Sunday 10 February 2008

7 weeks, 3 days

I meant to write before now but never got round to it. A lot has been happening over the last week.

I went to my midwife appointment on Tuesday. The midwife was really nice. It was mainly just form filling. I had already been warned that they don’t bother to do a second test as the one you do is so reliable and, at this stage, they don’t do any kind of examination. They did take some blood and I did a urine sample (only because I needed the loo while I was there – probably more info than needed). The blood test is just routine to check for things like HIV and to check your blood type. Everything gets sent off to someone who will then send me an appointment date for my 12 week scan.

I asked if we could have any influence over when the scan is as my in-laws are coming to visit the weekend before I am 12 weeks and we would like to be in a position to tell them then. The midwife was kind enough to make a note on the form to request it so fingers crossed. Obviously, no guarantees though.

You also get given your notes that you keep and take to future appointments and a pack of leaflets and vouchers etc.

Moving on from the midwife appointment, I need to own up and eat my words (just printing them off now…honest…)! I have been feeling sick all this week and have continued to struggle with the tiredness. The sickness is mainly caused by being hungry. If I go too long without food then I start to feel really bad and then struggle to feel better. I am starting to notice food that helps and food that doesn’t.

On the ‘blurgh’ list:
Banana
Nuts and seeds
Hot cross buns

On the ‘safe’ list:
Biscuits
Dry wheetos (without milk, out of packet)
Toast and lots of butter

You will notice how the blurgh list contains some healthy items and the safe list contains unhealthy. Basically, eating all the time is the best thing. Whichever way you look at it, I’m gonna get super fat and it isn’t going to be because because of the baby but because of the amount of food I've consumed!

By the way, I read online that keeping crackers beside the bed to eat first thing in the morning before getting up is a good idea – bad idea! They are far too dry to eat first thing in the morning. Though they didn’t make me feel sick. I find the best thing to do is to eat a bowl of cereal as soon as possible and then relax for a bit before getting on with your day.

Other advice that I had heard when friends have been pregnant before includes travel sickness bands. Tried this and didn’t seem to help at all though I might not have placed them in the correct place. I might try these again.

The sickness isn’t every day or all the time but, as I say, mainly if I let myself go too long without eating.

Finally, the other thing to report, my mum and sister came to stay this weekend. Stuart and I finally decided just before they arrived that we were going to tell them about the pregnancy as it would just be far too difficult with me feeling sick, tired and planning my day around when I could eat to keep it secret. It was going to be a lot less stressful to tell them. Also, if the unthinkable did happen, at least we would have support.
Obviously, they were both over the moon and really happy for us and it was good to chat openly about pregnancy and labour and their experiences. And I had to put up with them dragging me into all the baby shops of Guildford!!!

Monday 4 February 2008

6 weeks, 4 days

Ouch, ouch, ouch. My boobs hurt. They aren’t too bad during the day but at night they get really painful. I wake up in the night (normally needing the loo or from a bad dream) and turn over to get comfortable and they sting. I hope this means they are going to be huge!

I am also very fed up with being so tired all the time. I wake up in the morning and feel tired until about 10am when I pick up a little. Then about 4pm I become absolutely drained. I can’t do anything and have to lie down. Unfortunately, I’m not one for sleeping during the day, I just can’t do it so I don’t actually sleep but I just lay there feeling miserable and lazy. Then I have to make myself think about dinner and I have to pick Stuart up. After dinner, I then perk up again and feel fine until I go to bed.

I am also starting to feel sick but it is more like I have a hangover where I feel a bit queasy and if I was to focus on feeling sick I probably would be but as long as I distract myself I’m fine. I do think it is just down to low sugar levels though (good excuse to eat sweet things). I felt queasy this morning so had a biscuit and that kept me going until breakfast (after dropping Stuart off at the station and after a shower).

I guess you could say that I am starting to feel pregnancy symptoms now but I still always wonder if they are all just psychological.

The funny thing is I think Stuart has Couvade Syndrome which is when the husband or partner feels sympathy symptoms. He has been feeling sick especially in the mornings and nearly cried at Wild at Heart last night. The sickness is probably just a stomach bug but has been strange because he has been able to eat his dinners and pretty much keep them down and feel fine and then at an odd time in the day he is sick. He he.

Talking of nearly crying, I’ve not been any more emotional than usual. No mood swings or anything. Occasionally, my eyes might have started to well up at something nice/sweet on TV but I don’t think that is any different to normal.

I’ve got my first mid-wife appointment tomorrow. I will write again after that.