Pregnancy - 38 week update

How far along?  38 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a leek (or a Pomeranian)  - around 489.8 cm and 3 kg (6.8 lb).

Total weight gain/loss?  I'm 65.5 kg today - my weight is fluctuating quite a bit.  I weighed myself yesterday by mistake thinking it was Wednesday and I was 64.6 kg so thought I'd lost quite a bit.  I seem to have stayed relatively the same as last week.  

Waist? 36 inches so no increase again.  Baby seems to be getting bigger and squashing more of my insides but my body doesn't seem to be willing to expand to accommodate it.

Stretchmarks?  Still no - I'm hoping this means I've escaped but I could still have another 4 weeks to go so I won't count my chickens just yet.

Maternity clothes?  Same as last week, although most of my comfy PJs are getting a little snug and I'm having to wear summer PJs even though it's getting colder.

Sleep?  I have had some horrendous nights and some not so bad ones.  Getting to sleep is hard because my brain is working overtime and then I'm constantly waking up with pain in my ribs, pain in my back or needing to pee.  Being off work has been a godsend because I've managed to have a couple of naps on days where I've slept really badly.

Best moment this week?  Getting really organised - I've started making freezer meals ready for when Pip is here, I've given the inside of my car a good clean (it's been filthy from carting around all the garden tools and rubbish), I've started reorganising the kitchen and I've made a good start on my Christmas shopping too.

Movement?  Lots, although it's quite obvious that Pip is running out of room.

Food cravings?  Munchies!  I'm also still really enjoying broccoli, which is a wonderfully healthy craving to have.

Food aversions?  Nothing but I'm still feeling quite nauseous on and off.

Gender?   I'm way too excited to find out now... I keep seeing the most adorable little Christmas outfits and can't wait to get one. 

Labour signs?  I've had a few little pains in my groin and, as confirmed by the midwife today, Pip is now 3/5 engaged.  That's it though - still no loss of mucous plug, no Braxton Hicks or anything else exciting.  My bump also hasn't dropped but I don't think it will to be honest.

Pregnancy symptoms?  I thought with Pip being lower I would get some relief from heartburn and rib pain but they've both been out in full force this week.  My sciatica has been really bad, again down to Pip being lower down, as well this week.  In general I'm still rather enjoying pregnancy though.

Belly button in or out?  In - although it is starting to flatten out a little bit.  I'm wondering if it'll fully pop out at any point or not.

What I miss?  I'm not missing much because I'm still doing everything I was doing before I was pregnant - I even did a bootcamp class at the gym this week!  Due to my lack of sleep a little caffeine wouldn't go amiss though.

What I am looking forward to?  We are going to see one of my best friends on Saturday - she gave birth to her second child on Monday (a little boy weighing 7lb 3oz) so I can't wait for snuggles.  I've been counting down my pregnancy by counting down all of my pregnant friends having their children and she was the last one so I guess it really is my turn next!

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I saw the midwife this morning and now I don't see her again until my due date.  I have a sweep booked with the Consultant on 6th November (40+5) if Pip hasn't made an appearance by then.

 Weekly wisdom?  Keep yourself busy during your maternity leave!  Within 2 days I was bored.  I'm trying to take it relatively easy so I'm giving myself a few things to do each day and resting in between, just having things to focus on is really helping me not to get too bogged down being impatient for Pip's arrival.

Milestones?  Baby being engaged... that's about as much as I can come up with today.

Bump picture: 

Bump is still sitting nice and high - the rib pain has been excruciating today despite the fact that baby's head is engaged.  I'm guessing it's because I have such a short torso that his/her feet are still stuck up in my ribs even though the head is so low.

Pregnancy - 37 week update

How far along?  37 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a Swiss chard (or a striped skunk)  - around 48.6 cm and  2.9 kg (6.3 lb).

Total weight gain/loss?  I'm 65.6 kg today - gained just over a stone in all  (7.1 kg) which is not bad at all when you consider almost half of that will be baby, then there's the placenta, extra blood volume and fluid to take into consideration.  

Waist?  36 inches so no change this week.

