Wednesday 4 July 2012

Week 29-30:

Still in a lot of pain. Seems to alternate. When the hips aren’t too bad the buttocks are! And then I can’t walk far at all. The exercises do seem to keep it ok when I keep them up. But miss a few days and I know about it. Am doing yoga as well which seems to have me in some odd positions! Have now got the travel system so we had this up and down. Was fun learning how to put the thing together. As with anything there is a knack! Recent purchases include nappy stacker, duvet sets x 2 – 1 for cot, 1 for single bed, border for bedroom wall and I am looking out for the curtains to complete the set. Not going to bother getting a new wardrobe will just buy those shoe storage shelf thingies. Put her clothes in that and I plan to get a changing table with drawers. Preferably one that can be converted to standard chest of drawers later and has a removable top so I can put in a baby bath. But that bit is optional really. Should finish work within the next couple of weeks. Once that is done I can pack up my desk and work computer and finally start changing the room into a nursery! Right now it just looks like a messy office surrounded by piles of baby stuff.  Most of the baby stuff has been sourced second hand so far. This apart from some of the clothes sourced from the likes of Tescos and Sainsbury’s and my maternity clothes from earlier on. So how much have we spent on the baby so far?  Including maternity clothes and the like I would guestimate around £600-£700. The big bulk being the Moses basket, stand and the travel system which came to £350 for those. The rest has been clothes, nappies – reusable & disposable, and nursery equipment & decoration.

Weeks 30-34:

Everything is all blurring into one now that time is racing on! Baby is in the breech position and shows no sign of turning. I am still suffering with this hip pain although the buttock pain seems to be minimal now which is good. I do notice I am worse if I have missed out a few days of doing the exercises the midwife gave me. She was happy to refer me to the hospital any time for physio but I am one to put things off until I am about to die lol. And as it seems a bit better I just do a lot of sitting and rocking on my ball and also my daily pelvic floor exercises!! We have been planning the colours of the nursery and emptying out the room completely. I gave up work at a few days before I hit 32 weeks pregnant. Hubby has had the carpet up and tracing a floor board that gives the loudest creaks ever. Mending that was a must as there is no way we can listen to that racket when one of us is in there at 3am!It seems the noise was from the wall partition and on his googling and being on hands and knees he located the offending nail. Over an hour later and he had sat there with a mini saw thing wrapped in bubble wrap that went under the skirting board and he just sawed and sawed til it broke. Ah silence … but we weren’t prepared for our hypersensitivity to all other noisy floor boards in the house for a few days after!! Lol. We have purchased a changing unit that contains a built in bath under the changing mat, 2 shelves with 4 wicker baskets and liners – all for £50! This is a mama’s and papa’s make and in very good condition! It only just fitted in the car by a matter of an inch or 2! Was extremely annoyed at missing out on our nursing chair in the babysrus sale that was on. Annoyingly it’s still not back in stock either. The only other purchase we need is the cot which again is not in stock. It is the babysrus Winnie the pooh cot. Other recent purchases include a matching sleeping bag for both the Moses basket (0-6months) and the cot for 6-12 months.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Pregnancy diary catchup!

Week 25: Ready to start thinking more seriously about purchases now the 2nd trimester is coming to an end and we are viable. Have only brought clothes and small things up til now. Some days are mostly pain free now. But it very much changes. Walk more than an hour and I still begin to suffer in my right buttock stabbing pain. Exercises are quick and easy so can do once or twice a day depending on how I’m feeling/timing etc. Brought an exercise ball. I love it! Keep sitting on it to help posture a bit and also leaning over it on hands and knees which is very relaxing and takes the weight off my hips for a bit.
Finished watching my yoga DVD I brought this week so have started doing this so that should help too.
Now on to 2 day weeks with work. Using up my maternity leave before I go. I work 20 hours a week normally over 4 days so this is halved. My plan is to get a grip on the house. I just never seem to get much done and what days I book seem to have me being busy with family and going out.

