Friday, April 07, 2006

30+1

Here are my bump pics, just taken:





















I feel like an elephant. I made some cakes this evening, and after making them, I have big swollen hands and feet. They ache so much! But I do have yummy cakes to show for it so I guess that makes up for it:



Thursday, April 06, 2006

30 Weeks Pregnant!

Oh my God, I haven't updated for a week, I'm getting lazy! More effort will be put in over this week... promise!

So much has been going on, that to be honest, I haven't had time to think about much! We got the mortgage offer through on the house, but they're retaining a small amount in relation to the quote we provided them with for the work that would need to be done. I called the estate agents on Tuesday morning to make them aware of this fact, and for them to request the vendor reduces her asking price in accordance with this retention figure. Thursday afternoon, and guess what, still no answer from the estate agents. I have left 5 messages with them and finally was allowed to speak to the lady dealing with our property only to be told she knew nothing about this. Grrrr. So anyway, she has until tomorrow. Or I will scream! If she says yes, we have nothing to stop us completing now. She could, however, say no. It was a high quote. She could get the work done herself and then provide us with the proof it's been done, but then that's another time issue, so keeping our fingers crossed that she just wants to take the easy route and says yes. It's only £1000 which in the grand scheme of things isn't a massive amount for an easy life. Our solicitor had said she'd been pushing to exchange, so hopefully hopefully she'll agree and we'll still be in in April!

Pregnancy wise this last week - heartburn has come back, in fact I have it now. And I've started craving mint choc chip Cornettos. Can I find any in any newsagent I go in though? No! They're all manky old half chewed, or melted and then re-frozen ones. A supermarket trip this weekend might be in order this weekend me thinks!

Also got quite emotional over silly things recently. Yesterday, went to the toilet at work, and the person before me had used all the toilet roll without replacing it. This is no major issue as there is a new roll within 30cms, but them not having done it themselves made me burst into tears! Then I had to stay half an hour late at work which set me off yet again. Later in the evening I got some really bad personal news about someone close to me, and I didn't cry - I don't get it. That made me feel even more guilty.

And speaking of loo's - wow, reallllly struggling with sleeping all the way through at night time. I'm up at least twice a night now needing to wee, but also wake up anyway and go back to sleep straight away, but very aware of having woken up.

Here is Babycentre's rundown of week 30... "Your baby now weighs 3 pounds / 1.3 kilograms and measures about 17 inches / 44 centimetres from head to toe. In boys, testicles descend from near the kidneys through the groin en route to the scrotum. In girls, the clitoris is relatively prominent because it's not yet covered by the still-small labia. These will grow to cover it in the last few weeks before birth.

Your baby's head is getting bigger, and brain growth is very rapid at this time. Nearly all babies react to sound by 30 weeks.

Your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during the third trimester. You'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and calcium (about 200 milligrams is deposited in your baby's skeleton every day), so eat foods rich in these nutrients. The skeleton hardens even more and the brain, muscles, and lungs continue to mature."

Bump pix tomorrow or the weekend!

Thursday, March 30, 2006

29 Weeks Bump Pix!

As promised, here is me tonight at 29 weeks. Just noticed that the pyjamas I put on last night (pre-pregnancy ones) have ripped at the seam on the bum, how embarassing!



29 Weeks Pregnant!

I went to Bravissimo yesterday and got refitted, now a 36 DD woah! I have to go back 4 weeks before I'm due to get fitted for a nursing bra. My new bras give me a much nicer shape than the Shock Absorbers I was wearing!

I went to H&M too and picked up 5 nice summery tops, and my bill only came to £54 - excellent!

Now I'm 29 weeks, I really can't believe it! It's so scary how soon baby could be here! We have two big whiteboards at work which act as diary's, one month to each, and at the bottom of the second one, I can see my leaving date! I thought it was wrong when I saw it, but it's so soon!

Here is what Babycentre says about week 29... "You're in the home stretch. The third trimester typically starts at week 29 and lasts until week 40 and sometimes even beyond. (Don't worry — 42 weeks is the maximum! After that, a woman usually is induced to give birth.) Most women gain an average of 11 pounds/ 5 kilograms during this trimester.

