It is Father's Day this Sunday, the first one for my husband.
Here is a lovely song I found (and so true):
Hello morning light
I cannot fight the feeling
Something’s changed
I’m lying in my bed
And feel a second
heartbeat in my veins
The sky is more blue than yesterday
The grass is green and high
The sun sends out her warmest rays
To welcome you my child
Every time that I think of you
I feel a love that’s sostrong and true
I know when you arrive
You’ll have your daddy’s eyes
Every time that I’m feeling blue
I sit right back and I think of you
That’s when I realize
You’ll have your daddy’s eyes
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Friday, 24 August 2007
Frustrated
Why did it feel like it took one month to get to my 20 week 'half-way' mark and why does it feel like 5 months since then?
I am in a bit of a frustrated state now. We have shopped for a few most of the major things for the baby's nursery; I have read ahead all the way to the end of most of my pregnancy books; I have set a date for the baby shower and my sisters are taking care of the details; everyone I know has been told that I am pregnant and we have caught up to celebrate...
Now I just want my baby to be here.
Also, quite selfishly I want my body back. I know I should be trying to enjoy this pregnancy, and for the most part I am, but is it so bad to wish my husband could 'take over' the pregnancy just every so often? Maybe just one night per week to let me sleep a whole night through.
I have started to get uncomfortable sitting for long periods and as for lying in bed at night, I have no trouble getting to sleep, but after a few hours of rest my hips ache and I just lie there waiting for morning to come so that I can stop lying down.
On the up side, only I can really feel the baby move and kick and my heart sings whenever this happens (even in the middle of the night when it keeps me from sleeping).
24 weeks 4 days
I am in a bit of a frustrated state now. We have shopped for a few most of the major things for the baby's nursery; I have read ahead all the way to the end of most of my pregnancy books; I have set a date for the baby shower and my sisters are taking care of the details; everyone I know has been told that I am pregnant and we have caught up to celebrate...
Now I just want my baby to be here.
Also, quite selfishly I want my body back. I know I should be trying to enjoy this pregnancy, and for the most part I am, but is it so bad to wish my husband could 'take over' the pregnancy just every so often? Maybe just one night per week to let me sleep a whole night through.
I have started to get uncomfortable sitting for long periods and as for lying in bed at night, I have no trouble getting to sleep, but after a few hours of rest my hips ache and I just lie there waiting for morning to come so that I can stop lying down.
On the up side, only I can really feel the baby move and kick and my heart sings whenever this happens (even in the middle of the night when it keeps me from sleeping).
24 weeks 4 days
Monday, 13 August 2007
A cousin for Pudding
I am so excited for my little unborn child as I found out over the weekend that Pudding has a little unborn cousin! After a long time trying, my husband’s sister is pregnant and due in April. She is so lucky because next month is when they were due to start IVF.
We are not supposed to know yet because she is only 5 weeks pregnant and doesn’t want to announce it, but her over-excited parents were bursting to announce the good news to us.
We went out to lunch with my husband’s parents and two little children crossed the road in front of us. They couldn’t’ help saying, “Soon that will be us with two little grandchildren” and we sort of figured it out from there since my SIL is their only other child.
I know it is only early days for her, but I am so happy. I really didn’t realise how sad I felt for Pudding that he/she wouldn’t have any little cousins to play with growing up. My siblings are far from settling down and my SIL was the only other hope. I had so much fun playing with cousins at family parties when I was young, and I was sad that it didn’t look like Pudding would get to experience that. But now I imagine Christmas and other family occasions with at least one other child and I am so excited.
We are not supposed to know yet because she is only 5 weeks pregnant and doesn’t want to announce it, but her over-excited parents were bursting to announce the good news to us.
We went out to lunch with my husband’s parents and two little children crossed the road in front of us. They couldn’t’ help saying, “Soon that will be us with two little grandchildren” and we sort of figured it out from there since my SIL is their only other child.
I know it is only early days for her, but I am so happy. I really didn’t realise how sad I felt for Pudding that he/she wouldn’t have any little cousins to play with growing up. My siblings are far from settling down and my SIL was the only other hope. I had so much fun playing with cousins at family parties when I was young, and I was sad that it didn’t look like Pudding would get to experience that. But now I imagine Christmas and other family occasions with at least one other child and I am so excited.