Week 26: We have a travel system for £330 and Moses basket and rocking stand for £12. I have seen a really cute Winnie the pooh set that is in cream/light brown so brought this too for £16! Yes expensive but I’ve become obsessed! At least we will have spare bedding set with the one that came with the basket. Need to buy a new mattress for her but looks like this won’t be much more than £5-10.

Have been reading a book called three in a bed by Deborah Jackson. Not because I plan on co-sleeping. Barely enough room for us two never mind three!! But I would like the Moses basket by the bed for the first 3 months and then move her out. Whether this comes to fruition is a matter!!! I was reading it out of interest more than anything. And in this book she talks about how in small tribes all over the world the babies co-sleep and are offered the breast regularly throughout the night. Baby is never away from mum and always being held by someone day and night. We westerners are too busy for that lol. The children co-sleep up until the age of 5 in some tribes! But this reminds me to buy a sling. I would like to give it a go for a bit. So better get researching.

Week 27-28: Two new things popping up this week! Can finally feel her hiccupping. And sharp stabbing pain in pubic bone. This comes when she is doing a lot of kicking and squirming and leaves me feeling bruised for a day or two after. Washed lots of the baby clothes and got dry. Have started buying reusable nappies to try. We have bambino mio, Chinese cheapies, bamboo nappies, lollypop, bum genius, and cooler baby. Have 10 in total which should do us for a starter. Plan to use these after the initial two weeks mess but not to out do disposables completely as they will be more practical for when we are out or away. That and hubby isn’t on the reusable wagon yet! If I am even successful at getting him to change a nappy! Went along to the local nct sale. Spent £100! Got a lot of clothes from birth – 9months range. A door bouncer, my bambino mio nappy, towel, a stool for bathroom for toddlers, a lot of maternity clothes for me including summer dresses and skirts – gosh so much stuff. I will have missed some out. But it was a good spend and a good starter for us. Some of the baby stiff was brand new like 3 sleep suits for £2 from next! I will take lots of pictures are some point and post them up.

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Long time no post!

Phew life is busy as you can imagine right now! I want to do a post away from the obvious baby stuff. I know lots of you like piccies and the garden news so I’ll try and concentrate on that this time. Not a lot has really gone on. Spring was bad in the UK. Very wet so this meant I was unable to get out in the garden and do anything until May. Once I was out I found it quite hard work due to my size and really needing to slow down. But I managed to dig over the old veggie patch, prepare the veggie boxes and start digging one border over. We went on a chicken course back in May which was fab. I got to hold a chicken, cut its wing feathers and learn how to put lice powder on it. Damn thing kept escaping but it was jolly good fun and we got a book to take away with us. The old veggie patch - which right now is a mess pile - will eventually become the chicken home. Maybe not this year with the human arrival but hopefully next year! Primary job in the garden this year is to finish off the pond and then we can move onto planning the chicken patch. I have managed to get all my veggie seeds in on time although some I had to give 2-3 sowings as they didn't come up. Wanted to get a water butt as we didn't have one - incase the hose pipe ban hit us! So we invested in a very cheap dustbin. Turned the lid over and drilled holes in it so that the water drains in. Clever hubby! Managed to get this in just before all that rain came too so it had a nice filling up. I've been trying to create a kind of netting frame out of bamboo that we cut down and some balls. Looks fragile so needs some tweaking. Also need to buy more netting as it's really not wide enough. Too long and not wide enough but will do for a starter. Enough nattering here's a ton of pictures from May!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Thursday 19 April 2012

