Waiting For the Pot to Boil: 40 weeks, 4 days

OK, now I’m in danger of getting fed up! Its funny how something takes over in your head. If I think about it, I’ve no real need to be fed up. I’m still shit scared of the actual event and its hard to pinpoint when my mentality changed from not being in a hurry and not being ‘ready’ to being more than ready and then getting to a point where I no longer think about what is going to happen and just want to get on with it!

I think part of it is other people’s impatience and everyone making you think you ‘should’ feel fed up – they say “don’t worry, it wont be long” or “you must be getting really fed up now” so you start to think you should be. Plus the “not long to go now” phrase kind of makes you get your hopes up that its imminent…then 2 more weeks pass without anything! I don’t mind people asking, after all, I get excited about other people and have asked many a friend at the end of their pregnancy the same questions they have asked me. I’m sure I have even uttered the words “not long now” too. I know they are just excited for me and that’s great, so if you are reading this, please don’t stop asking.

What also contributes are the false starts. About 3 times, I’ve geared myself up to think “this is it” – after each of the sweeps (of which I’ve had 2) I’ve felt awful. My hips and body ache and it makes me feel miserable, I’ve felt lucky to get to bedtime but fully expect to be woken in the night in the throes of labour. This then means I spend the whole night in a half sleep where every twinge makes me stir thinking this is it then nothing, every ‘dribble’ down below I think my waters are breaking but no. I then wake the next day feel absolutely normal again and it makes me feel like it was a wasted opportunity. That it should’ve happened but now I’ve ‘missed my chance’.

Finally, I’m concerned about this baby being born too close to Callum’s birthday, 2 September. I’m worried our children are going to hate us for the continuous joint birthday parties. But after talking this through with my Dad, why am I worried? Does this really matter? Perhaps it will be better. They aren’t going to be sharing presents as they’ll be 4 years apart in age and ones a boy and the other a girl! Maybe I need to get over this fear. It may mean Callum might not get much of a birthday this year but this shouldn’t matter for the future really!

Because of this, I’ve decided to change my way of thinking. My new ‘Due Date is my Induction Date – 29 August. I’ll not ‘expect’ her to arrive before then but if she does, then great, at least I know I’m mentally ready! And perhaps I’ll stop sitting around just waiting for it to happen – I’m sure its much more likely to happen if I’m distracted and not thinking about it. After all, remember the great adage “A watched pot never boils!”

Locked & Loaded: 40 weeks, 2 days

I had my next MW appointment today for another sweep and to book in my induction.

My BP was really good and no other problems. When she did the sweep, she said the baby was fully engaged, I was 1.5-2 cm dilated, cervix soft & central, waters bulging, braxton hicks occurring! So, seems we are all systems go and are just waiting for the signal!

Because everything is going well, the induction isn’t booked until 29th August in the hope that I’ll go into labour naturally before then. I need to call Poole ante-natal ward on 28th at 7am to confirm all is well and get details of what I need to do etc.

My MW said if I didn’t go into labour before next Tuesday I was to text her so she could get me in again for another sweep and then another on the Thursday if still nothing. Technically, this is one extra sweep than I should have as they normally only do 3 but she wasn’t counting the one at the hospital (as it didn’t do anything) and she wants to give me the best possible chance before the induction.

The sweep itself was a little less uncomfortable than last time and, compared to baby’s movements at the moment which are like someone scratching away at me from the inside with a knitting needle, was a walk in the park!

So still we wait! And bounce! And wait!

I’m very emotional today. Burst into tears this morning because I couldn’t find my knickers! Its a sorry state of affairs when a girl cries over knickers! Then, because I was grumpy and miserable, this affected Callum’s lovely mood and he became emotional too. I felt awful that by the time we got to nursery we were both in tears! I hate it when my moods affect his, especially when he started the morning so well.

Callum is being very sweet at the moment with this morning getting straight up and cleaning his teeth, bringing his clothes to me to get dressed and then making himself his own breakfast. He is so proud of himself. Then yesterday, he went down and made me breakfast in bed of cold dry toast (its the thought that counts!), the day before he cleaned his teeth and got himself dressed in his favourite attire of his England football kit! I hope this keeps up when the baby does arrive but doing all this and being so good then me being all grumpy with him makes me feel so bad and guilty. Rotten Mummy – I need to try and make it up to him tonight!