Friday, 3 August 2007
Ramblings
My belly has grown quite a bit over the last week. I compare myself to photos of other people at 22 weeks and I am still quite small, but I figure I had quite a lot of space for my belly to grow into. Although I was in the healthy weight range prior to becoming pregnant, I am so tall (180 cm / 6 foot) and have always had hips that could only be described as ‘child bearing’ so Pudding has lots of space without protruding too much. But now, all of a sudden I look pregnant. It is great!!
I feel our little one move regularly, especially at night after dinner until I fall asleep. My husband has started reading Enid Blyton’s “The Magic Far Away Tree” to Pudding and I as we are going to sleep, although far from calming Pudding down, I get more kicks as he reads than I do for most of the day. It feels nice though, feels like we are a little family.
I really have to start organising baby things now, we have only purchased a couple of things so far and now want to start looking at a change table which doubles as a chest of drawers and a car seat for bubs.
I have been doing research on baby car seats and I think I am going to go for the baby capsule and then get a toddler seat once they are 6 months. I can see how the ones that double as a baby capsule and then turn around to make a toddler seat make sense, however, I really think being able to lift the baby out of the car in the capsule will be a lot easier.
Anyway, these are the issues that fill my days (when I should be working!)…
21 weeks, 4 days
I feel our little one move regularly, especially at night after dinner until I fall asleep. My husband has started reading Enid Blyton’s “The Magic Far Away Tree” to Pudding and I as we are going to sleep, although far from calming Pudding down, I get more kicks as he reads than I do for most of the day. It feels nice though, feels like we are a little family.
I really have to start organising baby things now, we have only purchased a couple of things so far and now want to start looking at a change table which doubles as a chest of drawers and a car seat for bubs.
I have been doing research on baby car seats and I think I am going to go for the baby capsule and then get a toddler seat once they are 6 months. I can see how the ones that double as a baby capsule and then turn around to make a toddler seat make sense, however, I really think being able to lift the baby out of the car in the capsule will be a lot easier.
Anyway, these are the issues that fill my days (when I should be working!)…
21 weeks, 4 days
Friday, 27 July 2007
Update
I am so lazy! It has been ages since writing down what has been happening in this pregnancy journal. Happily, this is mostly because things have been pretty pleasant and smooth. Some milestones/events:
* After patiently waiting night after night with his hand on my belly, my husband felt a good strong kick from Pudding. It was the largest one I have felt to date, so he was very lucky! Admittedly, it did occur after I had eaten a large serve of melted cooking chocolate (just had a craving for chocolate and it was all that was in the house!).
· We had our first midwife appointment with the family birthing suite. All went well, except when she tried to hear Pudding’s heartbeat through the Doppler and couldn’t find it for about 20 minutes – I think my heart was standing still for a good 10 minutes. She finally called in another midwife who pocked and prodded and found Pudding hiding behind the placenta. Cheeky little thing!
· I finally got a haircut. I was so ashamed of walking into my salon considering the state of my hair that I wore it tied back and wouldn’t remove the tie until I explained to my hairdresser why my hair was so horrible (‘I got pregnant and haven’t been to the hairdresser since’).
· We went to a musical over the weekend (Sweet Charity) and I think Pudding loved it; especially the part when everyone applauded – Pudding must have been trying to applaud with us judging by the movement I was feeling.
· My belly is growing daily, yesterday I noticed I could no longer do up the top two buttons of my overcoat (the bottom one had not been done up in about a month). It’s ok, the worst of winter is behind us now!
OK, think that sums it up. Must remember to be more diligent in recording this pregnancy as I am already over halfway and I think the rest will go by just as fast!
20 weeks 4 days
Thursday, 19 July 2007
Ultrasound
10 fingers,
10 toes,
2 kidneys,
2 eyes,
1 nose,
1 mouth,
stunning profile,
long legs,
strong heart,
cute footprints,
likes to move a lot.
Our perfect baby!
