of people, but tons of fitness instructors are doing live workouts and there are lots of other at-home options available!

It’s a tough time, but stay health and safe everyone! We can fight this pandemic together 🙂

The world has been turned upside town with the coronavirus and it is a particularly stressful time to be pregnant. Pregnant women have lower immunity and even common ailments such as the flu could result in much more severe outcomes. There is currently not enough data to know how the coronavirus will affect pregnant people but according to very limited data collected, the virus does not seem to be passed onto the fetus and the virus was also not found in amniotic fluid or breast milk. This article presents some information from the CDC regarding pregnancy and the coronavirus.

Here are also some things that I have done during this time to lower the risk of infection:

• Wear a mask: I know that mask wearing is not promoted in the US or Europe but I wholeheartedly believe that wearing a mask will both protect yourself and others. Droplets are believed to be one of the main transmission routes of the coronavirus, so wearing a mask will definitely act as a barrier (read more on this issue in this Guardian Article). Below are some useful infographics on the benefits of wearing a mask put together by a HKU clinical assistant professor and microbiologist Dr. Siddharth Sridhar. I wear a mask as soon as I go out the front door and only take it off outside when I am eating, walking on a non-crowded hiking trail or beach, or when I’m inside our car.
• Wash hands often: I wash my hands whenever I come home for 20 seconds (remember to turn off the water while you lather up!), before I eat, and after handling packages/delivery.
• Use hand sanitizer when you can’t wash your hands: Make sure you hand sanitizer contains 60% or higher alcohol!
• Try not to touch my face: ah this is a hard one! I love scratching my nose or rubbing my eyes, but I definitely had to change this habit recently.
• Try to not touch surfaces with my hands: I always use my elbow to press lift buttons and my foot to push open doors.
• CLEAN MY PHONE: this one is so important! Our phone is such a petri dish of germs and I never really cleaned it before the virus. We are touching it constantly and it is also always on random surfaces. I always clean it with alcohol once I get home.
• Avoid crowded places/going outside: I am basically at home all the time and only venture out for morning walks, personal training with my prenatal coach, or doctor’s appointments. Earlier in the outbreak, I would still go out for lunch with some close friends at non-crowded and airy places but once things got a little more intense everything was cancelled. I recently did have lunch at an outdoor space but we went right when it opened and it was empty. I would definitely avoid places that had confirmed cases and high risk areas (such as clubs at the moment because many people have returned from overseas).
• Avoid taking public transportation: This might not be practical for everyone but I have completely stopped taking public transportation. Jerry also drives to work when he does go into the office once a week. We have taken cabs extremely sparingly for hikes where we can’t park at the starting point.
• Pick and choose your crowd: This seems a bit harsh but since I want to be super vigilant I only saw some friends that I knew were also super cautious. You need to make the decision that you feel most comfortable with (especially if you are pregnant or someone who is vulnerable at home). Friends have also been very forthcoming (such as if their boyfriend’s colleague is infected or if there is a confirmed case in their building). Don’t be shy to ask and also bow out of events if you feel that is the best decision for yourself. It is such a tense time and I am sure no one will take it personally (and if they do, that’s too bad).

In the next post, I will talk about things I’ve done to feel more positive and happy during this time!

Things aren’t so bad with these two! 

As always, this is from my own research and experience and should not replace the advice from medical and public health professionals. Always consult your doctor and do your own research to figure out what is best for you.