(Pre)Motherhood tools of trade

This blog contains too much whining already, so i guess it's time to post something more useful. Am gonna write down the tools and resources I've been using to get a hold of pregnancy and beyond. So..first up: Pregnancy

The app
Nothing says 21st century more than mobile apps. I installed Baby Center, it's a mammoth with videos and all, but the day-to-day tips and activities is a great companion to D-day. Their website is easily the most resourceful and having the app makes it even easier to access their rich content. Too bad it didnt come with a journal feature. My pregnancy journal was scattered everywhere *sigh*

I tried different apps but only this one made it to the end. After the baby popped out I subscribed myself for weekly emails.

The products
Pregnancy does havoc to our hormones. You may have breakouts, drier skin, etc. I switched to baby products. I actually dont remember if i used anti stretch mark.. Maybe i did... But i think any kind of moisturisers should be fine. Anyways.. Ure not supposed to apply a lot of "chemical" stuffs on your skin and my theory was the gentle it is the better.. Hence baby product :D i think it's even better if you use all-natural stuffs..but they cost a lot.

Pregnancy pillows: cost a lot but not really necessary if you have a lot of pillows at home already

Belly belts: cost saver! I think i only bought one cheapo pregnancy jegging. The rest of my pregnancy i rely on loose shirts n blouses, either my mom's or husband's. If i bought something i made sure i could wear it post partum. (Loose blouses).

For insane hunger i made my own trail mix. Mini choc bars, raisins, fruits, nuts. I had a relatively no-fuss pregnancy i took my vitamins with care (only the essential ones like calcium and folic acid. Indonesian doctors tend to over-prescribe). I ate unhealthy food once in a while when the urge got really REALLY strong. I also managed to stay off coffee for the first 5 months. Then I opted for a decaf/instant coffee/latte (in that order) whenever possible.

The tools
My fav tools from baby center during pregnancy are:
- baby cost calculator (for a good dose of reality check)
- hospital packing list, and of course..
- baby registry

Activities
I loved going to pregnancy exercise classes and most ultimately: yoga. Exercise classes are usually available in all good hospitals and are relatively affordable. They always have snacks and freebies in the end of the session. The more expensive the hospital, the better the freebies :))
For yoga i went to Rumah Yoga Lamandau. Closer to home, reasonable price, serene atmosphere.

Hmm that's all i can think of. Stay tuned for the next one!

Goodbye world!

No no. This is not a suicide note :)) (gotcha?)
By world i was referring to the social media world.
And by social media i meant everything BUT twitter and google+ :)))

A week ago i was in one of those low mood, I'm not sure if it could still be classified as "baby blues" :)) i cried all day and couldn't seem to stop, at one point googled "motherhood depression" and cried some more.

Then those notifications kept coming, from path, Facebook, instagram .. Social media-wise i am always quite curious and like to experiment. Even with having that much socmed app I know what kind of posts to go with each of them. I.e. serious posts, or i want them to be seen by the whole world/certain public figure/institution: twitter
General friends&relatives: Facebook
More private posts (pics of my son, family outings): path
Pics with what i thought to have some aesthetic value (remotely?): instagram
Popular subjects: google+

But last week i was somehow tired..and maybe because of that low mood i felt, suddenly i was so annoyed by these people and their good lives. Not to mention the cute dresses/bracelets/bags at instagram!
So i uninstalled them all.
(FYI u cant uninstall google+ if ure using android). I still hold on to twitter coz..i mean just in case a war is breaking/major tsunami i would want to know.

It also lessen the burden of having this feeling that 'i have to share it somewhere'.

No it doesn't mean i *hate* social media. This morning i was trying to remember that online shop that sells accessories with precious stones that i think would suit my mom so i installed instagram again..and afterwards i couldn't help sharing 2 pics :)) will be uninstalling it again after this.
Also yesterday i was trying to reach out to a friend, whose phone number i lost, so i installed path, messaged her, then uninstalled again :))

I also still get fb notifications via email for posts that mentioned me. But it's rare..most ppl moved to path/IG anyways. If I got them i can just visit the web version, click on courtesy likes and comments, then close the browser.

Why not deleting my account altogether? Coz this might be temporary :)) also, deleting accounts would invite lots of questions.

Yes, my life is now somewhat more peaceful. No longer feel irritated by spelling mistakes. Or having to know people's secret thoughts/night out pics they don't want their mom n dads to find. If you don't want the whole world to know then why bother sharing them in the first place..why bother showing me. If you want, specifically, me to know about it then hit me out on google talk/whatsapp/bbm/call/email/knock on my door (before i uninstalled them too!)