By this week, your baby weighs nearly 3 pounds/ 1.3 kilograms and may measure 16.5 inches/ 42 centimetres from top to toe. At about this time, your baby can open his eyes and turn his head in utero if he notices a continuous, bright light shining from the outside. His fat layers are forming and his fingernails appear.

You're probably vacillating between feeling as if you've been pregnant forever and being nervous about childbirth. Checking off things on your to-do list can help. Start selecting possible baby names and begin thinking about life after the birth as well.

You'll probably be seeing your midwife more often in these last few weeks."


Bump pics to come tonight!

Sunday, March 26, 2006

28 Week Bump Pix

I am so tired, I cant understand why I am awake, and on here.

Last night we had a massive birthday party for Mum. I didn't get to sleep until nearly 3am, and was awake early this morning. We went out for a Mother's Day lunch, and I felt like a zombie - absolutely knackered and just wanted to be in bed. At 7 o'clock, I got into bed, and could have fallen asleep, but decided to look through the Babies R Us and Mothercare catalogues, and then watch some tv. I turned the tele off at 10.30 and just have a million things going round in my head. I keep thinking about boxing things up. I was going to get up and box things up. I can't believe it! After looking at all the stuff that is piled up near the pile of boxes, I decided against it and remembered that I haven't stuck my 28 week bump pic up yet, so that's what I'm here to do, as well as hopefully make my eyes tired from staring at the computer screen.

I'm already dreading work tomorrow.

Here's the bump, 28 weeks...

Friday, March 24, 2006

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.




Wednesday, March 22, 2006

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!

Monday, March 20, 2006

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...


Friday, March 17, 2006

27 Weeks Pregnant!

I know I'm a day late, but I felt rough yesterday - sick all day and very watery. My eyes were just streaming, and I kept doing watery burps. Yum! Then when I was having my dinner it felt like baby had on a pointy hat and pointy shoes and scraping my insides. I had to go and lie down with Footballers Wives. Bump pics will come later.

According to Babycentre... "Your baby may measure about 38cm/15in long with feet extended. If you could see your baby now, you might be able to get a glimpse of his baby blue (or brown, green, hazel) eyes, which are now beginning to open. Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the nerve pathways to the ears are complete

Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. He also continues to take small breaths and although he's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when he's born.

Since your baby is now growing so fast, and brain development is so intense at this stage, your nutrition is very important. Continue to eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of grains and vegetables. Fibre-rich foods, including whole-grain breads and cereals, lentils and brown rice are high in vitamin B and help fend off constipation.

Your childbirth class should start sometime in the next few weeks, if it hasn't already. Classes should provide you with good, clear information about the birth and the early days of parenthood. Keeping informed goes a long way toward calming any concerns you may have about giving birth."

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Stuff (getting so un-inventive with the titles)!

Wooohooo! Got me some new Premium Bonds last month, and they've won me £200 this month! Yee-ha!

That counter-balances the news we got from the surveyors - there's something wrong with the roof of 'our' property, so we've arranaged for a roofer to go have a look, give us a roof report, tell us how bad it is and how much any work might cost to repair. I'm hoping it's nothing major, and hopefully we can get the seller to pay for it, but it's just a hassle to have to wait for something else before things can move along further. The mortgage company won't release funds until they have that roof report, so it's just something that has to be done. I'd want it done for peace of mind anyway now - don't want the worry that my roofs going to cave in on me and my suckling babe and bloke!

I ordered some stuff from Lakeland for our house yesterday and accidently rang up quite a big bill, so I think the Premium Bonds win came at a good time! In with that though, I bought a few scrapbooking things - I really want to start and I think a baby and new home are good subjects to start with!

Really toying with the idea of a 4D scan. It's the kind of thing you wish someone else would buy for you, so you have no choice but to do it. I think you can never get the baby back in there to do it again if you change your mind, you get to bond with baby, and it's a keepsake which you can pass on to your child when they are older, and it's amazing! The bad side is that you get to see the baby (even though that's a good thing!), but does it take the surprise out of the birth, knowing what it looks like already?