Well into the Second Trimester

Week 21: Life pretty much the same. Keep putting a 1lb or 2 on and then loosing it. Still not officially gained anything from pre pregnancy. Backache is here most days. Can’t walk for more than half hour to an hour max without getting sharp stabbing in my buttocks along with the lower backache. Finding knickers hard to wear now! The elastic is too high and cutting into bump. Went into primark and looked for some really cheapies. Got some with lace around the top band instead of elastic. This is much comfier. Brought 2 sets of bra’s but the sizes are just not right. Looks like I will have to invest in more expensive bras after all. Quite proud to have jumped up from a B cup to a C cup. And of course once milk comes in after birth I will probably go up another one. They advise to be fitted for feeding bras as late as you can after 37 weeks pregnant as you can keep changing size right up to then. The only way I can justify all this bra and maternity clothes expense is that we will just have to have another baby after to make good use of it!!! Hubby felt little lady again she was right down kicking on my right hip at 4am! So laid on my tummy and put his hand on the bed and laid on it so he could feel it. It’s quite cool being able to see my stomach moving! It’s like rippling jelly.

Week 22: Had 3-4 days of severe wind that just got trapped from top to bottom and heartburn again. We have looked at some baby names but nothing is really jumping out at us yet. So more work to do on that one! Collected more baby catalogues and have been researching pram systems and Moses baskets. So much choice! Collected another pack of free nappies from Tescos at the weekend. Really didn’t want to join up to any of these baby groups as getting the spam mail is a pain. But to get lots of free goods with it is worth it! We got lots of free nappies, free wipes and baby hat in one box from Asda. From Sainsbury’s we got shed loads of stuff ~ nipple cream, breast pads, nappy cream, free swimming with your baby guide, Persil and washing conditioner samples and a lilac changing mat with pockets in it for wipes and nappies! Anyone thinking of having a baby must join up to these! And of course it includes vouchers for free or money off on nappies and stuff too with them. I’ll post up the pictures of what was in them here. Also got a free bottle through the post from somewhere! Goodness knows where lol. Hubby had his head on my bump and got a good kick in the face this week. Was really funny! He has felt 3 movements this week. This should only get more. Finally put on an official 1lb over pre-pregnancy weight. 8st 13lb – go me lol.

Week 23: Put on another 1lb up to 9stone now. And a week later it’s gone again back down to 8.13.
Taking a lot of time on eBay looking for cots and prams now. Think we will go for the silver cross surf as this is very light, the break is dead easy to use and the handle comes up really nice and high for hubby. Not a chance I am paying £600+ though so will buy second hand on eBay. Going to look for a Moses basket and rocking stand too for the 1st 3 months. I am feeling mostly well. My biggest issue is the hip and buttock pain still. Will mention to midwife at next appointment. Still getting the wind and heart burn regularly. My taste has heightened much more lately. I can taste the wind from my stomach which is just weird as. All I can describe it as is being able to taste the smell similar to the smell of the gas you can smell when you open a fizzy bottle. Not yet found a cure for this either!! Drives me insane.

Week 24:  Saw the midwife this week. She is retiring which is sad. Just as I got used to her! All is well. Said there is no problems with this baby growing she was visibly stuck out the right side of my stomach when she was palpating. No measuring bump yet as I’m still tiny. Little ladies heart rate was a steady 145bpm which is about normal for her. Blood pressure about the same still low. Not really had an issue with dizziness which is surprising as I thought I really would as I have low bp naturally. So that is a nice surprise. Got given leaflet to book a breast feeding class. And got exercises for my hip and bum pain. If these don’t work she will refer me to physiotherapist at the hospital. So want to avoid that if I can! Mentioned not really putting on any weight and she wasn’t bothered. So long as baby is growing well and I eat when hungry then that’s the main thing. Happy to be in viability week. So if anything happens and she comes early at least we have some chance she will survive now.










Wednesday 21 March 2012

The pregnancy continues - All is well!



Week 13-14: Hello second trimester! No sickness this week only heartburn and wind. Finally tidied the whole house! I seem to have shed loads of energy at last. Love it. I finally feel human again! I even cooked the second meal since I’ve been pregnant. Hubby has been fantastic in cooking and looking after me up until now. Think men underestimate how much the little things really do help at this first trimester stage!!! Finally feeling more positive about the pregnancy since the scan and all the sickness has gone. Don’t think I could enjoy it whilst I was feeling so ill. I do have a small bump now although it looks more like expanded fat than anything.