Stretchmarks?  Still surprisingly not, although as you can see from the picture below my old ones are showing up a little more!

Maternity clothes?  Just living in leggings and long tops for the next few weeks until baby arrives now... with a healthy amount of PJ time!

Sleep?  I have managed to sleep a little better this week - sometimes getting a whole 4 hours in between bathroom trips!

Best moment this week?  Finishing work - as of yesterday I am now a lady of leisure until Pip arrives.

Movement?  Still plenty - some of which can be quite painful now, especially when the kicks are directed at my ribs.  I'm pretty convinced that if I'm still pregnant in another 4 weeks then Pip may actually just kick/punch it's way out like something out of Alien!

Food cravings?  Cereal... without milk.

Food aversions?  Nothing but my appetite is still down.

Gender?   Generally still feeling like it's a girl but it's all guesswork. 

Labour signs?  Nothing at all and Pip is still very high.  I'm going to spend plenty of time on my exercise ball this week to try and get him/her to drop down a little bit, even if just to give my poor ribs some relief.

Pregnancy symptoms?  I spoke to soon last week - on Thursday and Friday I had horrendous swelling in my feet, ankles and lower legs.  With an increase in fluid, moving around at work more and plenty of gentle exercise I've managed to get it to go back down though fortunately.

Belly button in or out?  In - although it is starting to flatten out a little bit.  

What I miss?  I'm not missing anything at the moment although I was thinking last night about how I'm going to miss the gym once baby is here.  I know I can still work out at home but I won't really be able to get back to powerlifting as there'll be nobody to have baby (I could go to the gym alone and leave it with ALS but when I'm doing heavy lifts I like to have him there).  I've missing training with ALS whilst I've been pregnant but that's been due to me doing different exercise (more classes) and his busy work schedule so I guess things would have changed anyway with his new job even if I'd not been pregnant.

What I am looking forward to?  Getting the house completely ready and nesting like mad for the next week or so!

Upcoming appointments/scans?  Midwife next week (18th October) and then again on my due date (1st November).  Booked in for a sweep with the Consultant on 6th November if there's no sign of Pip.

 Weekly wisdom?  Sitting too long causes swollen feet/ankles... so does walking or standing too long.  Keep moving but with plenty of rest too and lots and lots of fluids.  It sounds daft that more fluid prevents fluid retention but it's true!

Milestones?  Reaching full term today!!

Bump picture: 

I think it looks quite a bit bigger this week - if it's possible it feels like it's getting higher!  I'm guessing that's just baby growing and not having dropped down yet.  Shout out to my white sheet for emphasising just how pale I am.

Pregnancy - 36 week update

How far along?  36 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a romaine lettuce (or a chihuahua)  - around 47.4 cm and 2.6 kg (5.7 lb).

Total weight gain/loss?  64.9 kg today - another oddly timed weight measurement but I would say this is probably about right.  It means I've put on a total of a stone so far from my weight at 4 weeks pregnant.

Waist?  36 inches which is quite a significant increase, but I could have told you that without measuring it just from how I feel and how my clothes are fitting.

Stretchmarks?  No but I'm increasing in size quite rapidly so I'm in the danger zone.

Maternity clothes?  Same as before.

Sleep?  I have been quite uncomfortable in bed this week but with the aid of a lot of pillows I've managed to sleep relatively well.

Best moment this week?  Finally having a garden!

Movement?  Plenty, although it's obvious that little Pip is running out of room in there.  The movements feel like he/she is trying to stretch out without really having the space, some of them have even hurt a little.

Food cravings?  I really fancy KFC at the moment and have done for a week or so now, maybe I'll treat myself at some point.

Food aversions?  Nothing, just generally still quite nauseous with a variable appetite.

Gender?   Still no real idea.

Labour signs?  Nothing at all - I'm starting to wish I'd at least had a few Braxton Hicks, just so I can get a bit of an idea what very early labour might feel like.

Pregnancy symptoms?  Pretty much still going through the lot - fortunately I haven't had much swelling though and I've still got my wedding ring on.