Monday, March 13, 2006

Weekend

Jack was ill this weekend, so we didn't do much - chilled at home, spoke about ideas we have for the house, and what kind of things we'd like to have, what we think we will need - it was nice!

Yesterday we went to Costco to have a look at some of the stuff they had to see if we could get any inspiration, and saw a lurrrrverly fridge freezer! I also managed to find a coat there that does up. It's not the most attractive coat I've ever seen, but at least my belly can stay warm now!

We went out for lunch, and on the way back popped into Tescos and got some baby things. 3 Winnie the Pooh sleepsuits (£7), 4 other sleepsuits with a bear on them (£5), and a Little Roo blanket (£4), bargainous!

Baby woke us up last night - Jack and I were snuggled up in bed, and it kicked Jack in the back!

Saturday, March 11, 2006

26 Weeks Bump Pix

Better late than never!

Thursday, March 09, 2006

26 Weeks Pregnant!

Well here we are, with 14 weeks left to go... time's shortening!

My bump pic will have to come later on.

I think in the last week that bump has grown, it feels like baby has grown more low... I suddenly need the loo more, and the buttons on my trousers really dig in to me. I've loosened my jeans today to the biggest elasticated option on the inside!

We got the fixtures and fittings list yesterday from the seller - she's being nice and leaving all the normal things that you would expect, plus the dishwasher - yay! We also got a survey thingy which she's filled in and everything seems great, plus the land registry info, which really doesnt mean much to me if Im honest!

Here's what babycentre says about week 26... "The baby now weighs between 1.5 and 2 pounds/ 680 and 900 grams and is approximately 9 inches/ 23 centimetres long from crown to rump. He makes breathing movements but has no air in his lungs yet. At 26 weeks, fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn his head, which according to researchers, means his optic nerve is working.

At every antenatal visit, your midwife or doctor will take your blood pressure and do tests on a sample of your urine. In this way, pregnancy-related conditions such as pre-eclampsia and diabetes can be detected and treated.


Your fingers, wrists and hands may be feeling achy and numb. The carpal tunnel in the wrist is swollen, as are many other tissues in your body. Nerves that run through the tunnel end up pinched, creating pressure that manifests itself as shooting or burning pain. Wearing a brace may help; so will taking vitamin B6. Talk to your midwife or doctor about other ways to cope."


Wednesday, March 08, 2006

In the words of Faithless...

...I can't get no sleep. :(

I woke up about 3.30 this morning to go to the loo, and couldn't get back to sleep again, plus I woke both Jack and baby up too - so we were all awake! Jack went downstairs and had a cup of tea and relax down there and I tried my hardest to go back to sleep but I had baby kicking and I think I fell asleep about 10 minutes before my alarm went off, that's what it felt like anyway. I'm so tired this morning, I had to stop and get a hot chocolate and croissant to perk me up! I'm hoping the milky drink will help to curb the heartburn, I had it bad again yesterday.

More great news on the house front yesterday - our seller has instructed her surveyors to survey her property, so we have done the same. I spoke to the solicitor, who said she's sent a fixtures & fittings list etc (already!), and said that we should be in by APRIL! Wooooooohooooo, I'm sooooooo happy!

Baby was so movey yesterday, Jack was laughing at the amount he could feel it - for about 15 minutes non stop pounding and twisting - we've got a proper wriggler!

Had another names discussion. Louis seems like a fave at the moment.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Bringing it Home

We had some great news yesterday - the seller of "our house" has had her offer accepted on the house she liked, and it has no forwarding chain, it's all going through ok. We're going to get onto the mortgage people today to instruct them to start the survey. At last things can move forward!

It's scary, one of the May Mummies on Handbag.com had her baby this weekend! It really brings it home that it could happen at any point, and we are soooo unprepared, so I really would like to get in the house sooner rather than later.

I had the most massive heartburn yesterday - worst than I've ever had, I think I could have breathed fire! Yoghurt and milkshake calmed it a bit, but it was still hardcore.