Week 15-16: YAY I have finally put on some weight. Ok so it’s only 1lb … but still better than nothing! Feeling much rounder. Bit weird that “bump” appears to be smaller in the morning and larger in the evening. But think this is due to the bloating. Feeling very creative lately. Wanting to cook and invent new meals. Also wanting to tidy things up and get prepared. Have tidied up a bit more on my computer. Filing and deleting things. Spamming facebook with photos and video’s I have put off put up for ages. Went to do the rounds of mothercare, mama’s n’ papa’s and babyz’ r us. Got lots of catalogues this week so now we need to start thinking about what to buy. Got a couple of camitop style bras and some pregnancy tights. The tights are deffo a perfect buy!! Much comfier! I am still awaiting this promised pregnancy glow! Infact my face was better during the 1st trim. And now I’m in the 2nd my face is having a real spot party! Middle of week 16 and I have come down with my 3rd cold since the pregnancy! Thankfully doesn’t seem as full on to make me feel as ill as the others I’ve had. Felt first baby movements I think at week 15. Similar to wind a little tap tap here and there. Kind of dismissed it for a few days but seems to occur at regular times so after a week figured this must be it!


Week 17: Started measuring waist. Have grown 1 inch since last week. My poor wardrobe  I really need to buy new bras, pants, trousers and skirts! Might do a trip round the charity shops as maternity clothes are sooo expensive for only a few months!! Have put on another 1lb this week. So now 2lb up from the sickness loss but not yet at my starting weight. Need to remember to keep moisturising tummy as I don’t want the dreaded stretch marks although I know I will get them any way! Cold still with me. Feeling overwhelmed over the amount of stuff that needs doing this year. Not only decorating, baby related but garden finishing off the pond and embarking on our chicken adventures!! Baby still moving. Hubby ran me a nice bath and I felt it a bit stronger when I got in. More than just a tap and more of a couple of prods. Rest was mainly squirms like worms. Assuming it didn’t like the heat one added more water and it settle after 5 mins or so.


Week 18: Baby movement getting stronger. Some of the kick/pushes are enough to make you jump. Keep forgetting I’m pregnant at times! Then it reminds me. Baby tends to have its own little routine now. Mostly being active when I have eaten and the most active time is late afternoon. We can also tell where it is lying especially in the morning. I got up one morning and my stomach was visibly bigger on one side than the other. If I am lying on my back I can feel on my right side a hard lump and on my left it is all soft. It likes to sleep on this right side so there must no longer be any room low down. Took a trip round mothercare, babies r us, and mamas and papas. Spent my £5 off voucher in Mama’s on a baby swaddling wrap. Didn’t need any muslin’s as have had loads of hand me downs from sister. Also brought 2 pairs of maternity jeans from new look. One was on sale for £10 and the other was £15. One I can wear now and one will fit me later as the elastic panel comes up very high over bump. Couldn’t get any leggings so brought some in Sainsbury’s. Size 14 should fit for a little bit.


Week 19:  Heartburn and wind is rife. Much pain from the stretching muscles. Aching hips if I sleep on 1 side too often. Still get dizzy occasionally but I’m good at getting up slowly now so this is mostly better.
Physically saw my stomach move a couple of times during some prods from inside! Kinda cool and really freaky all in one! Had backache on and off but I’m so used to it by now and it’s not major. Waist measurement is up and down like a yoyo. I guess this very much depends on how and where baby is lying.