Finally, I just feel the need to log my weight gain before I have the baby. Amazingly, I’ve still put on less than 2 stone this pregnancy! 1 stone, 10 lb (probably 11 now as weighed a couple of days ago). That feels like an achievable weight to lose after I’ve had the baby!

Happy Due Date

So I have made it to my Due Date – something I’ve been curious about for the past 8.5 months and I must admit its a bit anti-climatic! Everything feels just the same!

I had another hospital appointment today (and one on Monday just gone) and as my BP is thankfully behaving itself, they are happy to leave it to my Community Midwife to do another sweep and book in my induction when I have my next appointment on Friday (17th August).

I was kind of hoping they’d book it in today as it would be nice to know it wasn’t too far away but I know, if baby isn’t ready, the whole induction experience is less likely to be effective anyway so best give baby a chance to come when she is ready.

I used my dowsing crystal the other day to try to predict when baby will arrive. It has predicted 18 August which would make a lot of sense if the MW does another sweep on the 17th and this one works. I’d be happy with that. For one, it is convenient as it is a weekend, he he, but also she would only be 3 days overdue so not too much waiting around (or too big ) and there are still a couple of weeks before Callum’s Birthday. That is my main concern about going too long after today is that baby will be born only a few days before Callum’s birthday. Its going to be hard not doing joint birthdays as it is but I imagine it will be inevitable if they are only a few days apart! Plus it would also be near the bank holiday – there would be both plus and minus points for a bank holiday birthday.

I’ve no more signs that baby’s arrival is imminent, just the usual regular braxton hicks, so for the time being it is just continue to wait and see.

I’m not fed up as such or taking any desperate steps to try to get baby out yet – just the odd bit of bouncing on the ball…and the fact that nearly every dinner is spicy is purely just coincidental (ahem) but I am starting to fantasise what it will be like to bend in the middle again!

Beep Beep and Sweep, 39 Weeks

Thought I’d just do a quick update following today’s hospital appointment further to my last blog post.

I was having more tightenings last night similar in strength to Friday but nothing more than that. Kept me awake some of the night though as every time baby moved it seemed to kick things off.

Todays appointment was booked for 2.30pm. I had Callum’s swimming lesson in the morning, then we went for lunch before heading for my appointment. After being so good on Monday, Callum was being a little monkey today and my patience was very thin. I was worried that that in itself was enough to raise the blood pressure.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait as long as last time despite the worrying signs of it taking me about 5-10 minutes of driving round the car park to get parked and then the antenatal waiting room being really busy.

The blood pressure checks were similar to Monday, the first one being done manually and recording as high and then the other two being done by the automatic machine and being under the highest acceptable level (140/90). She wouldn’t tell me what the first one was, she just said she didn’t want to record it as it was rather high.

I think the other two were 137/88 and 127/86.

After the BP checks, she went to have a word with the consultant about what the ‘plan of action’ was going to be. When she came back she said that they wanted to see if things kicked off on their own so she was going to give me a sweep* to see if that helped. They would also get me in for BP checks twice over the next week and then they’d make a decision whether to induce me on my due date based on how my BP was behaving. Of course, if nothing had kicked off on its own before then.

I wasn’t expecting the sweep and as I had a bad experience of internal examinations when being induced with Callum I was a little nervous about it but it was probably best I didn’t know about it in advanced as I would have just worried about it. It wasn’t the most pleasant thing and was quite uncomfortable/painful but no where near as bad as the internal I had in the delivery suite with Callum. Thankfully, I was curtained off for it too with another lady distracting Callum. Not something I really wanted him to be witness too.

Since then, nothing has really changed or kick started. No increase in tightenings, still just the odd one here and there. My right leg aches like hell and feels like its about to fall off but not really sure I can attribute that to the sweep or being a ‘sign’!

I’m not expecting much to happen. I have my next community MW appointment tomorrow at the doctors and imagine I’ll be having the same false starts over the weekend.

 

* What is a sweep? – A membrane sweep is where a Midwife ‘sweeps’ a finger around your cervix to hopefully separate the membranes around your baby from your cervix. This process releases a hormone which can help to kick-start labour within the following 48 hours.

Weird happenings: 38 weeks, 5 days

Ok, so seems baby may have read my last blog as the afternoon after I wrote it I started feeling weird. I couldn't quite work out why. I guess I was experiencing some tightenings or braxton hicks but it wasn't a strong enough feeling to put my finger on. I had a midwife appointment already booked in so thought I'd see what she said.

