Stomach Size: 95 cm
Prepare for a rant!
My head hurts. Ever since I've been 12 weeks pregnant, I've been really suffering with headaches. I've not been one to suffer much from headaches since school unless I've had too much to drink the night before or just generally dehydrated, but now I'm getting them almost daily. I can't be dehydrated as most days I am drinking so much water - easily 3 litres. Though I'm told it is bad to drink more than 3 litres so I'm actually trying not to drink too much. I don't want to keep eating paracetamol - especially because it is useless. I'm really missing Nurofen.
What I really want is a nice head and shoulder massage but I can't afford it at the moment. I'm having my hair done this month so spending out on that. May be next month if I'm still suffering, but I hope I'm not.
I think my memory is definitely starting to go now too and Baby Brain is setting in. I went food shopping having left my purse at home. Thankfully, I noticed before going to the till but had to leave my shopping near the customer services desk while I went home to get my purse. Couldn't have happened on a worse day as there were two sets of roadworks with traffic lights between Sainsbury's and home and a journey which should have taken me 5 minutes each way took me nearly 15 minutes one way. At least I didn't have much cold or frozen food but it was a real struggle with my head hurting.
I wonder if the headaches and the losing of brain cells is related????
Well I'm going to try and have a nap to see if that eases my headache...
Monday, 31 March 2008
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
13 Weeks, 5 days
Stomach size: 93cm
Just a quick entry this time. I've started to balloon! Probably helped by the food and chocolate eaten over Easter but I'm sure there is some baby weight in there somewhere too!!! Anyway, I've taken the lead from another pregnant friend and have decided to measure my stomach (as you can see from above) and see how big I'm growing between entries. Shame I didn't measure myself at the beginning but I am sure now is a good enough place to start.
Which reminds me, talking about measuring...when I was window shopping for maternity clothes last week (which I went back and bought at the weekend) I also got my boobs measured to see if there was any change but, apparently, they haven't changed at all -not even one little size!!! How annoying! And I was counting on bigger boobs too. Well I've still got another 6 months to go so there may still be time for them to start growing. Come boobs...you can do it!
Just a quick entry this time. I've started to balloon! Probably helped by the food and chocolate eaten over Easter but I'm sure there is some baby weight in there somewhere too!!! Anyway, I've taken the lead from another pregnant friend and have decided to measure my stomach (as you can see from above) and see how big I'm growing between entries. Shame I didn't measure myself at the beginning but I am sure now is a good enough place to start.
Which reminds me, talking about measuring...when I was window shopping for maternity clothes last week (which I went back and bought at the weekend) I also got my boobs measured to see if there was any change but, apparently, they haven't changed at all -not even one little size!!! How annoying! And I was counting on bigger boobs too. Well I've still got another 6 months to go so there may still be time for them to start growing. Come boobs...you can do it!
Saturday, 22 March 2008
13 weeks, 2 days
Yay! Hip, hip hooray! I’ve finally had my scan – but I only just got to have it!!!! On Thursday, after the post was fruitless again, I decided to call the hospital again to find out the date of my scan date. It had been a week and a half since I had rung them last. Well, I rung at 11.15 and she told me that it was actually that day and would I be able to get there for 12!!! I spoke to Stuart and he was really upset that he wasn’t going to be there so he asked me to call back to see if I could push it back a bit later that day. Thankfully, they could and said to just get there as soon as we could before 4pm. We actually got there at 1pm in the end.
It was great! We could see the baby and could see it wiggling. The measurements were taken to check its size and it was perfect for the dates I had. Then it kept misbehaving when she did the Risk of Down’s Syndrome test as it wouldn’t get in the right position. I had to go and empty my bladder to see if it would move. It did in the end and the risk was really low. Apparently, it is not necessary to turn up to the first scan with a first bladder but I didn’t know that and had purposefully not been to the loo because I thought that is what I was meant to do. However, you could really tell the difference in clarity between having a full bladder and not. It was much clearer before I went to the loo.
Stuart and I were both really excited. It had been a really stressful and nervous day for Stuart so was a big relief for him to see everything was ok.
So, now we have finally told everybody and have confirmed with the parents that they can now tell people too. This means it is finally sinking in that there is really a baby in there! Quite scary now though – I’m trying not to think about it in depth too much.
Funny thing is, I’ve been waiting all this time to be able to tell people but a little part of me is sad that it is no longer our little secret. No pleasing some people is there!
Anyway, the appointment letter finally made it through the door today – confirming that it was indeed on Thursday. Good job I called, eh?