Week 20: Put on another 1lb this week. Definitely looking more bump like but not enough for people to see unless I wear tight clothing. Had our scan on Tuesday. All went well. We are team pink so having a little girl. Although of course not 100% guaranteed! Nowt to bother us we got boys clothes from sisters little man and having a girl just means I get to have a spending spree :-D Have to admit to feeling a little disappointed for a day or two. I think this is primarily due to being surrounded by boy’s stuff I had subconsciously though perhaps it was a boy. And I always wanted a big brother myself to look up so it would have been nice for any girls to have one. But sister only has 1 child and won’t have any more so little man can be our little girls’ big “brother” in cousin form! I really can’t wait to see the two of them together it’s going to be mega cute! She was moving well on the scan. When looking at her hands she had one hand with all fingers curled up except her little pinkie. She looked like she was drinking a cup of tea all posh with her finger stuck out lol. Temporary name is now little lady. Hubby thinks this is too stuck up to call her this but for now its fitting! Hubby first felt little lady move this week. Just a little bit of squirming on the right hand side of bump. Not been feeling any movement on left. According to scan this is where the placenta is so that would make sense that I can’t feel movement as it is cushioning it. 

Monday 6 February 2012

We are pregnant!

So here's the start of my diary! This explains my absence for a few months!! And my inability to do anything until 3-4 weeks ago!!

Pregnancy Diary - First Trimester

10dpo. I am a poas (Pee on a stick) addict. It’s a fact! It’s surprising I can wait til 10dpo (days past ovulation) … Just tested and I think I can see a tlp (tiny little positive). Ladies on the pregnancy board agree. Oddly enough I am not shaking with fear! Probably because it is so faint I barely believe it. And yet deep inside I know I am. I have had none of my usual premenstrual symptoms. Infact no symptoms of any thing!

12dpo. Tested again. Ok I am definitely pregnant! That line is clearly visible. Wow is this really true. Out with a digi to confirm. That has another line too. No denying it. Can’t believe it. Had some slight cramping past few days. Only for a few seconds then gone. Maybe my ibs so not reading into it.

14dpo. Just to be sure I am testing again with a clear blue! Pregnant 2-3 weeks!! Flip. No going back now!!!

4 ½ weeks: Come down with a stinker of a cold. Feel like death warmed up only get up dressed and go to sofa. Head hurts, sinuses, ears and throat. Lasted 3 weeks! Taste has changed. Don’t like porridge, any juice is too strong and chocolate. Just don’t want to eat anything at all but am starving all the time. Not a good combination. Have taken on the eat little and often approach. I can see I am going to be living on biscuits at this rate! …

5-6 weeks: The sickness has kicked in! Thankfully I am not being sick but I just feel so full of wind and bloating that that makes me feel sick. When burping often feel like I am about to be sick. Had a good old cry one evening. Feeling very sorry for myself! Why on earth did I do this?! Never again  ... Dreading feeling like this the whole way through. If I did I could not cope!! On a scary but positive note – Week 5 – the baby’s heart starts to beat at the end of this week. Not sleeping well since 4 ½ weeks. Wake multiple times in the night. Often staving at 5am so go down for cereal. Hubby in America which is brilliant as this is my worst time with the cold and not sleeping. At least I am not disturbing him!

Weeks 7-8: Finally got rid of my cold!! Think it must have turned into sinusitis to last 3 weeks. Get rid of one thing though and another comes … Week 7 ½ we had to go to the epu (emergency pregnancy unit) as I experienced heavy bleeding. I had gone to the Dr at Week 7 who told me the midwife would ring me at week 8 to making my booking in appointment with her. She called just as I was waiting for the dr to call back about the bleeding. So she rang the hospital to arrange an appointment for the next day. Have to say I have never been so scared in my life almost! I think everything is ok as the bleeding doesn’t have anything in it and it then tailed off to spotting. But we need to be sure that it’s not the warning signs of blood coming from the sac or anything worse. The scan was very quick and easy. As we are under 12 weeks they don’t do an abdominal scan. It is similar to a smear test. They checked everything from ovaries and fallopian tubes to the lining of the womb and that the cervix was closed. All looking healthy. And we had a fast heartbeat on something that looked like a little leaf! All ok and we put the bleeding down to one of those things. Our guess is this would be when I would usually get my next monthly visit. So hormonal break through? All stopped after 10 days. Having a scan this early was so weird! I still haven’t got my head round any of this at all. I think as we have taken everything so slowly I never ever thought I would get pregnant. Heck I never even thought I would meet a fab guy and get married let alone have kids. I am mind blown. Did seeing the heart beat make it any real? No not really!! Feel a bit teary after but I think it’s from the shock of it all really. We only told the family the good news last week as I am so sickly when they come for Christmas they will pick up on it.

