13 Weeks Pregnant

Today, we hit the 13 week mark - officially into the 2nd trimester, and out of the worrying part. More and more people know now, it feels strange knowing we've had to have kept it a secret for so long, to be able to tell it!

This week has been good - I've had really bad headaches which I saw the doctor about, he said I could take nothing but Paracetemol. That doesn't really have an effect on me, so I bought a stick of 4head, which is a natural headache remedy, and that seems to have done the trick. My skins gone bad too - he's given me something for that and said that it should clear up with the hormones, and also that my midwife letter has come out (yay)! Other than that, I've been feeling good which is great, just still tired and hungry all the time!

Here's my weekly bump snap, just taken with my new mobile (check ME out!)

Babycentre says this about week 13...

"Your baby's face is beginning to look more human, even though she is only about 3 inches/ 7.5 centimetres long from her crown to her rump and weighs slightly more than half an ounce/ 14 grams. The eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together. The ears are almost in their normal position on the side of the head. The liver is making bile and the kidneys are secreting urine in the bladder.

The fetus squirms if your abdomen is prodded, although you cannot yet feel movement. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and synapses (neurological connections in your brain) are forming. The fetus has acquired more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench.

Your midwife can now feel the top of the uterus, also known as the fundus, low in the abdomen. As you enter the second trimester, you may find yourself donning looser, less restrictive clothing. Soon you won't be able to fit into your regular clothes any more.
You may now find that once the 'sickness' feeling has passed, your appetite returns."

Dating Scan

Yesterday morning, we went for our first scan. I hardly slept through excitement, and I kept waking up having dreamt that we'd slept through our alarm and missed the appointment!

I was told to have a full bladder when I went, and just before we left, I weed! I totally forgot! Ooops! Anyway, I drank a big bottle of water hoping to top up my levels, and we left half an hour early to make sure we gave ourselves enough time.

We arrived at the hospital with 25 minutes to spare, but drove round the car park looking for a space for about 15 mins! We finally found one, parked up, then realised we were in the Staff Parking bit! In the end we drove back out and parked on the roadside and walked back with a few minutes to spare.

When I checked in at reception, I was given a big pile of things - a Bounty Pack which had lots of leaflets in and a little pregnancy booklet, a big book about pregnancy, and a big book which will hold all my Maternity Records. I think I have to take it to every appointment with me now but I wasn't told anything.

We waited for about 5 mins, when a lady called us through to the room where I was to be scanned. Jack sat at the end of a bed, and I was told to get on the scales and weigh myself, which I did, then got on the bed. The screen was to the right of me, and totally facing in the opposite direction so I couldn't see a thing.

She put some gel on my stomach, and said that first of all she was going to check for a heartbeat, check how many babies were in there, and measure it. Jack was sitting by my feet, so he could see the screen - I tried to have a look but got told off because it made my stomach muscles tense. I also got told off for having an empty bladder, even though I felt like I was about to wet myself! She said she could see a single baby in ther (phew!) and could see a heartbeat. She measured and said she was getting a reading of 11 weeks and 3 days, but also said that my dates were accurate so stick to them.

The whole time this was going on, Jack could see the bubs, and all I had to go on was his reaction. He was laughing! Not laughing, but you know when someone's smiling SO hard that it makes them kinda make a laugh noise? It was that, and that alone made me smile and happy. I was then finally allowed to have a look - she did a close up on the heartbeat, fluttering away, and showed me all the body parts which all seem to be in tact. She zoomed out to take the pic, but I still love it!

We bought 5 copies of the scan for £2 each and she gave us some little paper frames to put them in. Jack and I have kept one each, given one to each sets of parents, and I've sent the other to my Grandad. We can't stop looking at it! My mum thinks she can see a willy! We can clearly see a head, body, arm, leg, foot and umbillical cord in the pic... here it is....

We made our next scan appointment for 26th January, and went off to work as proud Mummy & Daddy!

11+5

The scan is now only one day away, we are SO excited!

I came home early for the past 2 night because I'd been feeling rough - I have had a mega headache and have been feeling very sick. I'm having the day off today just to relax and try to get better. Maybe I'm just getting myself worked up because Im excited about the scan... I hope I'm not getting ill... I don't know how I'd cope without being allowed to take anything!

I took another bump pic... this is me last night at 11 weeks, 5 days. I think I'm having a triangle!

11 Weeks Pregnant

1 week until the scan!

Here's an 11 week bump pic, just taken with my phone at work.




