Spring forward, Fall backwards!

So much has happened within the last 48hrs that I didn't have the time to post anything yesterday. I'm going to split this post in 3 parts:

Part 1:

The day before yesterday I read a list of the most popular names for babies in Malta. Needless to say, Maya was on the list.

I lost track of how many friends and acquaintances of mine named their daughter Maya. This means that it is harder to remember who is called what, and so I will play it safe and use nicknames when referring to them daughters' names I'm not sure of.

I will also use nicknames for sons if I forgot their names, or am unsure of how to write/read the name.

Don't take offence if I don't call your child by their name. I rarely call people by name anyway, regardless of their age.

Part 2:

Yesterday I tried and failed miserably to shower whilst it was just Morgan and myself for the first time since we came home. We were meant to meet up with my mum on the bus to go to Balzan so that I could meet with a lovely Scottish woman who was to sell me some 2nd hand clothes (in excellent condition!) for Morgan.

Morgan put up quite a struggle when I tried to bathe her - but this, was the end result.

I ended up calling my mum to come over instead so that she could watch Morgan whilst I got ready. Whilst waiting for my mum, I cleaned up Morgan, and after about half an hour, my mum came over, and fed Morgan whilst I showered. Once fed and burped, we gathered our stuff and started our journey to Balzan.


Two and a half hours and two bus rides later, we finally got there to find the aforementioned woman waiting for us. Talking with her made me miss my Scottish friends - she's from Edinburgh, so has a distinct accent (though not as thick as some of my friends'). I pointed out to her Morgan is half-Scottish, which made her go "awww" even more from then on.
 
I made arrangements to meet the same lady in a week or two again to buy some more stuff off her, paid her for this time's haul and went for coffee with my mum and Morgan at the nearby Melita Gardens Cafeteria.

One quick bite and coffee later, we made our way to the bus stop and about 20 minutes later, we hopped onto the first bus. We got off the bus at Blata l-Bajda (which saved us some 5 minutes from the journey's total bus time had we gotten off the bus at Valletta) and then got on the next bus a few minutes later.

By some miracle, I managed to get the pram inside the house on my own (seeing as whilst I _do_ live in a ground floor maisonette, I have to go up a couple of steps leading to the porch.), and the moment we walked in, the alarm went off on my mobile signifying Morgan's feed was due. I cleaned her up, and whilst feeding her, I made arrangements with my friend Rose to have another friend pick Morgan and myself up so that we could go over at Rose's to celebrate Ostara.

Ostara is another name for the Spring Equinox - it is named after the Goddess Eostre. For more info, clicky here.

Once we got at Rose's, we had banter and then, Rose and I introduced Morgan to the Elements. No introduction was needed to the God and Goddess to be honest, as I've already mentioned her countless times to Them.

We still need to do an official Saining, however this was the first step. We were joined by another two people in the circle where meditation was carried out in honour of Spring and New beginnings. Good times!

As it was getting late, Morgan and I slept over at Rose's. And when I say slept, I mean it. I forgot when I last slept THAT much. Morgan slept soundly as well. Yay!

Today, we slept in, then I called us a taxi back home since I had taken Morgan over to Rose's in the car seat - it is DAMNED HEAVY to carry. I had no intentions of walking up a couple of hills for about 15 minutes to the nearest ATM and face 2 buses and walking 3 or 4 blocks etc, all whilst carrying some 10kg total.

Once home, my mum came over and since Morgan was asleep, we managed to do some house chores. Score! My mum left after a couple of hours, and Morgan and I had a quiet evening.
Now, for Part 3...

Tomorrow, Morgan gets her first vaccine. I am _NOT_ looking forward to seeing her getting stabbed, and potentially having fever in the evening.
 
I bought a box of Arfen suppositories, just in case. I don't feel comfortable with the thought of having to use them on her, but I know out of first-hand experience how effective suppositories are. Gods know how many I have been subjected to in my childhood. I just pity her poor bum.

I hope she doesn't get feverish. I really hope she doesn't. Meh. The vaccines are a necessary evil, I know. I just worry, I guess.

My little Cuddle Monster :D

P.s. Daylight Savings kicks in on the 25th. That's this weekend. Suuuuuucks.

And my heart goes boom boom boom

Anyone who has ever had a crush on someone, or who has had too much red bull, knows what it feels like to have your heart race and not being able to do anything about it.

Usually, palpitations are caused by anxiety, stress, nervousness, fear, shock or physical overexertion and quite a few more things.  Certain medications, as well as energy drinks and other beverages with a high caffeine content, can also cause palpitations.

But what are they exactly?

Palpitation is a term used to describe the feeling of the heart 'racing' or beating strongly and rapidly in the chest. The palpitations are generally associated with three main causes:

1. Hyperdynamic circulation
2. Sympathetic overdrive  [apologies for the link, it is the best I could find]
3. Cardiac dysrhythmias

As I mentioned, anxiety can also cause palpitations in that the heart muscles are affected by the state of one's mind. This means that psychological problems can also cause one to palpitate. When undergoing a diagnosis to identify what is potentially causing  these palpitations, medical staff should therefore consider the psycho-social aspect first and foremost.

