We've been looking for different resources to arm ourselves with some basic knowledge and to prepare us for the 40 week journey and the birth since the day we got confirmation of pregnancy from the blood test.

1. Book

We bought 'What to Expect when you're expecting'. It's a useful guide that explains the development of the baby and the changes that the expectant mom may experience each month. There are some FAQs in each chapter that discuss various concerns, which I found answers to a lot of my questions or worries. Most importantly, it comforts me to know that I'm not the only who ask or worry about those things.

Also, this book is not just for the pregnant ones, but also for the dad-to-be. Throughout the book there are boxes that were written specifically for the husband/dad. It's a good read for both the husband and wife.

Apart from the pregnancy, it also covers labour & delivery and postpartum. Overall, the book is informative, though some of things are only applicable to people living in the US. I read one chapter at a time and one month ahead so that I don't get overwhelmed by the amount of details 😉

2. Websites

In addition to the book, we've also been using these websites to get an idea on the weekly progress:

- Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/pregnancy/pregnancy-month-by-month

- What to Expect: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/landing.aspx

- Baby Centre: https://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy

The book provides more detailed and comprehensive information, which is good when you have the time to read quietly at home to absorb what it has to offers. However, if you're on to go but want to get an overview of what's going on during the current or upcoming week, these websites would be handy. You can also cross-reference the info on those sites, which is more or less the same in most cases.

3. App

There are two apps that we use for this pregnancy.

- 280 days

It's an app that I've been using on a daily basis. You just need to enter the estimated due date and the baby's name to begin. In the homepage, it shows an image of the baby in cartoon form. If you hit on the "womb" (the area around the cartoon baby), a message bubble will pop up.

There are 2-3 new messages every day about the baby's growth and development, things for the parents to be aware of, or sometimes simply words of encouragement. It may sound silly to visualize the growth of our baby by a cartoon figure in an app, but seeing it grow by the week and reading those little notes of encouragement have been very good pick-me-ups on some difficult days.

Also, the app allows me to record how I'm doing physically and physiologically. In addition, it has a diary function that let us record our feelings and thoughts. Yes, both parents can install the app on their phones and connect with each other. The diary entries of the mom's and the dad's are kept separately, but once one of them has entered or updated a diary entry, the other one will be notified. It's good tool to record and share the events/feelings of the day.

Lastly, we've been using the app to keep track of our prenatal checkups. We can enter the date and time of the next appointment, and it'll send reminders to us. It's useful especially in the first and second trimester when appointments are typically far apart (like once in 4 weeks). After each checkup, you can record your weight, blood pressure, how big your belly is, the length/weight of your baby and upload a picture of the ultrasound scan metc. We find this app very user friendly and it's an amazing tool for us in these past 9 months.

- Baby Centre

We installed this app during the second trimester. Like its website, it offers info on baby's development and the changes on the mom's body and feelings. Apart from the information on different pregnancy-related topics, it also has functions like counting the baby kicks and timing & counting of contractions. It may be useful for the third trimester.

4. Prenatal Class

To prepare ourselves, we signed up for a prenatal class at the Raffles Hospital, where we thought I would give birth at.

There are 7 classes in total that cover different topics:

- Changes in Pregnancy: Physical and Emotional

- Material Nutrition

- Exercise During and After Pregnancy

- Labour and Delivery

- Post Delivery Care

- Breastfeeding

- Know About Your Newborn

It's a weekly class on Tuesday after working hours (18:30 to 20:30). We found that it's totally worth it to pay for the class and to invest our evenings there. Each class was conducted by different seasoned staff at the hospital. They didn't just refer to the PowerPoint materials buy also shared their experiences and observations. During the break and after each session, they welcomed questions from the parents to be. Partner/spouse was encouraged to join and participate in the class. Nils and I attended all the classes together. Here's the link to the related information on Raffles Hospital's website: http://113.197.36.128/docs/default-source/package/raffles-hospital-antenatal-class.pdf?sfvrsn=2

5. Maternity Tours

After our first maternity tour at the Raffles Hospital, we also visited several other private hospitals in Singapore. It's good to familiarize ourselves with the practice and process at the hospital (they're more or less the same). Also, it gave us the opportunity to ask questions and listen to other people's questions, which we might not have thought of. Of course, it's a bonus that we got complimentary gifts during each maternity tour! Joining maternity tours at different hospitals allow us to compare and choose the one that we feel most comfortable with. To me, it's not about how luxury it looks...but the general feelings that the delivery suite, wards and staff give me.

Apart from the above, we of course also prepare a list of questions before each prenatal check up to get doctor's advice. We feel that it's best to check with the doctor if in doubt.

We've also been talking to our friends and colleagues who are new parents or have young kids. It helps to know that we're not alone.

I'm grateful that Nils actively participates in the prenatal class and checkups, and contributes during this pregnancy. The way he keeps himself engaged means a lot to me as it gives me the support I most certainly need.

P.S. The cover picture was taken by Nils when I was 32 weeks pregnant. ☺️