Our little one wouldn’t sit still for long enough for the doctor to take measurements at the ultrasound, which was fine with us as it just meant longer we got to watch the amazing being on the screen in front of us as he/she wriggled, sucked his/her thumb and rolled around. We have a great 20 minute DVD (which of course we have watched and re-watched) showing incredible detail of the ultrasound. The doctor was lovely and kept saying she could watch our baby all day because it was perfect!
Our baby seems to have Mum’s height as he/she was measuring a little ahead of our 19 week 1 day mark (19 weeks 6 days). But the best news of all, our baby is healthy and no anomalies were found.
My husband almost succumbed at the last minute and asked if the baby would be a footy player or ballerina, but then decided to stick to our ‘surprise’ stance. We have offcourse tried to determine it since by watching the DVD back and pausing it is opportune places! To our untrained eyes it looks like a girl in some positions and a boy in others. Guess we find out in about 20 weeks anyway!
10 toes,
2 kidneys,
2 eyes,
1 nose,
1 mouth,
stunning profile,
long legs,
strong heart,
cute footprints,
likes to move a lot.
Our perfect baby!
Our little one wouldn’t sit still for long enough for the doctor to take measurements at the ultrasound, which was fine with us as it just meant longer we got to watch the amazing being on the screen in front of us as he/she wriggled, sucked his/her thumb and rolled around. We have a great 20 minute DVD (which of course we have watched and re-watched) showing incredible detail of the ultrasound. The doctor was lovely and kept saying she could watch our baby all day because it was perfect!
Our baby seems to have Mum’s height as he/she was measuring a little ahead of our 19 week 1 day mark (19 weeks 6 days). But the best news of all, our baby is healthy and no anomalies were found.
My husband almost succumbed at the last minute and asked if the baby would be a footy player or ballerina, but then decided to stick to our ‘surprise’ stance. We have offcourse tried to determine it since by watching the DVD back and pausing it is opportune places! To our untrained eyes it looks like a girl in some positions and a boy in others. Guess we find out in about 20 weeks anyway!
Monday, 16 July 2007
Hospital
The hospital visit was fantastic. It really made all this ‘baby’ and ‘pregnancy’ stuff seem real. I had an introductory meeting with both a midwife and an obstetrician and was happy to see the words ‘low risk’ and ‘normal’ written many times throughout my patient folder. I got to hear my baby’s heartbeat on the Doppler – that was amazing and very reassuring.
Only two downsides to the experience:
I had to get weighed… OMG, I have put on so much weight! I am now (cringe) 89.25 kg (with winter weight clothes and shoes on – does that make it any better?!). Mitigating factor: I am 6 foot tall, so my BMI is 27 so it is just inside ‘overweight’ if I was not pregnant and ‘healthy’ since I am 19 weeks pregnant.
However, I am officially (slightly) heavier than my husband. Aaaarrrgh!
Other (and less superficial) downside was getting a pap smear test done. I was so nervous my blood pressure went up to 180/70, and I kept asking for reassurance that it would not pose any threat what-so-ever to my baby.
I was told to expect light bleeding after the test, and always the optimist, I expected, light bleeding. You know, maybe a few, hard to discern speckles of blood… What I did not expect was that they should have given me a pad after the test because my undies were so badly stained I will have throw them out!
Thankfully all the blood came at once and despite several trips to the loo per hour for the rest of the day (and well into the evening), no more ‘spotting’ occurred.
So, after being told about how ‘normal’ and ‘low risk’ my pregnancy was I was offered to elect to use the Family Birthing Suite rather than the normal labour ward.
I sounded quite good, my husband will be able to sleep in the room with us for our stay and will be fed too, the rooms look a lot more like a bedroom than a hospital and I will be guaranteed my own private room, and all my visits from now on will be with the small team of midwives (a couple will be with the obstetrician of their unit) who will be there to deliver the baby.
The midwives let you decide how much pain relief you need, but they advocate other techniques such as massage, music and movement being used first. In the suite they are able to give labouring women gas and pethidine but not epidural. I wanted to avoid epidural anyway (if possible – I have no idea how bad the pain will be though) and if for some reason I wanted/needed it I can be wheeled upstairs into the normal labour ward.
Ditto for if something goes ‘wrong’ in the labour (or in the pregnancy meanwhile which would make me a higher than ‘low’ risk), I can just be accepted upstairs with no drama.
