Random thought!

Mummy was reading this pregnancy website about the development of the baby and mom at 17 weeks of pregnancy:

"Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — his lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. He can move his joints, and his sweat glands are starting to develop."

"When you're pregnant, your developing baby needs calcium to build strong bones and teeth; to grow a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles; and to develop a normal heart rhythm and blood-clotting abilities. If you don't get enough calcium in your diet when you're pregnant, your baby will draw it from your bones, which may impair your own health later on."

Mummy: Owh, no wonder la...I had cramp on my hands and fingers for days kan? After drink Anlene Concentrate (the one with 4 times more calcium than the normal milk tu, okay iklan Anlene kejap) then the cramps disappear. Rupenye Fateh needs calcium more and I haven't given him enough lah.. poor Fateh. Fortunately Fateh know how to get it from me.

Daddy: That's why I told you to drink your Anmum, but you refuse...see?

Mummy: Hehe... tak sedap. That's why.

Daddy continue his work on the laptop and mummy carried on obsessing on her pregnancy website..

"Speaking of packing on the pounds, that what it's all about for baby this week. He's adding fat stores that will keep him warm and cozy after he's born. Your baby's weight will increase approximately six times over the next four weeks. Good to know you're not the only one tipping the scale!"

Mummy: Owh... this week Fateh start building up his fat jugak! Olololo comel...chubby,chubby anak ibu!

Daddy: I see...

Mummy: But wait, kalau Fateh has no enough calcium then he withdraw from me kan? Why now he's building fat but he didn't withdraw any fat from ibu eh? I have lot of excess one spared for him... boleh reduce ibu nyer fat!

Daddy: Errr.......

Alhamdulillah..we are all fine!

I have always been a nervous freak. Our last antenatal check up was on the 10th week of pregnancy. Although all seems to be nice and healthy, (the fetus has start forming with a good strong little heartbeat) I am still worried as we have not yet passed the first trimester. I have always heard that the first trimester is full of uncertainty. About the baby and about yourself. And so I waited anxiously for our next antenatal check up, which was scheduled 5 weeks after that.

For me 5 weeks seems like 5 years. I counted the days and keep close eye on every little things that were happening to me. I have always felt pressure on my pelvic and the pain sent me to clinic for a check up. The doctor found that the pain is due to infection in my uterine tract, which is normal for pregnant women. I have also experience some lower abdominal pain here and there. Which the doctor explained as a normal round ligament pain. A good sign that the baby is growing and my uterus is making room for him/her. My doctor assured me that everything was fine...but I'm still worried. Every day I make du'a to Allah, as only Allah has the supreme power of taking care of everything while we human are totally incapable.

We saw His mercy during our 15th week check up. I was telling Muhammad that I thought I felt Fateh was moving a few days before the check-up. I sometimes felt a fluttering sensation when I laid still. But Muhammad was in doubt, he said it is impossible for me to feel it this early and the feeling was just in my head. (as I read too much of pregnancy websites!). Owh by the way, Fateh is the name that we usually use to call the baby ever since we started trying to conceive. Since we don't know the gender of the baby, so we decided to call him/her Fateh, just for the ease of calling. Okay? (Don't worry, we have other name reserves for Fateh when he/she come out..hehe!)

But I want to assure Muhammad, that I really felt the movement. And so I told Fateh to show dad the real kick during the scan. Off we go. I was... as usual, as nervous as I can be when the doctor put the cold blue gel on my stomach and shove the probe to find Fateh. It was easy to find him as he grew much bigger that the last time we saw him. Subhanallah. From just 3.72 cm CRL he has grown to 9.85 cm. And by the time we found him, I guess he was busy performing his Dhuha, looking at his prostrating position. Oh, and he is also busy sucking on his fingers looking at the movement of his lips. I thought that was the most adorable view I have ever seen.

Fateh during 15 weeks

Okay, it's now time to show dad the real Fateh. When the doctor shove the probe a bit more, Fateh seems distracted and starts moving a bit. He opened up his fist and the doctor showed us his little fingers. Cute! And he started to trying to turn himself around (I guess he was finished with his Dhuha). And so we saw him kicking the uterus wall a few times to showed us his strong legs. Mummy was all win to see daddy's shocked face. I told you, he is as active as he can be already, dad. Thanks Fateh! Now daddy would really believe us. Hehe!

