The feel-good factor

Apart from two long flights,an overnight train journey and a few road trips,I hardly sat at home,venturing out every day without fail. Besides,there were a lot of eating outs and climbing of stairs in our three-storey house hosting a wedding. As far as my health was concerned,I was much better,and fitter,than before,with certain problems like backache completely gone. But I wasn’t as sure about the baby. On top of that,though my glucose tolerance test wasn’t done yet,I had violated the ban my doctor had imposed on the intake of sweets.

My heart was pounding as I entered the doctor’s cabin for a check-up,quite sure of getting an earful. Her initial response was,however,encouraging as she looked impressed that I had gained much since my last visit despite all the eating outs and the deviation from routine. But her remark,after hearing the baby’s heartbeat,was rather surprising. “Your baby seems to be very happy after the trip,” she told me,making my many days to come.

Nothing could be more music to the ears of the travel buff in me that my little one was happy as I travelled. In fact,I recalled,the first time I felt the baby move inside was the evening we returned to Chennai from sunny Mahabalipuram,where we spent two days at a seaside resort. And strangely,I was on the move,in a car,when I felt those butterflies fluttering in my stomach,something like pulse rate throbbing. I wasn’t sure till then that this was what they call the first foetal movements. It had been all quiet for around 24 hours after that,and the throbbing returned only the next evening,when I was out,again,travelling in a car.

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Once assured that this was the ‘kick’ I had been waiting for,I realised how new a feeling this was,something I cannot express in words. When alone,I find myself talking to her — or him — singing,chatting or discussing our future plans. And strangely,I feel the baby has adapted to the parents’ nocturnal routine. While there is no activity during the day,all the kicking starts after 4 pm — once I sit in the car and head for office — and continues till I am off to bed.

And just when I was settling with this routine,came the surprise. We had to reach some place at 2 pm the other day and hence started from home earlier. Barely five minutes on the road and the little one made its presence felt. I am sure now that I will have company when I pester my husband to take me out,within the city or on short or long outstation trips.

With the hectic activities going on inside,I find myself distracted from the discomforts I mentioned in my previous write-ups. And that’s a great relief.

Experts say this is the time the mother should actively start making efforts to bond with the baby. The baby can apparently hear now. Hence,it is advised to listen to good,soothing and rhythmic music. A pre-born also develops taste by the sixth month and it is better for the mother to eat well. The mother’s emotional state will have a lot of bearing on the child as the emotions are passed on to the foetus through hormones. So,keep stress at bay and don’t let negative thoughts cloud your mind. Get a good massage,one that is suitable during pregnancy,shop,read and do whatever makes you feel good and connect with your baby. The bottomline is pamper yourself; your baby will feel pampered too.