Babycentre.com says for week 11... "Your baby will double in size in the next three weeks. He or she is now swallowing and kicking, and all the major organs are fully developed. More minute details are appearing too, like fingernails and peach-fuzz hair. The external sex organs are beginning to show and in a few weeks they will be developed enough to tell whether you're going to have a boy or a girl. The fetus is only about 2 to 3 inches / 5 to 7 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighs less than half an ounce / 14 grams. Even so, it's busily swallowing and kicking. Each day more minute details start to appear, such as fingernails and peach-fuzzy hair. The vital organs — the liver, kidneys, intestines, brain, and lungs — are fully formed and functional, while the head is almost half the length of the entire body. The forehead temporarily bulges and sits high on the head, but later will change into a more human-like feature. If you could take a look at your baby this week, you'd be able to see the clear outline of his spine. Spinal nerves stretch out from the spinal cord.
Your uterus is now the size of a grapefruit. With the help of a Doppler, a hand-held soundwave stethoscope, you can hear the fetus's rapid heartbeat — one expectant mother likened it to the sound of tiny horses galloping."

Maternity Clothes

This week I have searched for nice maternity wear. What I really want is a couple of jumpers - something that can keep me warm without riding up the bump! So I went to H&M in Oxford Street - no maternity section. Next Oxford St - no maternity section. I couldn't believe it - only 4 London H&M's stock their maternity range.

Anyway, yesterday I went to Topshop Oxford Circus, where they now actually have a whole seperate floor for their maternity stuff which I was very impressed with, it's very calm up there! They had no jumpers, but I did get two lovely pairs of jeans - Mooch & Duke. Mooch are baggy in the leg, and Duke are tight on the leg, so could wear a nice top with them and wear them out-out too. I got a plain white t-shirt which is long and tight (all my other tops ride!), and it does accentuate my bump I think! I also got a white tube top which is like a book tube but you wear it on your tummy under a normal t-shirt so it looks like you've just got a white top on underneath, giving a layered look. Very handy, and only £5!

On the the tube on the way home, I had to go one stop, so was standing up... there was a lady with a big bag, and it was getting kinda cramped, a man noticed and said "be careful, I think this lady's pregnant"! So she got out of my way. He had his iPod on, so he shouted it, but it made me smile that a stranger had noticed my lickle prawn!

Oooh I nearly forgot, we got "Cool Names For Babies" the book on the weekend, everything was a bit too cool though or horrid! Like Snoop Dogg, Margaret etc etc. We're sorted for a girl, but a boy is what we're having trouble with. I suppose we have long enough to think!

10 Weeks Pregnant

Again, I'm 2 hours away from the big 1-0, but again, can't wait until the morning, so here is a current bump pic...

This week, according to babycentre.com... "Your baby weighs under 10g — a fraction of an ounce — but is poised for rapid growth. All the body parts are now present, including arms, legs, eyes, genitals and other organs, though they're not yet fully formed. At week's end, your fetus measures approximately 1.5 inches / 3.5 centimetres long. In both shape and size, it resembles a peapod and weighs about a third of an ounce / 9 grams. The eyelids are fused and won't open until week 27. The wrists are more developed, ankles have formed, and the fingers and toes are clearly visible. Arms are growing longer and bend at the elbows. By week's end, the inner workings of the ears are complete. Though you can't yet identify the sex of the fetus by ultrasound, its genitals have begun to form. By now the placenta has developed enough to support most of the critical job of producing hormones."

PLUS... now only 2 weeks until the scan! (How slow do you wanna reckon that will go!?)

Heave

I had a Jack and germ-free weekend, which was very boring! It's rubbish doing nothing by yourself!

Saturday I stayed in bed all day, and tidied up a bit. In the evening I went round to my friends house and got a take away and sat thinking of names.

Yesterday I heaved while I was eating my breakfast. It was discusting! We went out for a family lunch, I came home and felt so rough I had a bath and put myself to bed.

This morning I had to sit next to the bowl of the toilet for a while because I kept heaving, my eyes kept watering and I thought I was going to hurl any second. Luckily my Mum was there and heard me so bought me some dry cream crackers to nibble on. Yum.

Jack's coming round to stay with me for a few days until his house is completely clean again, so that's something nice to look forward to!

Wooohoooo

Mum and I went out for a Chinese after work and had a good long chat about everything - I feel very happy and content and I know she is very pleased for me.

When we got in, I noticed an NHS envelope... tore it open, and it was the letter telling us of our first scan... Thursday 1st December! Although we knew we would be getting a dating scan, just having a date to look forward to is amazing! And it's not too far away either... WOOHOO!