Week 8: I now have lower back pain which is a sharp stabbing pain. Mainly in my left buttock when I bend over. Sickness still here. I have resulted to trying anything! The ginger biscuits do help as I am hungry often and eat every hour or 2. If I get too hungry I feel sick. If I eat too much I feel sick from the bloating. So it’s a fine line to keep my stomach half full. Tired lots now. Just sleep as soon as I put my head down anywhere. I like taking a nap on the sofa. Bit hard to keep awake when at work with the hours I work behind when I’m most tired! Feeling really guilty about not feeling happy about this pregnancy. After wanting it for so many years on end the guilt is huge. What’s wrong with me?! I am meant to jumping for joy but I don’t seem to have had that feeling yet!

Week 9: Sickness seems to be taking a step back. YAY. Wind and bloating still there. This is Christmas week and I am so tired. Just to get up and do the washing up is an achievement! Feel sooo guilty. The house been abandoned since week 4 ½. So longs I can keep up with the basics laundry and washing up then the house can keep ticking over. Cleaning and major tidying can wait til later. It won’t hurt it. If anyone visits that doesn’t like it then they can clean it themselves lol. Stabbing bum pain still here and still sleeping on the sofa lots!

Week 10: Oh no the sickness is back. This time as well it is much more intense. Comes on very sudden and has me running for the loo. Deep breathing for a few minutes takes the edge off and I am never actually sick. Eat a ginger biscuit or 2 and it settles down a bit more again. The general sickness is there after lunch right up til bedtime. Still eating little and often. Have lost 4lb in weight. Started pregnancy at 8st 12lb now sat at 8st 8lb. Not a major loss but still annoying as last month I had my rings taken down in size from my weight loss so that they would fit. And now they are a bit wobbly again!

Week 11-12:  Looking for a bump not really got one yet. Definitely some shape change and I’m rounder rather than podgier but not bigger yet. Sickness still here but much reduced. Only shows up once or twice a week. Seem to have bad wind back again but again infrequently. Got hubby to massage my left buttock one evening and the next morning the sharp pain was gone! Must have had a square bum … literally! Whatever muscle was stuck is now released yay. I think this is mainly from how I sleep. I have slept sitting up since about 4 ½ weeks when I got the bad cold. And it’s more comfy for the sickness. But it’s not good for your posture! On the days I haven’t had bad wind, heartburn or sickness I have laid down with my dream genii pregnancy pillow so comfy! Thankfully it doesn’t take over half the bed as well otherwise there would be no room for hubby! Feeling more emotional around this time. Could cry at anything but mostly resist! Got upset over a few minor things but know that hormones are making it worse than it is.

Week 12: Had the scan. Arrived 20mins early and struggled to find parking so ended up being 10 mins or so late. Luckily everyone else must have been running late too as we didn’t get in til 30mins after our time slot. Told not to have an empty bladder but not to have a full one either. So as appointment was 1st thing in the morning I had 1 wee when I got up and then no more. Went in and found heartbeat straight away. Always a good start and the first thing you want to know really!! Then saw little baby with 2 arms, 2 legs and 1 head. Good! It was asleep and in the wrong position for taking measurements. After much probe bouncing on my stomach, coughing and tipping me upside down it still wouldn’t wake up. So was sent off to the loo and jiggle it awake with a wee. Came back and still asleep so more prodding and coughing and eventually it woke up. Funny to see little arms and legs moving everywhere. Scan lady was very nice and gave us 5 pictures instead of only 3. Had blood taken for the downs syndrome testing. The measurements were within norm so I wasn’t worried about the blood results to come.