When I got to the appointment the mw, as is the norm, asked how I was feeling and I explained I felt weird. She took my blood pressure and said it was a bit high (156/97). It had been behaving so well and last reading was 126/72 so this was quite a jump. She asked if I had any headaches, which I had, but I had also had a head cold and had suspected the cold to be the cause. She listened to baby, checked my wee etc, all the usual things and all was well. She also took some blood then tested again. It was still high but had come down a bit (150/92). She decided to make an appointment for me at the hospital for Monday (today) for another BP/urine check and told me to take it easy & be 'vigilant' for other symptoms over the weekend.

The rest of that afternoon/evening I continued to feel weird & have the tightenings. When they got to a strength I felt I could time they were about 10-12 mins apart but still very mild. I tried to have an early night but it's hard to sleep when you are anticipating 'action'! The tightenings continued until about midnight but then must have eased off as I fell asleep and slept well for the rest of the night.

My parents were booked in to come over for the weekend anyway because my dad was doing some work in the nursery so they decided to stay over Saturday night just in case & brought clothes with them for the Monday too. This meant my mum took good care of me & Callum over the weekend and I spent most if it with my feet up and taking it easy. I felt a little weird but only had the odd tightening here and there.

As there were no affirmative signs of labour, and i was feeling more normal, they went home sunday night.

Today was my hospital appointment and as I thought I'd be in and out in no time at all, I took Callum with me. Unfortunately, there was an emergency that morning (I do hope all was ok), all the appointments had been pushed back so it was over an hour before I was seen. As the appointment was for 12noon, I had taken Callum some lunch with me (but just a pack of crisps for me) which helped pass some time plus I managed to distract him looking at maps and in the play area but, in truth, Callum was a absolute angel!

I was then in the room for a little over an hour going through all the various checks & being hooked up to the baby heart rate monitor and Callum was good again throughout showing a little concern for me worried when I had to lie down on the bed and have the monitor attached. The lady/doctor/midwife (whoever she was) was full of praise for him, I was so proud! The parking ticket said we were in for 2hrs 38 mins in total.

Anyway, BP was high when I first got there with the lower number still over 90 so she checked everything else & hooked me up to the monitor. All came back good. Again she asked about headaches and as the cold had now gone but i was still experiencing mild intermittent headaches, i did mention them to her. They are not enough to need a paracetemol but enough to make me think about it. Once on the monitor, we had to wait a while for baby to move as she was having a sleepy moment. After the cold water didn't work (me drinking it, nothing more bizarre!) I shuffled over to my side & she eventually started to wiggle.

More bloods were taken (I've since heard they were clear) and another appointment was booked in for wednesday. My subsequent BP checks showed an improvement and were good by the end. She was quite unsure what to do with me as I was neither perfectly ok or definitely something wrong, I was (in her words) whooly! So Wednesday's appointment was booked as a precaution and to see the consultant with the aim of preparing a plan of action as she didn't think they should let me go too far overdue!

I strongly believe that I won't develop pre-eclampsia (and she was inclined to agree) but that raised BP is just my bodies way of reacting to labour. As I've been typing I can again feel my BP is high (the weird feeling is back) and I've had a few more tightenings again but still nothing strong. I'm just extremely tired! I've had a few really good night's sleep now so not expecting to feel this tired!

I can see this weird feeling and tightenings coming and going quite regularly over the next few days or until it really does kick off.

I'm in two minds how I feel if they decide to induce me. Part of me will feel safe in that I can relate it to my last labour/birth, it's what I know so I'm happy with that. But also part of me is curious to experience what it is like to naturally go into labour while at home etc.

I guess only time will tell and, as always, what will be will be.

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Preparing the nest! 38 weeks, 2 days

Ahhhh, finally got here. Yesterday my maternity leave truly began. It was the first day with no Callum (nursery) and no work when I could finally give into those nesting urges!

Not sure how much I believe in nesting or that this is in fact nesting as I don't feel any more energised to get jobs done it is just trying to get anything done with a little person around is impossible. So, I've been waiting for this time (yesterday and today at least) to finally tackle things that have been irritating me as well as trying to squeeze in a bit of feet up time. I'll confess that the feet up time yesterday was enforced by my back screaming at me to stop but it feels so good to get the stuff done that I wanted to before baby arrives.