When it comes to experiencing palpitations throughout pregnancy, this is classified under Hyperdynamic Circulation.

When you're pregnant, your blood volume increases by up to 50% in volume - however your heart doesn't change.  Suddenly your body finds itself having to circulate one and a half times as much blood as it generally does - which means that your heart is put under quite a bit of stress.  Anxiety and Stress encountered throughout the pregnancy itself continue adding onto the workload, so your poor heart is the one to suffer.

The further down the line your pregnancy is, the more you will start noticing the palpitations - not just when you put yourself out of breath by doing some simple task, but even whilst you're at rest.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Don't Panic.  It is normal. However, please do mention it to your doctor.  They are trained to know about these things and if they reckon there is cause for concern, they will take it further and order some tests for you.  It is best to know about issues rather than leaving them untackled until it is potentially too late.

Fingers crossed, the doctor will give you the thumbs up, indicating you have a strong and healthy heart.  So, what can you do to reduce the chances of palpitations from being due to stress?

I've been asking myself that question quite a lot lately seeing as I've been getting palpitations on a daily basis lately.  As those of you who actually know me are aware of, I'm an insomniac.  My insomnia is caused by stress - jokingly, I claim to be allergic to human emotions since any strong emotion can trigger my sleeping issues.

Needless to say, I have pretty much tried it all - meditation, exercise, relaxation music, chamomile tea, herbal teas especially designed to help you relax/sleep, heck - even my shower gels are meant to assist with relaxation and sleep!  I have also had sleeping pills prescribed.  Got blood tests done, spoke to numerous doctors.  Still, nothing helped.

Having said that, just because I haven't been able to get rid of my stress-induced insomnia doesn't mean I'm not willing to give it a shot at reducing my stress levels that may impact the palpitations!

So, here are some ideas you can try out if you'd like:

• Rest - Take it easy, make some time to rest throughout the day - and if you're tired, go have a nap.
• Talk it out - Whatever is concerning you, don't keep it bottled up - talk to your midwife, your doctor, your partner, your relatives, your friends - to anyone who is willing to listen.  Or else, write [which is what I'm doing right now].
• Eat well - It is good for both your mind and your body.A healthy diet which includes plenty of omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, can actually boost your mood! It is thought that the essential amino acid tryptophan can raise levels of the chemicals melatonin and serotonin in your brain - both of which help you to sleep well and increase them good vibrations!  Tryptophan is found naturally in many foods, including nuts and seeds, which are ideal snack foods.
• Exercise - Be it a 10 minute walk, swimming or pregnancy yoga, it'll do you good.  Just ensure you don't over-exert yourself.
• Prepare for birth - Pre-natal classes can do the trick.  In Malta, you can either attend the free classes provided at Mater Dei Hospital, or you can sign up for classes at numerous private clinics.  It'll give you the opportunity to learn how things are done locally- what to expect, what not to expect etc.  It'll also give you the opportunity to ask questions and more often than not, realise your concerns are really nothing to worry about and that you're not the only one with those particular fears.
• Prepare for family life - See this previous blog.
• Commuting strategies - The more advanced your pregnancy, the more stressful catching a bus, or a train, or whatever means of transport you use can be.  Most of the time, the moment people realise you're pregnant, they will gladly give up their seat.  Don't turn it down.  When possible, see if you can make arrangements to avoid rush hours, and to preferably get a ride with someone.
• Learn how to budget - If you don't know how to, it is about time you learn.  Make a list of all the stuff you think you need, and start asking around to see if you can get some items for free, or to purchase them 2nd hand.  You can clicky here, here,  here and here to check out previous blogsclicky here to the previous blog regarding financial matters.  Also, this blog here gives you inexpensive amusement ideas for your child.
• Meditate - Be it a guided meditation [which you can easily find in audio format online, or record yourself reading it out and then listening to it], or just a matter of laying down on your bed with a few candles lit up and relaxing music playing in the background - it can help.
• Alternative therapy - Reflexology is said to help, as does Massage. However please make sure your practitioner is qualified and has experienced dealing with pregnant women.  Any essential oils used on you need to be safe for use during pregnancy. 
• Pamper yourself - Be it a night out [or in] with friends, treating yourself to a pedicure, or going to the occasional movie - it'll do you good.  Laughter is the best medicine they say. 
• Inform yourself - That is pretty much the thought behind this blog.  I research stuff and learn as much as I possibly can, and share the information with whoever wishes to learn.  The more you know, the less worried you'll be.  Setting your own expectations helps a great deal.  Knowledge is power, as they say.
• If all else fails, speak to your doctor - s/he maybe able to give you pointers, or to refer you to someone qualified, who can help you deal with anxiety.