29 weeks, 4 days

Stomach size: 104 cm (shrunk a couple of cms)

Overall, I think I'm really grateful that I'm having a relatively easy time of being pregnant. My biggest gripe has got to be the emotional roller coaster I am on but physically, I'm not doing too bad really.

Hearing of all the problems other people are having or have had makes me count my blessings.

I'm sleeping through the night without any trips to the loo until about 6-6.30. I am not suffering from any pain in my hips. My back aches occasionally but normally because I am pushing myself too hard decorating/housework/garden or even just walking. Same with legs and ankles. Any aches and pains are the result of self-infliction rather than all the time.

I haven't suffered with indigestion or heartburn, only reflux which isn't pleasant but at least isn't painful.

Despite my moans and groans, I'm doing ok!

Had some discussion and tears re the breastfeeding debate. I have decided to 'try' breastfeeding as I wont know what it will be like unless I do. At least, if I decide not to continue I can say that I at least tried. Also, there have been a few people that have said they have felt similarly to me but have gone ahead and tried it, loved it and kept it up for 6 months. So, we shall see.

I think this has been quite a difficult thing for Stuart to get his head round. At first he was quite supportive of whatever I decided to do but, a downside for getting Stuart clued up on babies by encouraging him to read my baby mags, he has since struggled to understand why I wouldn't do it.

I do see why that it must be difficult for men to understand the issue. They can only see the benefits to the child and any reason the woman has for not doing it must seem really selfish. I wish I could explain it better from my point of view but I can't. From Stuart's point of view, the pain shouldn't matter for the advantages the child gets.

Anyway, having read about women's personal experiences of breastfeeding I think he can understand a little better my concerns and has agreed to just be supportive rather than lecture. Unfortunately, the more under pressure I feel and the more pushed I am, the more my barriers come up and I back away. He understands this and, especially now that I have said I will try, he appears happy to just offer encouragement and support.

I had a lovely weekend visiting friends, Jenny and David. Jenny has given me lots of her leftover bits from when she had her baby a few months ago and has lent me lots of maternity clothes - it's great, I have a whole new wardrobe :o)

She did alert me though to my wedding and engagement rings - to get them off quick before I can't at all and they have to be cut off due to hands/fingers swelling. I hadn't thought of this and it was already a struggle to get them off. However, they are now safely round my neck! I miss them from my hand though. Thought this might be a good bit of advice for others too - so remember take rings off before your hands swell!

Think we have finally decided on a car seat too. I had three options in the running and this isn't any of them!! After visiting Jenny and David, we headed to nearby Pramworld (in Wigan) which have a large selection of prams and car seats - which is why I wanted to go. It was the only place I had found that could have all three seats under one roof. However, this shop is only the front for the business as they have a warehouse nearby and most of their sales are probably done online. Plus we only got there 15 mins before they closed. Normally, you could probably arrange an appointment telling them which prams/car seats you wanted to try and they would then bring them over from their warehouse to discuss with you and try them out in your car. Therefore, we didn't get the time to try the seats in our car and one of the options wasn't in the store (was at their warehouse) but it was really good to actually talk to someone rather than relying on reviews on the internet. So, as a result of talking to the sales assistant, we've ended up deciding on a different seat altogether!

My choices were Recaro Young Profi Plus as this went with our MacLaren buggy and clicked on as a travel system; the Primo Viaggio as it got a good review from What Car; and finally, the Bebe Confort Creatisfix because it has the flattest position for a new baby and is light. I also read that the Creatisfix and Viaggio were easy to fit in your car. However, the shop assistant said they were really difficult to fit with the exception of the MacLaren. In her opinion, she didn't think it was a good idea to get the car seat to match the buggy as it encourages parents to leave the baby in it, which is bad for the baby (you aren't meant to leave them in there for more than 2 hours). I don't think we would but it was a fair point. However, it didn't seem worth paying the extra money just because it matched the buggy. She said the lightest and easiest seat to fit was the Maxi Cosi. I thought this was quite heavy so had dismissed it but it turns out this is the lightest!! It is actually the same seat that Jenny and David had too. She said that this seat was also extremely easy to fit in your car with or without the base. Because of its ease , it was not necessary to get the base, saving yourself between £45 and £100. Looks like this is the winning option then! Just need to check that the covers are washable and then that will be the next purchase sorted. Thankfully, another one we wont have to pay out for too as my parents are kindly contributing some money for us to buy something for the baby and we have decided to put it towards this.

We are slowly getting there but I still have so much more to get. We'll get there though!!