Yesterday was spent putting things back where they belong. This is what normally happens when Callum is with me.

• I pick up a toy car in the kitchen and return it to Callum's room
• I see some art bits in Callum's room that belong in the art box downstairs
• As I walk out bedroom with art stuff, Callum picks up the car I've just returned to his room & follows me driving it down the stairs
• I return the art stuff to the art box, clear Callum's art table of the magazines & crappy free toys (about 3 toy cameras - can they really not be any more imaginative?) that have been sat there untouched for 3 weeks, throwing them in the bin/recycling.
• Cries from Callum: "they're mine!"
• I agree he can choose 1 free camera to keep and choose the magazine that has the most activities still to do
• I leave him looking at the magazine holding tightly onto the camera, car discarded in the dining room
• I walk into lounge & tidy sofa cushions putting throw cushions back on the sofa
• Callum walks into lounge, leaving magazine on thebart table in dining room, drops camera toy on lounge floor and starts throwing himself on the sofas flinging throw cushions around!
• I walk into the kitchen & find he has retrieved the magazines & toy cameras from the bin & left them on the breakfast bar!

This continues throughout my attempt to tidy and how much have I actually achieved so far? It is a case of 2 steps forward 1 step back.

 

So it was amazing to be able to get so much done yesterday and is also surprising how quickly it builds up in little piles all over the house in different rooms. Unable to achieve anything usually, I choose instead to just gather the stuff together in little piles but it never really makes its way home! I even managed to sort the garage a little and move stuff to the loft out of the way (before you all panic that I've been up a ladder in my 'condition' our loft space is in the eaves of the third floor so just entails a little bit of crawling (good for baby's positioning!!). Also, the actual putting stuff in the loft had to be done today cos it was at that point yesterday that my back said "no more!".

 

Now today I did the loft bits & cleaned the oven but now I'm chilling with a cup of tea & enjoying the Olympics. What a great time to be on maternity leave. No need to endure the 'joys' of daytime tv which is enough to motivate anyone into doing chores, instead I want to sit & watch the Olympics.

 

I have a midwife appointment later and may pop into town briefly but then that's it!

 

Once these 2 days are over with I can say I'm ready! Any more days I get to rest are a bonus but I just wanted to have at least 2 days to myself.

 

I've actually had a rotten cold too & been feeling sorry for myself and a little worried that I may end up going into labour unable to breathe! Although was reassured reading old wives tails and anecdotal stories of how your body won't let you go into labour until the day you feel better. I've missed the full moon (last night) and judging how I feel today, I reckon I'll be over the cold tomorrow.

 

So watch this space!

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Hospital bags

In case anyone finds it helpful, I thought I would post my hospital bag lists. What I found useful last time was to pack one bag for labour then a second bag for stay in hospital, which Stuart went and collected from the car (taking the other back) after baby was born. This was particularly helpful being as I stayed in hospital for a few nights after Callum was born. I guess it's less useful if you go home the same day as you go in but as it worked for me last time, I've done the same this time.

Others do a bag for mum & a bag for baby but that would mean keeping 2 bags handy. Still, keeping the balance between being prepared for everything & packing light is a challenge. I did have to sit on my hospital stay bag to zip it up and couldn't fit in my top n tail pots.

So here they are:

Labour:


(* items to keep for hospital stay if not used)

2 tankini tops (for pool)

2 black t-shirts

1 black pj bottoms

Baby's first outfit: vest, sleepsuit, nappy, mittens, hat, booties in plastic bag marked. One for tiny baby & one for newborn. (remove tiny baby if get to due date)

1 muslin*

1 small light blanket*

iPod & speakers

2 puzzle books & pens*

2 lucozade sports drinks (& 2 cans red bull for s)

Snacks: Jaffa cakes, crisps, cashews, haribo*

Camera*

Lip balm

Hair band & clips

Change for parking etc

Pack of tissues

Slippers*

Couple of maternity pads

Mini Shower gel

Hospital stay (me)

Trackie top

2 nursing tops

Comfy trousers

2 nursing bras

Thick/slipper socks

4-5 pairs of large, cheap black knickers

Dark, comfy pjs

Light material dressing gown

Dark towel

1-2 pack maternity pads

6 pairs of breast pads

Nipple shields

Toiletries: face wipes, mascara, eye-liner, moisturising cream/oil, lansinoh, mini deodorant, tissues, toothbrush, comb, mini toothpaste, mini face wash, mini showergel, mini shampoo, mini conditioner, mini bath soak, lip balm

iPad/iPod charger

Camera charger

Phone charger

Hospital stay (baby):