I fell asleep about 10.30, then woke up again at 11.30 and couldn't get back to sleep. I couldn't get comfy - the tops of my legs were aching so much, I couldn't do anything to ease the pain. I could hear Jack sound asleep so got up and made myself a hot chocolate and fell straight asleep - result!

Monday, March 06, 2006

Mystic Bump

I went back into work on Friday, I felt a lot better, but I was soooo tired! I think my body had got used to lazing about in bed with daytime TV as company!

We've been watching baby moving around through my clothes! Saturday I was laying down, wearing a jumper, and it looked like I had a cat in there it moved so much! Even on the train this morning I could see bubs popping about, it's mad! As soon as either Jack or I tells anyone else to look, it stops though!

We went out on Saturday night with our friends who had baby Charlie in December, they have said we can borrow their moses basket. Charlies starting to smile now! Can't wait to see him again!

Yesterday, Jack took me to Pizza Express, and we were chatting about the baby, and whether we thought it was a boy or girl, I put my hands on my tummy and said "if you're a boy, kick now", and it kicked straight away (it hadnt been moving before that!), then I said "if you're a girl, kick now" and after about a minute it kicked! I guess we can't read too much into that though!

Thursday, March 02, 2006

25 Weeks Pregnant!

Here I am this morning:






















Babycentre says this about week 25... "Your fetus weighs more than 1.25 pounds/ 500 grams. Though she still has little body fat and her skin is thin and fragile, she's now well-proportioned. Her brain is growing rapidly, and she is starting to fill the space in your uterus. From crown to rump she could measure 8.75"/ 22 centimetres now. If you went into labour at this time, however, many obstetricians and midwives would make every effort to halt the progress of premature labour to enable your baby to continue maturing.

You may be noticing faint, red or brown streaks known as striae or stretch marks on your abdomen, hips and breasts. While creams won't erase them, wearing a supportive bra may help prevent or minimise them on your breasts. They are very common at this stage of the pregnancy — about 90 per cent of women get them. After you've given birth, the reddish or brown pigmentation in the stretch marks gradually fades, and the streaks become lighter than the surrounding skin.


Also, your eyes may be light-sensitive and may feel gritty and dry. This is a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom known as 'dry-eye'. To ease your discomfort, use an "artificial tears" solution to add moisture."


25 Week Checkup

I've just got back from my 25 week check up with the midwife. All is ok!

I've been off work for the past couple of days with thrush and I'm going to spend the rest of the day at home today.

We found my real blood test results, she measured the baby and said all was fine. We heard the heartbeat, and as she put the doppler on, baby kicked it away, she saw my belly move and was laughing!

I have to go back in 3 weeks time, where she will do a blood test to see if I am anemic. From then on I will have to go in once a week for them to measure the baby.

Monday, February 27, 2006

Stuff I Forgot...

...Woopsie, I'm loosing my brain!

We were in Tesco's on Saturday, at the deli counter, and as I had just got my ham, the lady behind the counter asked if I had long to go. I thought she was talking about with the ham, and couldn't work out why she was asking me that... and then I realised she was talking about the baby! She must have thought I was a nutter, it took me a good 10 seconds to register what she meant!

The estate agent called - the seller of "our house" has found a house over the weekend! Excellent news, we've just got to hope her offer gets accepted and that it's not in a chain. I never knew all this house stuff was so complicated!

I also got my Parenting Club stuff through from Boots this morning. I registered to be part of their Mother & Baby club back in October when I found out I was pregnant, and I still hadn't received anything about 6 weeks ago, so called them up, and they said that they didn't have my application. Anyway, it was worth the wait! I got a book of vouchers this morning - triple points every time I buy Huggies, 1500 points every time I spend £75 or more on baby things, any No7 item up to the value of £16 for free, any Boots Medeterranian Item up to the value of £5 for free, Boots Botanics deep conditioning hair mask for free and loads of money off coupons! Yipppeee! Guess who's going shopping for free?!

Jack has managed to start properly communicating with the baby... he's been tapping certain parts of my belly, and the baby has been hitting him back in the same place! Jack says he's doing high-fives with him!