28 Weeks Pregnant

Another day late, but it was my Mum's birthday yesterday so we had the day off together. She came with me in the morning to my appointment with the midwife, which went very well.

I had the usual checks done and everything was fine. I also had 2 vials of blood taken for tests to see if I am aneamic, and I also asked if she could double-check my blood type after the mix-up with my notes. She measured my tummy from my pelvic bone to just under my ribs, and I measured at 29cms, which is apparently 1cm over my dates but that that's fine. She said baby is lying with its head under my belly button, back up against my right hand side, and legs under my ribs. We also got to hear baby's heartbeat, which I think sounded like horses. My Mum thinks it sounds like the start-up music on her Tom Tom!

The midwife informed me I have been booked in to give birth at a new part of the hospital, which is a Midwife Led Unit, and a lot more like a home-from-home. They have a portable birthing pool, and they normally don't have more than two women in there at a time. As long as I carry on being a low-risk pregnancy, that is where I will go. I'm very pleased - they are much more open about the way in which YOU want to give birth - if you want to be squatting, standing etc, they will support your decision. I can't have an epidural if I go in there, but I'd quite like to see if I can get through it without.

I told the midwife that I liked the idea of a water birth, and she said that if I did, not to get into the water until I was at least 3cms dilated because otherwise it could slow down the contractions.

Last time I saw a midwife I was told that from this stage I would have to come in for weekly checks, but either I heard it wrong, or she was mistaken, because I don't have to go back for another 3 weeks.

On the house-front, a roofer *should* have been looking at the roof yesterday, once we have that and get that to the mortgage people, we are ready to go! Apparently the seller's solicitor has been chasing to exchange!

Here's what Babycentre says about week 28... "Your baby now weighs about 2.5 to 3 pounds/ 1.1 to 1.3 kilograms and measures 10.5 inches/ 26 centimetres from crown to rump (15.5 inches/ 39 centimetres from top to toe). Her eyes open and close, she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals and she may suck a finger or thumb.

Sweet dreams, little baby! Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by the 28th week. What do they dream about? No one knows for certain but the brain is active this week as well. The characteristic grooves on the brain's surface start to appear and more brain tissue develops.

Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of the hiccups, which are common this week and throughout the pregnancy. Your baby has them but is breathing in amniotic fluid rather than air. A paper bag can't cure her hiccups, obviously, but an episode usually lasts only momentarily. The sensation for you may be strange but not unpleasant.
Since your uterus is now up near your rib cage, you may now find yourself short of breath if you haven't already. Starting now and continuing through the last three months of pregnancy, you may be plagued by leg cramps, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and an itchy abdomen. Are pregnancy discomforts getting you down? Try some natural remedies to perk you up.

If you were found to be Rh-negative earlier in pregnancy, you'll probably be tested for Rh antibodies this week or next and have an anti-D injection to combat the incompatibility. You may be offered a repeat injection at 36 weeks."

Bump pics to come over the weekend.

Woah There!

I weighed myself yesterday morning. I've put on a whopping 1 stone 11 pounds! Don't know what the norm is, but I know I'm supposed to be putting on about a pound a week now. Hope I have a lot of fluid in there which is accounting for most of the weight ;)

I've also decided when my maternity leave will start - my last day is the 2nd June, which leaves me 13 days before baby is officialy due. That way, with the 26 weeks paid leave, and my holiday I will have accrued, it will take me right up to January 2nd.

Got the offer through from the NCT teacher today - which we've accepted! The first class is 20th April, so excited!

NCT Sale

Lots of my friends had been asking me if I was doing a sweepstake for the baby. I soooo don't have the brain power at the moment to do it myself, so I set one up on http://www.expectnet.com - so far everyone bar one thinks I'm having a boy it seems!

Saturday, Mum and I went to our local NCT Nearly New Sale. I knew it was the kind of thing Jack wouldn't like, and my Mum would love (women love a bargain!), so off we went. We had to stand outside in the freezing cold for about half an hour before we were allowed in - but we were 4th in the queue - woo! No sooner had we got in there though, than the whole place was packed out!

There were people with stalls selling their 'nearly new' baby stuff - there was loads to buy - prams, moses baskets, bouncers... but LOADS of clothes! I only bought two items of clothing, I had to make sure they were soooooo new because otherwise Jack would have had a fit! I got some very girly leopard print shoes, and a very boy-ey Burberry shirt. There was a little old lady there selling things she'd knitted and made too, and was so sweet. She had made loads of blankets that were copies of Taggies, but so much cheaper, so I bought one of them too.

We went to Next on the way home - the first one I'd found with a maternity section, and I was so disappointed - it was all discusting and didnt fit. Im size 10 but even the size 14 maternity tops didn't cover my bump. They had great baby clothes, and Im sure I could spend a fortune in there once baby's born and we know the sex and size of it, but wouldn't bother going back to check out the maternity stuff.

We also popped into Tescos, they didn't have any new bits since we were in last week, but Mum did buy us an Avent microwave steriliser.

When we got home, lots of things I had ordered had arrived - including some ultra-comfy over the bump pyjamas from La Redoute. Also a whole load of things from Lakeland. Slowly slowly my Mum's house is starting to look like box land. Woopsie. Hopefully not too long til we have somewhere to house those boxes ourselves!

Had really bad pains yesterday in my bump - when I got up, on the right hand side. I thought I was having contractions! Maybe they were Braxton Hicks? Well I had a lovely relaxing bath, with masses of bubbles, candles, and Smooth FM, and I felt a lot better after.

27 Weeks Bump Pix

There's been something wrong with the upload function, which is why these have only just gone up. They were taken on 27 weeks. 'Scuse the PJs...