Going home outfit (bagged & labelled)

10 nappies

Nappy sacks

2 bibs

2 instant milk bottles

Blanket

1-2 muslins

2 vests

2 sleep suits

1 cardi

2 hats

3 scratch mits

2 pairs of booties

1 towel

Cotton wool

2 empty, washed muller corner pots, 1 labelled top and 1 labelled toe

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Floored! 37 weeks (full term)

Who the hell moved the floor so far away from my hands. I swear, either my legs have got longer or my arms have got shorter. And just to add insult to injury some cruel twisted unseen force is having a laugh at me making me drop everything. I just had to pick up about 20 pegs with my toes, and thank god my phone has a protective cover on it as it spends more time on the floor than in my hand! I'll pick one thing up that I just dropped and drop the other thing I was previously still holding!

Then of course there is Callum. As fast as I tidy or pick things up off the floor he is trailing behind me dropping stuff or unloading more toys! I can't keep up & its killing me & my bump attempting too. I give up! As I speak, I'm trying not to twitch looking at the lego car that used to be which is currently still residing on the floor, discarded this morning by the little man himself! I just know that at some point in the not too distant future I'm going to tread on the retched thing and curse that I didn't pick it up but my bump just can't face another squeeze!

In my next superhuman life I'll be sure to pick up the super power of telekenesis!

I could go on with my rant by telling you of the inconvenience of appliances being below waist height, such as the washing machine & dishwasher, but I remember doing that last pregnancy so I won't bore you with the repetition!

Anyway, in other news, I had my last scan today. All was well with the growth of the baby, blood pressure was fine and I've been discharged by the consultant to the care of the midwife. So being as today baby is full term at 37 weeks, I'm technically all set to go. Except my mind hasn't accepted that this baby has to come out yet and I feel like this pregnancy can just keep going...forever...maybe!

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I'm still here!!! 36 weeks, 5 days

So this is the most pregnant I've ever been! 36+3 came and went with waters remaining intact! We had visitors (again, like last time) so I'm glad history didn't repeat itself. To top it all off, the summer has finally arrived too!

I'm getting bored of saying my back hurts, now, it is pretty much from the moment I get up until the moment I go to bed but I've learnt to live with it. However, that aside, I'm feeling pretty good. I'm lucky that I don't suffer too much with the heat as long as I don't do too much and I keep my pace at snail miles an hour. It's all about keeping cool really and drinking lots of fluid.

I'm trying really hard to take things easier even when it goes against every grain in my body. For example, I was a good girl today and refrained from mowing the lawn, instead I enlisted the help of my nephew, helping him out with a spot of pocket money too.

I'm on better track for being more prepared for baby arriving now as well. I bit the bullet and bought a few outstanding bits today. For the pushchair, the zip on the cosy toe has broken & I can't find the 5 point harness. I rang Maclaren & the harness will be £45 and the cosy toe £35. Yeah, that's not going to happen. I instead bought a generic cosy toe from Mothercare in the sale for £14.50 and must have another thorough look for the harness. I bought a bouncy chair from Mothercare too. Just their cheapest one as i remember my NCT friends rated its super bounce and I'm really not fussed by all the added vibrate features etc. the bounce is what's important for me. I purchased Mothercare's version of the Buggy Board, the Hop N. Before my Mothercare trip, I ventured in to boots to get newborn bottle teats and the milk starter pack that you can get...just in case breast feeding goes to pot from the off. It just takes the pressure off a bit. They are great packs, 6 little sterile bottles of ready made milk.

While on the subject of Boots, they have these mini super-cute trolleys which I assume are solely for kiddiewinks so Callum was thrilled to be able to help me put things into the trolly & pushing it around for me, then scanning it through the check outs. So sweet!

Think that leaves me with the sling, which a friend is selling me second hand, and a playmat. Whoop! Oh and the change mat. I've struggled with that one as I wanted one with butterflies on to match the nursery theme but amazingly have been unable to find one. However, a colleague at work came up with the excellent idea of getting a plain one and decorating it with stickers. So now I'm looking for a completely plain pink or white one and some suitable butterfly stickers.