It was great! We could see the baby and could see it wiggling. The measurements were taken to check its size and it was perfect for the dates I had. Then it kept misbehaving when she did the Risk of Down’s Syndrome test as it wouldn’t get in the right position. I had to go and empty my bladder to see if it would move. It did in the end and the risk was really low. Apparently, it is not necessary to turn up to the first scan with a first bladder but I didn’t know that and had purposefully not been to the loo because I thought that is what I was meant to do. However, you could really tell the difference in clarity between having a full bladder and not. It was much clearer before I went to the loo.
Stuart and I were both really excited. It had been a really stressful and nervous day for Stuart so was a big relief for him to see everything was ok.
So, now we have finally told everybody and have confirmed with the parents that they can now tell people too. This means it is finally sinking in that there is really a baby in there! Quite scary now though – I’m trying not to think about it in depth too much.
Funny thing is, I’ve been waiting all this time to be able to tell people but a little part of me is sad that it is no longer our little secret. No pleasing some people is there!
Anyway, the appointment letter finally made it through the door today – confirming that it was indeed on Thursday. Good job I called, eh?
Friday, 14 March 2008
12 weeks, 1 day
Raaar, still no scan date. It is so frustrating that 12 weeks has been the landmark that we’ve been waiting for, the date when we expected we would be able to tell everyone and we can’t because we are still waiting for the scan date. I called the hospital on Monday who said that they would be booking the scan dates for ‘my date’ on the Tuesday so I had definitely expected to hear by now but we still haven’t.
We are so desperate to tell people that it would be easy to just say, well we are out of the danger zone now so why not but our fear now is if they notice something wrong when we have the scan. I suspect I am low risk for anything but you can never be sure. I really don’t know what we would decide to do. Such a difficult choice, how can you make one like that? Part of me feels, how can I choose to terminate a baby that could still have a really good life, but there have been a couple of programmes on TV that have talked about the huge commitment to the parents’ life it is. Not just for 18 years but for life. It feels selfish but there appears to be such little support for families. I’m probably worrying about lots of things that are never going to happen. Although, I do feel for the parents that do have to make that choice. Is every first time mum as neurotic as me???
We told Stuart’s parents on Saturday gone and, as expected, Stuart’s mum was thrilled. So lots of baby and pregnancy talk over the weekend.
Feeling very fat today but think that is just the large portion of fish and chips I’ve just consumed (though my cat did help me with half my fish!!!).
I have been asked how I feel about all the things that I was previously scared about regarding pregnancy and birth. To be honest, I’m just not thinking about it. I’m quite good at ignoring emotions and fears I don’t want to face up to. Plus, because we have been waiting for The Scan before we accept it is really happening, that has been quite easy to do. However, I think as I start to look more pregnant and the baby starts to move, that might be when the reality might set in – eeek!
I’ve just read all the entries back including one early on where Lou said I would be too tired to exercise. How right she was. I’m so glad to be able to have the energy to go swimming now - I’m really pleased with myself.
We are so desperate to tell people that it would be easy to just say, well we are out of the danger zone now so why not but our fear now is if they notice something wrong when we have the scan. I suspect I am low risk for anything but you can never be sure. I really don’t know what we would decide to do. Such a difficult choice, how can you make one like that? Part of me feels, how can I choose to terminate a baby that could still have a really good life, but there have been a couple of programmes on TV that have talked about the huge commitment to the parents’ life it is. Not just for 18 years but for life. It feels selfish but there appears to be such little support for families. I’m probably worrying about lots of things that are never going to happen. Although, I do feel for the parents that do have to make that choice. Is every first time mum as neurotic as me???
We told Stuart’s parents on Saturday gone and, as expected, Stuart’s mum was thrilled. So lots of baby and pregnancy talk over the weekend.
Feeling very fat today but think that is just the large portion of fish and chips I’ve just consumed (though my cat did help me with half my fish!!!).
I have been asked how I feel about all the things that I was previously scared about regarding pregnancy and birth. To be honest, I’m just not thinking about it. I’m quite good at ignoring emotions and fears I don’t want to face up to. Plus, because we have been waiting for The Scan before we accept it is really happening, that has been quite easy to do. However, I think as I start to look more pregnant and the baby starts to move, that might be when the reality might set in – eeek!
I’ve just read all the entries back including one early on where Lou said I would be too tired to exercise. How right she was. I’m so glad to be able to have the energy to go swimming now - I’m really pleased with myself.
Thursday, 6 March 2008
11 Weeks
Sorry, been meaning to write in this for ages but keep forgetting – maybe that is the first stage of ‘baby brain’ or may be I’m just as forgetful as ever!
In a way, lots has happened, in another, not a lot has happened.