It all sounds great, but I am still a little worried. All the machines for monitoring the baby in normal labour wards are deemed not necessary in the birthing unit, however midwives check using the Doppler every half hour and I have read that by not using the machines the nurses will monitor other signs more closely and not rely on the machines as much as they can in labour wards.
My other concerns are that I can only stay in the birthing suite 1 or 2 nights after the baby is delivered (I can go into a normal labour bed afterwards is something is wrong, or if I feel I need more time to rest & recover), and that I won’t be able to bear the pain (although I really hate the sound of an epidural anyway, not so much the needle bit – although that is icky – but not being able to feel my legs scares me and I have heard the experience of not knowing when to ‘push’ can take away from the labour experience.
So I signed up for the Family Birthing Suite, I hope I am making the right decision… I guess I can always change my mind.
Any comments/opinions on this type of labour?
19 weeks
Only two downsides to the experience:
I had to get weighed… OMG, I have put on so much weight! I am now (cringe) 89.25 kg (with winter weight clothes and shoes on – does that make it any better?!). Mitigating factor: I am 6 foot tall, so my BMI is 27 so it is just inside ‘overweight’ if I was not pregnant and ‘healthy’ since I am 19 weeks pregnant.
However, I am officially (slightly) heavier than my husband. Aaaarrrgh!
Other (and less superficial) downside was getting a pap smear test done. I was so nervous my blood pressure went up to 180/70, and I kept asking for reassurance that it would not pose any threat what-so-ever to my baby.
I was told to expect light bleeding after the test, and always the optimist, I expected, light bleeding. You know, maybe a few, hard to discern speckles of blood… What I did not expect was that they should have given me a pad after the test because my undies were so badly stained I will have throw them out!
Thankfully all the blood came at once and despite several trips to the loo per hour for the rest of the day (and well into the evening), no more ‘spotting’ occurred.
So, after being told about how ‘normal’ and ‘low risk’ my pregnancy was I was offered to elect to use the Family Birthing Suite rather than the normal labour ward.
I sounded quite good, my husband will be able to sleep in the room with us for our stay and will be fed too, the rooms look a lot more like a bedroom than a hospital and I will be guaranteed my own private room, and all my visits from now on will be with the small team of midwives (a couple will be with the obstetrician of their unit) who will be there to deliver the baby.
The midwives let you decide how much pain relief you need, but they advocate other techniques such as massage, music and movement being used first. In the suite they are able to give labouring women gas and pethidine but not epidural. I wanted to avoid epidural anyway (if possible – I have no idea how bad the pain will be though) and if for some reason I wanted/needed it I can be wheeled upstairs into the normal labour ward.
Ditto for if something goes ‘wrong’ in the labour (or in the pregnancy meanwhile which would make me a higher than ‘low’ risk), I can just be accepted upstairs with no drama.
It all sounds great, but I am still a little worried. All the machines for monitoring the baby in normal labour wards are deemed not necessary in the birthing unit, however midwives check using the Doppler every half hour and I have read that by not using the machines the nurses will monitor other signs more closely and not rely on the machines as much as they can in labour wards.
My other concerns are that I can only stay in the birthing suite 1 or 2 nights after the baby is delivered (I can go into a normal labour bed afterwards is something is wrong, or if I feel I need more time to rest & recover), and that I won’t be able to bear the pain (although I really hate the sound of an epidural anyway, not so much the needle bit – although that is icky – but not being able to feel my legs scares me and I have heard the experience of not knowing when to ‘push’ can take away from the labour experience.
So I signed up for the Family Birthing Suite, I hope I am making the right decision… I guess I can always change my mind.
Any comments/opinions on this type of labour?
19 weeks
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
A shopping trip is in order
Happily, my belly is growing daily and I am starting to struggle to find any of my previous clothes I can fit into. I have a small selection of maternity wear that I will have to add to soon.
My lovely husband bought me a beautiful maternity dress to wear to my Mum’s 50th last weekend. The ladies in the shop told him it would flatter my newly found breasts and accentuate my growing bump. And boy, did it do what it was supposed to! I went from being a little rounded in the waist to looking like I had swallowed a basketball!