The nursery should be being finished on weekend of 4 August when my dad does the coving and I can put the wall bits up. Hopefully we can get the last of Callum's bedroom furniture built too either this or next weekend.

It's my last 2 days at work this week and my social plans are being kept to an absolute minimum so hoping I can start getting the final bits done and start relaxing!

So still not 'ready' for baby to arrive but getting there so bring on full term, bring on due date, I'm nearly ready for you but please, baby, stay in there a little longer as I so desperately want some feet up time too!

And if you haven't already done so, don't forget to make your predictions on my earlier post, here.

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Rules on the run up to D-Day - 36 weeks

I am curious, what 'rules' did you set, if any, to anyone, in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Stuart & I agreed both last time and this time that he would stop drinking alcohol so he would be ok to drive to the hospital. Labour & birth being as unpredictable as it is, you can't really guess when it will happen and therefore know when it is ok to drink and when it isn't. This was proved last time when we decided when Stuart's brother visited that it was unlikely to be that weekend as it was still only 36 weeks that he'd be ok to drink. HAHAHAHA, yeah, needless to say, it all happened that weekend!

This time Stuart originally set an over-ambitious target for not drinking at about 34 weeks. Although he kind of cut down, maybe knocking off one or two drinking night's a week he didn't stick to a completely t-total lifestyle. I would have suggested he stop at 35 weeks and 1 day (being as 35 weeks was when he was best man at his friends wedding). Anyway, I turned 36 weeks today, 3 days before the equivalent time to when my waters broke & Stuart is out drinking (second time to drink alcohol this week). He has an excuse, he always has an excuse but to me it feels like he has his priorities wrong. We already learnt before that babies and bodies don't care if it's the last time you'll see someone again (in a work capacity not a close friend or even just a friend really), they don't care if you had a hard day, they don't care if everyone else is drinking and you don't want to be left out or even if someone twisted your arm. It's a game of chance, last time, we didn't lose as Stuart was unlikely to be over the limit but we certainly didn't risk it and get away with it either.

Don't get me wrong, if Stuart understood moderation, it wouldn't be an issue. I would trust that he'd have one or two pints then walk away or switch to soft drinks. But that's not Stuart, and he doesn't do moderation!

So I'm disappointed! But I do question whether I expect too much! After all, I could go overdue & it could be another 6 weeks before baby arrives. What are the chances of what happened last time happening again? About 5% according to my consultant. Is the odd night here and there really going to hurt?

So, I'm keen to hear your views, what 'rules' did you and your other half have in place, did you both stick to them etc. please share your opinions & stories.

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Bump photoshoot with DK Capture

When I was pregnant with Callum, Stuart bought me a photoshoot experience gift. I thought about using it after baby was born but I didn't have long before I had to use it by and not knowing how long it would take me to loose the baby weight, or if I would ever lose it, I decided to use it for a pregnancy shoot. Considering it took me about 2 years to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight it was the right decision. We came away with 2 photos - the deal was to get one free framed photo but think we negotiated 2 photos without the frame!

Anyway, despite the fact they are still without a frame & are waiting to be shown off on a wall somewhere, I thought I'd like to do it again this time round. Originally my reasons were partly because I hated my pregnancy body! Now that might sound a bit masochistic but I thought I'd much prefer to look back at my body through professional photos & remembering it for the lovely image of what it represented (my unborn baby girl) rather than looking back at my body negatively. I know, it's an odd theory but it works for me...Debbie logic! However, as it turns out, I've learnt recently to like (love still being a bit strong) my pregnancy body a lot more than I did! Even with stretch marks appearing a week before the shoot date, although disappointed me, it didn't put me off.

The shoot was booked for Saturday 14 July (weekend just gone) so I did a bit of research beforehand to find some examples of poses I wanted to try. I was keen to have different ones to what I had done last time. I was also interested in getting some with Callum kissing my bump & to try some 'family' shots. I found a couple of poses using a sheet which I quite liked so sent the example ones to the photographer.

I took a couple of costume changes but unfortunately couldn't find a suitable sheet so had to go with the material the company provided which was pink chiffon. I did say I thought this would be ok but in hindsight I think I would have preferred a white satin sheet.

We turned up late after a number of delays getting to the venue but the photographer was understanding and also let us overrun quite a bit. I didn't feel rushed at all.