9 Weeks cont...

In the 9th week (as I am now), babycentre.com says... "The tiny tail is disappearing and so many changes have taken place that your baby has changed from an embryo and is now officially a fetus. This is the critical stage when your baby's organs are forming. The baby is now constantly moving and shifting, though you won't be able to feel anything for several weeks. The arms have grown and the hands are now flexed at the wrists and meet over the heart. The legs are lengthening and the feet may be long enough to meet in front of the body."

I stayed at home again last night - Jack's Mum, and now Jack's sister have the sickness bug, I don't want to risk getting it and doing any damage. Hopefully Jack won't have picked up any of the germs so can come stay with me in my germ-free home!

Mum told me she's secured me a babyseat and pushchair from a friend of hers (yes, although we told them not to tell anyone, our parents seem to have told EVERYONE!) I'm surprised there hasn't been an ad in the local paper at the rate they're going!

We booked tickets to see Little Britain Live next November, someone's going to have to babysit! Our first babysitting favour to be asked, how exciting!

9 Weeks Pregnant

Well I know I'm 2.5 hours off the 'actual' 9 week mark, but just took a bump pic and had to post it up (won't have time in the morning)!

I've just noticed how much I've grown since the 7 week bump pic!

Proud of Daddy

Yesterday I managed to get through to a human at the Ante Natal Unit. My doctor had told me I'd be getting a Midwife appointment at 10 weeks, and a scan at 12. The lady at the AN Unit said that I get a scan at 12-15 weeks and a Midwife appointment after that. Very confusing. Anyway, I gave her my details and she said she could see me in her system so a letter should be coming out by the end of this week regarding my scan. Woooohooooo! I can't wait until I have a date for my scan!

I was sooooo tired yesterday, and I ended up working until 7.30 - the worst day that I could have worked late seeing how tired I was! I had to go to the loos to have a little cry about it! All day I had been looking forward to getting home, having dinner, watching Eastenders, having a bath and getting in bed.

I'm very proud of Jack - he didn't smoke at all today. Nada, nought. He said he keeps fancying one, but then thinking of me and the baby and that's over-riding his feelings. He's smoked 20 a day for over 10 years, so I really hope he manages to quit. I've told him if he lasts for a week I will treat him. Argh I don't know to what though!

I'm going home tonight, so I will be able to get a bump pic for 9 weeks. See ya tomorrow!

Blerghhhhhhhh

I'm back into my 5-meals-a-day-stage now YUM! If I don't eat I feel empty so I have to give my body what it's asking for.

Jack's dad was sick in the night last night - the bathroom is next to our bedroom, so I heard everything, felt so much sicker, and couldn't sleep after that. Well I did, then the bin men came, oh joy! So I'm not the happiest of campers today.

On the good side, I have the right extension number for the antenatal department that I need to talk to to chase my midwife appointment. The bad side is they are constantly engaged, but I'm on the right track now at least.

Grrrrr

The weekend was lovely - did nothing on Friday night but relax with a takeaway and the tv. Saturday we went to look round some houses, and abslutely fell in L-O-V-E with one of them. Went out on Saturday night to a friend's birthday (very smoky pub) - I felt like I'd been smoking in the morning! Yesterday we went out for a big fat Sunday lunch and dreamt about our lives in "our house".

I called the estage agent this morning to ask which direction the garden faced, and got an "oooh I haven't got a clue" (very helpful, thanks).

This afternoon I hoped the same lady wouldn't answer the phone, and called back to try and arrange another viewing in the daytime (it was dark when we saw it the first time) - and they've accepted an offer on it BOOHOO!

I've been looking on the net since then, but no where seems to compare - it was perfect. May be a little expensive, but it was ideal.

Prawn has been fine - I watched lots of Discovery Home & Health (lots of births) and been scaring myself! I think I should stay away from those shows, especially when we're eating!

8 Weeks Pregnant

Today bump celebrates it's 8 weeks of life. Hooray! I know last week I said I was going to post a bump pic each week, but we've been house-sitting and I forgot to pack my camera! So 9 weeks will be the next pic installment. According to babycentre " the eyelid folds are forming, the tip of the nose is present, and the arms now bend at the elbows and curve slightly over the heart." Wow.

It seems I've been getting lazy with my blogging, but I just don't want to end up like a stuck record moaning about how sick I'm feeling! This week has been rough. Still no actual vomit, but I'm feeling closer and closer to that point and I don't like the feeling! I actually feel ok as I'm writing this, so hopefully that will be it for a while *please*!

Jack's been excellent while we've been house-sitting, letting me lie down while he makes us dinner, and making sure I get enough veggies. Every morning when he drops me off he says "love you" then "love you bump".

My jeans are getting tighter, no one's offering me a seat on the trains yet though which is a shame cos I'm sure now is the stage when I'd really appreciate it!