The other weekend we went to a joint 30th Birthday party weekend in a barn in Hampshire. I had to lie to soooo many friends, it was awful. Everyone wanted to know why I wasn’t drinking and many were speculating whether I was pregnant and I had to blatantly lie to them stringing them on with a big story. I really hate having to lie to people but I have learnt from this. I wont ask anyone else I suspect of being pregnant. I will wait for them to tell me as it puts people in such a difficult position. It is so difficult to lie to people but if we went round telling everyone and then there was to be a problem at the scan or I was to lose it :o( I hope everyone will understand but it doesn’t make it easier.
In the end, two more people ended up finding out – Keith and Lisa. Keith had asked me earlier in the night and I had given him a big story about why I wasn’t drinking (which did pull on the truth, I’m sure it would have been true if I hadn’t have been pregnant if that makes sense?) but then later he came out and asked Stuart if I was pregnant. Because of the direct question, Stuart felt he had to tell him the truth. It was nice to have another couple of allies though (Lisa is pregnant too and having a much harder time than I am).
No one else found out at the party (though I am sure there are many who suspect) but, the following Friday I went to dinner with friends. It was the last get together before two of them went on maternity leave. I got the usual questions when I wasn’t drinking and thought “I can’t do this for another night, telling lots more lies” so decided to just tell them. With the theme of the conversation likely to revolve around pregnancies and babies, I was sure to slip up somewhere.
We are nearly there, though. 11 weeks. Still no scan date yet :o(
Definitely think I am starting to show a fair bit now though. Really struggling to fit in my jeans and feeling really uncomfortable. It was Mothers’ Day at the weekend and we were taking Mum and Dad out to dinner. As I didn’t have to hide my sprouting bump (or biscuit belly), I decided to wear a dress. It really looked like I was pregnant and my family couldn’t believe how big I looked and were questioning whether I could be further on than I thought. Either that, or I just take after my mother!
Anyway, that prompted me to go out looking for maternity clothes. I’m still a bit small for most the clothes but I managed to get a pair of work trousers (as I don’t fit in any of my old ones anymore) and a pair of trackie bottoms which look very chavvy but it is just so great to wear something comfortable.
I’ve also started swimming. Only been twice but it feels really good to be exercising again.
I’ve got my energy back a bit more now. I still get tired but not to the extreme I did before and I stopped feeling sick about two weeks ago which is helping loads.
I’m now just desperate for my scan date. If I’ve not heard by Monday, I’m giving someone a call!
In a way, lots has happened, in another, not a lot has happened.
The other weekend we went to a joint 30th Birthday party weekend in a barn in Hampshire. I had to lie to soooo many friends, it was awful. Everyone wanted to know why I wasn’t drinking and many were speculating whether I was pregnant and I had to blatantly lie to them stringing them on with a big story. I really hate having to lie to people but I have learnt from this. I wont ask anyone else I suspect of being pregnant. I will wait for them to tell me as it puts people in such a difficult position. It is so difficult to lie to people but if we went round telling everyone and then there was to be a problem at the scan or I was to lose it :o( I hope everyone will understand but it doesn’t make it easier.
In the end, two more people ended up finding out – Keith and Lisa. Keith had asked me earlier in the night and I had given him a big story about why I wasn’t drinking (which did pull on the truth, I’m sure it would have been true if I hadn’t have been pregnant if that makes sense?) but then later he came out and asked Stuart if I was pregnant. Because of the direct question, Stuart felt he had to tell him the truth. It was nice to have another couple of allies though (Lisa is pregnant too and having a much harder time than I am).
No one else found out at the party (though I am sure there are many who suspect) but, the following Friday I went to dinner with friends. It was the last get together before two of them went on maternity leave. I got the usual questions when I wasn’t drinking and thought “I can’t do this for another night, telling lots more lies” so decided to just tell them. With the theme of the conversation likely to revolve around pregnancies and babies, I was sure to slip up somewhere.
We are nearly there, though. 11 weeks. Still no scan date yet :o(
Definitely think I am starting to show a fair bit now though. Really struggling to fit in my jeans and feeling really uncomfortable. It was Mothers’ Day at the weekend and we were taking Mum and Dad out to dinner. As I didn’t have to hide my sprouting bump (or biscuit belly), I decided to wear a dress. It really looked like I was pregnant and my family couldn’t believe how big I looked and were questioning whether I could be further on than I thought. Either that, or I just take after my mother!
Anyway, that prompted me to go out looking for maternity clothes. I’m still a bit small for most the clothes but I managed to get a pair of work trousers (as I don’t fit in any of my old ones anymore) and a pair of trackie bottoms which look very chavvy but it is just so great to wear something comfortable.
I’ve also started swimming. Only been twice but it feels really good to be exercising again.
I’ve got my energy back a bit more now. I still get tired but not to the extreme I did before and I stopped feeling sick about two weeks ago which is helping loads.
I’m now just desperate for my scan date. If I’ve not heard by Monday, I’m giving someone a call!
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!!!
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.
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.
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