We did a few photos of me fully clothed in leggings and a fitted top first, just me on my own. Then a few with me in a pair of white skinny jeans and white bra. Then we 'tried' to include Callum! He predictively wasn't having any of it. He just wanted daddy and wouldn't perform. We eventually had to get daddy involved in the photos first and then try with all of us. Amazingly, the photographer still managed to get some good shots, even when Callum was reaching out for daddy.

After the family shots, we went for the sheet. Bra and jeans came off so I was just in my knickers & the sheet. There were a couple taken over my boobs & bump and then some taken with the sheet under my bump with my hands covering my boobs. Having seen the photos, I don't see much value in the latter ones & would have liked more taken with the sheet over bump & boobs but think there are a couple i like. I'd like to see them in black & white first & there's a good one where the colours have been played with that looks good.

Being that the shoot was only on Saturday just gone and today being Tuesday, I was very excited to receive an email today with link attached to say the photos are ready to view. Now we just have the tough task of trying to choose a couple. Again, we get one photo included in the price & Stuart has said he'll buy me another for my birthday.

Once I'm back blogging on my laptop and have decided on the photos I'll share with you both the Callum bump & Millie bump photos.

The deal we went for was for pregnancy photos then baby's first year which consists of 3 shoots within the first 12 months. Each shoot includes a 10x8 photo and there is no need to pre-book the baby photoshoots just ring up & book when we'd like one. An hour's studio time would have been £59 which is what the pregnancy shoot would've been. To upgrade to the baby's first year photos too was only an extra £20 which I think was a really good deal.

More details about DK capture can be found here. All opinions are my own, I have not been asked to write a review and have not received any fee etc for doing so (in fact they don't even know I'm writing this).


 

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Place your bets please!

I am now opening the books on your predictions for baby! We are pretty sure it's a girl (after 2 scans) and the EDD is 15 August. So the predictions are for:

• Date of arrival
• Time of arrival
• Weight

As of today I am 34 weeks, 6 days.

 

A bit of history for those that don't know:


This is my second child. My son, Callum (nearly 4) was born at 36+4 after an all day hike around London, 2 spicy meals and a short jog to the Chinese. My waters broke late that night & because my bp was high & my contractions weren't progressing enough, they decided to induce me the next day. I was induced about 12 noon & Callum was born about 9:48pm weighing 5lb15oz. Full details of birth number 1 can be found here.

So far bp is normal - last reading was 130/78 and there are no obvious signs that baby will come early this time.

Please ask should you have any questions that may assist you with your prediction.

My own prediction is:

• DOA: 12 August
  
• T: 9:14am
• W: 7lb2oz

Please add your predictions to the comments section.

Bets are now........OPEN!!!

Posted with Blogsy

Time to love my baby bump - 33 weeks, 4 days

It's only taken 8 months but I'm finally happy with my pregnant body...when I have clothes on (still don't recognise myself naked!)...and as long as I'm not sat down!

I quite like the shape of my bump, it's position, it's size. I think stepping on the scales the other day then following it up with the growth scan has helped with that. This is all good timing cos I have a bump photo shoot booked for in 2 weeks. I need to start looking at examples of poses so I can go with some to try...if anyone has seen some nice ones that aren't the regular ones you always see, please let me know.

I'm geneally feeling pretty good. I still tire really easily, particularly by about 4 pm & I don't have to do much before my back & bump start to ache but I know if I listen to my body & rest, both of these symptoms improve.

I have a lot of preparation to do still, mentally & practically, and I am definitely not ready for this baby to arrive yet.

I still find it weird when overdue pregnant ladies start pulling out their hair in frustration waiting for their babies to start showing signs of their imminent arrival. I never got to this stage with Callum, I was still very much of the mind that the time was approaching too quickly & I wasn't ready. Pretty much the same as I feel now. It's hard to imagine the feeling of desperation for the baby to arrive & for that feeling to ever outweigh the fear & nervousness that the thought of birth & new born sleepless nights still evokes now. I'm sure I'll get there though & will laugh in that all knowing cynical way when I read this back at 42 weeks!

Posted with Blogsy

Help, I'm not fat enough! - 33 weeks, 1 day

I had the first of two extra growth scans today which couldn't have come at a better time as, get this, today I was worried I had not put on enough weight!!! Yes, you read that right, not enough weight!! There's no pleasing some people is there!