Happy Halloween

I haven't posted a message for a few days because I felt so rough. I went to Holland & Barrett on Friday to get some crystalised ginger, and bought a ginger and choc chip flapjack which I picked at all afternoon and I did feel a lot better.

I felt ok-ish on Saturday, we went to a Halloween party in the evening and I stayed on my bum allllllll night because I started feeling the tiredness.

I also took out my belly bar. There are special ones you can wear through pregnancy which are stretchy, but I don't really think I will be bearing my post-pregnancy belly to many people, so it's come out! Jack's happy because now he can rub our bump without catching himself on anything!

I got a bit worried yesterday because I was experiencing pains which were worse than the period-type pains I had been having before. I asked on the Handbag forums, and apparently they are perfectly normal, and is just the uterus stretching, which made me feel a lot better and made both me and Jack more reassured.

7 Weeks Pregnant

Wooohoooo today we've reached the 7 week mark, how exciting! But I feel the sickest I have ever felt. Yucksville. I've decided that I will try to add a photo each week to show how my bumps progressing, so to start, here it is this morning, at 7 weeks...

I know I know, it looks quite big for only 7 weeks old... but here's where I must add I didn't exactly have a flat stomach to begin with! It has definitely grown, and before pregnancy, it was 'pinchable', now it's firm and hard!

I didn't go in to work today until 11am, I felt as rough as a dog. We went out to our friends' new house last night and for a bite to eat, it was really nice because it took my mind off feeling sick. She gave us the baby trainers (sooo cute) and 18 babygro's! 6 for newborn-3months, 6 for 3-6 months and 6 for 6-9 months!! They are teeny tiny and it meant Jack couldn't sleep because he got excited all over again!

I woke up and couldn't even stomach my early morning toast, I just had to go back to bed. I didn't feel good all day (I told work that I had been sick in the night and couldn't get myself up just yet), so I told them I still felt sick when I eventually dragged myself in, which was nice because I was treated a little more delicately than usual!

I've ordered a little bump belt off the internet http://http://www.bloomingmarvellous.co.uk/product.aspx?CategoryID=Practical_Essentials&ProductID=6912&language=en-GB which apparently is recommended to use from 2 months of pregnancy, incase of any jerks in the car, basically the belt pushes into your lap rather than tummy, it also means its more comfy once the bump is more prominent!

Instant Dinner

Last night all I wanted to do was get in, lay down and not move again! Jack and I had planned to make a lasagne from scratch, but I couldn't be bothered, and now, when I'm hungry, I have to eat NOWWWWW!! So Jack went and bought a pizza and garlic bread and cooked that up... dinner in an instant!

I'm feeling a bit better today thankfully.

I've decided I'm going to tell another one of my friends too... I was going to tell her at the party, but the right moment hadn't come up... and now we've been house sitting in N.London I keep hoping to bump into her on the tube but haven't done so far!

Ooooh I've had a look on http://www.babynames.com for some inspiration... we only have one name we like for a girl and that's it! Can you believe, some people actually would call their child 'Chaviva'!?!?!

Oh Mum!

My mum's just told me she suffered with morning sickness alllllll the way through her pregnancy with me, and she was in labour for 26 hours. I reeeeealllly hope I don't take after her! I'm still feeling a bit sicky, I hate hate hate it!

Teary

Last night was a verrrrrry tearful one. I won't go in to details over what, but I don't think I usually would have been as bad! Jack was very good at comforting me and making sure I stayed relax, for the sake of the little bubba.

The remote control for my tv has been lost, and it won't work without it. I felt really bad going up to bed at 10pm and Jack having to do the same as there is no tele to occupy him! I think I'll have to look for one of those universal ones....

Oh, and I forgot to say in yesterday's entry that I told my Dad, Stepmum and his parents this weekend too and they all were very happy!

Lazy Weekend

The weekend went well... on Friday I went and got some 'Mum To Be' vitamins from Boots, and they most definitely have helped. I have been eating a slice of toast every few hours too, but I have felt so much better since taking them. Lucky I got 90 of them ;)

It was lovely just catching up on sleep and lazing around on Saturday, we watched the X Factor and just got a take away which I was more than happy to do!

Yesterday we went to view our first house in S.E, which was nice, but the bathroom was downstairs which is a bit impractical, so Jack drove us round seeing if we could see anything nice and looked in some estage agents windows... Im hoping this isn't going to take too long!

Jack's been lovely, and when I woke up this morning he'd made me some toast and a glass of O.J so I wouldn't have to move and end up feeling sick.

We're house-sitting this week so it will be nice to be pregnant and alone for a while!