The doctor then measured Fateh's leg, head, CRL and hands to give us the average of his gestational age 15 weeks. Everything seems to be very well and we are very happy. Alhamdulillah. All praise goes to Allah for He is All Knowing.

We take this happy news as also a test from Allah. A bigger test indeed rather than the failed fertility cycles. I felt that this is a test of higher level of tawakkal to Allah. Anything could happen between this point and labor. Even though we have safely passed the first trimester, I still heard stories of second trimester miscarriage and still birth during third trimester. I can be worried as hell and take whatever precaution to prevent anything bad to my baby. But in the end it is Allah who decides the fate. And the pen has dried and it was all written. This is also a test to our gratefulness. A test of returning everything to Allah, whether in difficult times or happy times like this. Muhammad has never failed to remind me to prostrate in shukr for every little good news and relief that we had. He also reminded me of our difficult times, with tears and pains, and how Allah has given us His rahmah and thus we should forever be grateful. I know my shukr is not enough, but I can't stop but to thank Allah for all this.

Things To Do on the First 10 Days of Zulhijjah

I found a super-cute muslim website, with a very chic title and design at http://www.owhsomuslim.com. Cool eh? Here's a sharing from their latest post!

The month of Dzulhijjah is the last month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. What’s so special about it? It’s the month of Hajj, where pilgrims embark on a wonderful sacred journey in Mecca to please God, masyallah. As Muslims, we should make use of the first 10 days of Dzulhijjah and maximize in doing good deeds. Here are the things Muslims ought to do:

1. In order to completely embrace Dzulhijjah, one should learn and get to know the importance of the month. The significance of this month has been highlighted in the Quran, especially on the first 10 days. So let’s increase our knowledge and receive great blessings and rewards from Allah, insyallah!

Related verse from the Quran: show

Related hadith: show

2. The next good deed we Muslims ought to do is to remember and glorify Allah. To do so, recite “Laa ilaaha illallah” and “Alhamdullilah”! In addition, increase in doing good deeds such as praying on time, fasting or doing charity during the 10 days mentioned. It is also sunnah to glorify Allah (takbir) from Fajr prayer on the day of Arafah (9th Dzulhijjah), up until after Asar prayer on the last day of Tashreeq (11th to 13th of Dzulhijjah). After each prayer, to takbir:

“Alahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar (Allah is great, Allah is great, Allah is great)
Laa ilaaha illallah, wallahu akbar (None has the right to be worshipped except Him)
Allahu akbar wa lillaahil-hamd (Allah is great and to all praises belong to Him)”
Hadith from: Ibnu Abu Shaybah in al-Musannaf / authenticated by Al-Albanee

Related hadith: show

3. The 9th day of Dzulhijjah is the day of Arafah, where on this day, the pilgrims gather at the mountain plain of Arafah, praying and making dua’ to Allah. For those of us who are not in Arafah, it is mustahabb (HIGHLY recommended) to fast on the day of Arafah! By doing so, according to a hadith from Muslim, our sins from last year and the coming year will be “deleted!” masyallah!

Note: Arafah will fall on Monday, 15th of November 2010. So try to fast on this day!

Related hadith: show

4. Though Qurban (Udhiyyah – Sacrificial Slaughter) is sunnah and not wajib (compulsory), we Muslims should participate in the ritual if we can afford it (monetary). It is indeed a pious, sacred and righteous deed loved by Allah! If you could do so, ask your nearest mosque or Islamic Community Center for further details.

NOTE: For a person who wants to participate in the Qurban, one is not allowed to remove anything from their hair (cut hair) or nails for the first 10 days of Dzulhijjah [Hadith from Muslim]

Related verse from the Quran: show

5. Make loads of nice dua’s for the pilgrims; such as your mum, dad, grandmother/father, siblings, aunties/uncles, neighbours or even your friend from the internet/social network who have embarked upon the Hajj. Make dua’ to Allah for Him to safeguard the pilgrims from misfortunes and for their safe returns, and also for them to attain Hajj Mabrur, insyallah.