Basically, I weighed myself at 28 weeks and had put on 1 stone 5 lb since finding out I was pregnant. At this stage I didn't know if this was good or bad but it is normal, from that point as I entered the third trimester, to put on an average of 1 lb a week until the birth. That'd put me at aproximately 2 stone 3 lb if I was to give birth on my due date.

I was then advised at my consultant appointment following that to start taking low dose aspirin once a day. I read somewhere that taking aspirin in your third trimester could lead to the baby not growing properly but as I'd also be having 2 growth scans, I knew if there were any issues they'd be picked up.

Then today I step on the scales again & find I've only put on a lb since 28 weeks! I was expecting 5 lb. so I was worried! My bump has only grown about a centimetre during that time too.

So I was quite nervous as I went in for the scan but quite quickly my fears were proved to be unfounded as the measurements in the scan were all shown to be in the normal range. They checked the fluid around the baby and again all was well. Liver appeared to be fine and the umbilical artery doing what it was supposed to do. More Good news, my bouncing on my exercise ball had paid off as baby was no longer oblique/transverse like she was at my last mw appointment but was nicely head down with her limbs all over to my right. Apparently, she will most likely stay there now although may flip from right to left...I'm pretty sure she has been flipping back and forth for most of the afternoon.

After the scan I went for my clinic appointment with the mw & consultant. The mw checked my blood pressure & the first reading was 142/86 which had jumped up quite a lot since my last appointment of 122/70, but she wasn't concerned & I knew I had been worried about the scan so knew that could be affecting it. Still, she took it again and it was fractionally lower a 136/84. She told me that my urine sample was being sent off as it did show there were a few white blood cells present which indicated the start of a urine infection. This made sense as I had been feeling some sharp pains in my bladder area of late & suspected this was the cause. She said there was also a little bit of glucose but was a low reading so likely just that I'd had something sugary.

The consultant was rather lovely & reminded me of a better looking Hugh Grant a lot more confident than the last one I had seen, was professional, and came across very knowledgeable and understanding. He wasn't concerned about my blood pressure or any of the results. He made sure I was happy without any concerns. He said, because my high bp was quite a late onset last time that there was only a 5% chance of it happening again and, unless there was a clear symptom which indicated a risk or there was a worry at the next growth scan, they will not look to induce me...unless of course I go the other way & am so overdue that they induce me....which you just know is going to happen!!

I asked about what would happen if my waters broke early again. He said if it was before 35 weeks (so in the next couple of weeks...eek!) then it was normal that they would let me go a bit longer..until either I got to 35/36 weeks or labour came on automatically as it was more important that the baby got to near enough term/fully mature but if was after this time they would wait 24-36 hours to see of I progressed naturally before inducing me as then an infection would be a bigger risk. I guess this would still depend on bp and other symptoms.

So...pretty much, all good! Oh....and baby is still looking like a little girl so no sex change that we are aware of!

I can just be happy in the knowledge that I haven't put on as much weight this time so should hopefully lose it quicker after birth too...*shovels another mouthful of chocolate sundae into mouth*


I now have weekly midwife checks and another growth scan and consultant appointment in 4 weeks.

Current pregnancy ramblings - 32 weeks, 5 days

As the weeks get closer to D-day (due day/delivery day), I'm getting increasingly nervous I'm going to have another early baby. Callum wasn't 'that' early, he was just short of term, and all signs this pregnancy say I'm going to go full term. I'll most likely be joining the pregnant, overdue & fed-up club and end up being induced 14 days late! But there are also many similarities between this pregnancy and my last and what if this one comes earlier than the last?

I'm nervous that I am working up until 2.5 weeks before due date (1 week after the time Callum was born) and even if the baby is only a few days early, that doesn't give me much time to rest before baby number 2 comes. I'm really starting to get tired now so it does concern me that I might need some rest time.

Every little twinge or tightening makes me think 'please not now, not yet'. I've packed a lot of my hospital bag now but still have a lot to sort out for it. I'm starting to think of practical things like carrying my notes with me wherever I go and even the car seat!

I have the first of 2 extra scans on Thursday so hopefully the results of that will help me relax a bit more but I guess it's no real surprise I'm dreaming lots at the moment and often having nightmares.

I keep telling myself to chill & on the surface I am but I must acknowledge that this is how I am feeling inside!