Belly button in or out?  In - although it is starting to flatten out a little bit.  

What I miss?  Being able to curl up.  I'm used to sleeping in the foetal position but as my ever-growing bump is where I'd like to tuck my legs (and curling up gives me horrendous heartburn) this is a thing of the past.  I'm looking forward to being able to lie comfortably once Pip arrives.

What I am looking forward to?  Finishing work!  It's my last day on Tuesday next week so I only have 4 working days to go.  I'm definitely getting ready for finishing so I think I picked a good time.

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I saw the midwife today and all was fine.  I see her again in 2 weeks then again on my due date.  I always thought you went every week towards the end but she seems happy with fortnightly visits.  I won't actually see her again as she's on holiday for my next 2 appointments and then 4d my Consultant has booked me in for a sweep on 6th November (after my due date) if I haven't had a baby by then.  So the next time I see my own midwife will likely be when she comes to visit me at home after Pip is born.  No more scans now, the next time we see our baby will be when it's born!

 Weekly wisdom?  Listen to your body BUT don't always expect it to be right.  After some overtime this morning and my midwife appointment this afternoon I was planning on going swimming when ALS went back to work at teatime.  I made the fatal mistake of lying down for a bit and decided that I'd stay home and have a nap instead.  I've woken up from this nap feeling absolutely shocking!  I can't say I ever feel worse for exercising so I think the swim would have definitely been the better choice.  I may be sickening for something though as I keep going cold and shivery and my nose is running constantly.

Milestones?  We are now into the final 4 weeks (hopefully) and my toes have well and truly disappeared!

Bump picture: 

Sometimes I find it incredibly hard to comprehend the fact that there's a whole, albeit small, human inside there!  It's such a miracle and I'm so in love with my own body for what it's doing.

Pregnancy - 34 week update

How far along?  34 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a cantaloupe (or a quokka)  - around 45 cm and 2.1 kg (4.7 lb)!

Total weight gain/loss?  62.8 kg on the scales this morning which is actually a 0.5 kg (1 lb) down from last week.  I'm trying not to be concerned about this but my bump doesn't look like it has grown much either - very glad we have a scan in under a week!

Waist?  34.5 inches so another increase, which reassures me a bit regarding the above.

Stretchmarks?  No new ones - although I think I may have a couple just starting to show up, they only seem to be visible at certain times though.

Maternity clothes?  I'm off work on annual leave this week so living in my leggings - SO comfortable.

Sleep?  I've not had a lot of sleep this week due to difficulty getting comfortable but, as I've been off work, I've been able to have lie ins which has helped.

Best moment this week?  Spending some quality time with my sister-in-law and nephew yesterday.  He's 3 months old now and 9 lb 4 oz - the thought of giving birth to something that size was a little terrifying when I held him yesterday so hopefully Pip will be a little bit smaller.  Judging by the size of me and my bump, I'd be very surprised if Pip ended up being that big though!

Movement?  Lots, I'm noticing a lot more overnight now too.  A lot of the movements are right on my right-hand side and there's often something large and hard sticking out there (I'm guessing a head or a bum) so I think baby is lying sideways at the moment.  If Pip isn't head down by my scan on Monday it'll be all systems go to try and get him/her to shift round.

Food cravings?  Broccoli... how odd.

Food aversions?  Baked beans - I've been eating them since my craving last week but as of last night they're no longer appealing, I think it's the texture.

Gender?   Still thinking it's a girl but no real clue.

Labour signs?  Nothing at all and I'm happy to keep it that way for at least another 3 or 4 weeks.

Pregnancy symptoms?  Pretty much all of them - I'm just embracing it at the moment.

Belly button in or out?  In.  

What I miss?  I really fancied a cocktail the other night, but it passed pretty quickly!

What I am looking forward to?  I have my first antenatal class tonight!  I'll do a post dedicated to that a bit a later in the week once I've been but I'm looking forward to it.

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I have a scan and Consultant appointment on Monday (25th Sept) and then see the midwife again in 2 weeks on 4th October.