It was nice. My Mum was happy, she keeps telling me how ‘respectable’ my bump is and she wanted to show it off to all the guests at her birthday.
I am very excited as I have my first hospital visit this Friday and another ultrasound next Tuesday. I am getting anxious that all is well with Pudding as it has been so long between ultrasounds, and I look forward to seeing the little mite.
18 weeks 1 day
My lovely husband bought me a beautiful maternity dress to wear to my Mum’s 50th last weekend. The ladies in the shop told him it would flatter my newly found breasts and accentuate my growing bump. And boy, did it do what it was supposed to! I went from being a little rounded in the waist to looking like I had swallowed a basketball!
It was nice. My Mum was happy, she keeps telling me how ‘respectable’ my bump is and she wanted to show it off to all the guests at her birthday.
I am very excited as I have my first hospital visit this Friday and another ultrasound next Tuesday. I am getting anxious that all is well with Pudding as it has been so long between ultrasounds, and I look forward to seeing the little mite.
18 weeks 1 day
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Aches, pains and twitches
I always knew that having a child would be painful, but had no idea that growing a child would be too.
My abdomen constantly has aches and pains not dissimilar to premenstrual pain. Thought I'd gotten myself out of that kind of pain for a good 9 months - obviously not!
The newest abdomen feeling started last week when I was at the cinemas. I started to get a twitch, like the annoying kind you might get in your eye when you are over tired.
But I have never had a twitch in my uterus before.
After careful examination I have deduced that it is in fact my little one kicking/punching me to let me know he/she is having fun in there.
At least this twitch is adorable rather than annoying!
My abdomen constantly has aches and pains not dissimilar to premenstrual pain. Thought I'd gotten myself out of that kind of pain for a good 9 months - obviously not!
The newest abdomen feeling started last week when I was at the cinemas. I started to get a twitch, like the annoying kind you might get in your eye when you are over tired.
But I have never had a twitch in my uterus before.
After careful examination I have deduced that it is in fact my little one kicking/punching me to let me know he/she is having fun in there.
At least this twitch is adorable rather than annoying!
Monday, 2 July 2007
Food glorious food
I don't know if it is 'normal' but I have started getting even hungrier than normal.
Pre-pregnancy I always had breakfast (2 slices of toast with Vegemite) as soon as I woke up, and then 'twoosies': my second breakfast (4 weet-bix with milk and a piece of fruit) just after getting into work.
This no longer satisfies me until lunch time. So I have taken to having 4 slices of toast when I wake up in the morning! Overkill? Maybe, but it is better than attacking the cookie jar at work at 11.30 a.m. when I can't stand waiting for lunch any longer!
Many people ask me about my cravings during pregnancy - I haven't have any crazy ones like books and movies seem to portray (does anyone have them? Let me know if you have/had some good ones). But I am addicted to 3 things:
1. orange juice - I could happily drink 3 litres a day if it weren't so expensive (I always liked O.J. especially when I had a hang over pre-pregnancy, it was the only thing that would make me feel better again)
2. eggs - I just love them any time of the day!
3. grainy bread - goes well with the eggs.
See, they are all pretty normal things to like. Not exactly 'ice-cream and pickles' though is it?!
17 weeks today
Pre-pregnancy I always had breakfast (2 slices of toast with Vegemite) as soon as I woke up, and then 'twoosies': my second breakfast (4 weet-bix with milk and a piece of fruit) just after getting into work.
This no longer satisfies me until lunch time. So I have taken to having 4 slices of toast when I wake up in the morning! Overkill? Maybe, but it is better than attacking the cookie jar at work at 11.30 a.m. when I can't stand waiting for lunch any longer!
Many people ask me about my cravings during pregnancy - I haven't have any crazy ones like books and movies seem to portray (does anyone have them? Let me know if you have/had some good ones). But I am addicted to 3 things:
1. orange juice - I could happily drink 3 litres a day if it weren't so expensive (I always liked O.J. especially when I had a hang over pre-pregnancy, it was the only thing that would make me feel better again)
2. eggs - I just love them any time of the day!
3. grainy bread - goes well with the eggs.
See, they are all pretty normal things to like. Not exactly 'ice-cream and pickles' though is it?!
17 weeks today
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