 Weekly wisdom?  Ask about your antenatal classes early!  My midwife didn't give me the form to fill in to book onto them until I was 25 weeks and said form should have been returned by 24 weeks.  We ended up being put on classes for 4th/11th October which would make me 36/37 weeks and I thought this was a little late personally but accepted it.  Yesterday they rang me to say there aren't enough people booked on so we'd have to move to the next block, which would have been 25th Oct/1st Nov which would be at 39 weeks and on my actual due date!  I told them this and they've squeezed me on ones tonight and next Wednesday.  However, due to the short notice, ALS can't make the one tonight because he has clients booked in.  I'm taking my mother-in-law instead, which she's excited about and she'll be great support for me, but as it's the one about labour/delivery tonight I think it would have really benefited ALS.  I've done a LOT of reading so I already have answers to all my questions, whereas he was mostly relying on the classes for his information - I shall have to make notes!

Milestones?  Nothing specific this week although we are at a point now where, if Pip decided to make an early appearance, providing there were no other complications, he/she would have around a 99% chance of survival!

Bump picture: 

I thought I'd add a shot from the front as well - I can't believe I still have a waist at 34 weeks pregnant!  I've not been trying to keep my weight down but I guess the regular exercise to keep myself fit and healthy has done that for me.

Pregnancy - 30 week update

How far along?  30 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a cabbage (or a platypus)  - around 39.9 cm and 1.3 kg (2.9 lb)!

Total weight gain/loss?  61.5 kg today - another tiny increase.  I'm pretty happy with the steady increases and Pip is definitely getting bigger and stronger all the time if the movements this week have been anything to go by.

Waist?  33.5 inches.

Stretchmarks?  No new ones.

Maternity clothes?  I've bought myself some leggings in a bigger size and a few stretchy t-shirts from Primark for casual wear and a lovely lady at work gave me a couple of maternity tops that she had for work so I'm well kitted out now.  I'm mostly living in leggings and dresses.  I have my maternity skirt for work but I'm still in normal tops most of the time.

Sleep?  Sleep has been a bit poor this week.  My bump is starting to pull me forwards so I've been trying to wedge a rolled up towel or pillow under myself to support it.  Between that and the pillow between my legs to ease my sciatica, I then find within a couple of hours I've really overheated.  That being said I don't feel too bad so I'm dealing with it, it's just preparing me for Pip being born I guess!

Best moment this week?  Catching up with our friends who have just come back from New Zealand after not seeing them for almost a year!

Movement?  There are some very strong kicks and a lot of wiggles and rolls (some of which make me feel quite nauseous).  It's very nice being able to watch my stomach moving, it's like having a little alien in there.  Pip is very active in a morning for a good few hours after work and I've put this down to drinking Lucozade with breakfast!

Food cravings?  Nothing in particular.

Food aversions?  Nothing.  

Gender?   We still think it's a girl, everybody is of a similar opinion aside from 1 or 2 people who are sticking with it being a boy.  I'm SO excited to find out!

Labour signs?  Nothing at all - I keep having a bit of an upset stomach which I keep seeing can be an early sign of labour but I'm mostly putting it down to Pip squashing all my organs!

Pregnancy symptoms?  All of them!  I'm still not waddling yet though so that's something.

Belly button in or out?  In.  

What I miss?  Having money to spare!  We have pretty much everything we need for Pip now but there are still a few little bits I'd like to get.  However, due to ALS having been off work for a couple of months due to a fire in his workplace and me having a really expensive month with my car I don't feel able to finish the baby shopping until at least next month.

What I am looking forward to?  Meeting my baby!  I know I still have a while to go yet (and I definitely don't want Pip to show up for a while yet) but just knowing that in an absolute maximum of 12 weeks I will be a mother is such an amazing feeling and it's starting to feel very real.

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I saw the midwife this afternoon and I see her again in 3 weeks (13th Sept).  I have my next scan and Consultant appointment on 25th Sept.

 Weekly wisdom?  Don't go shopping alone!  Every time I head into a shop I end up having to fight with myself to prevent buying extra baby things that I don't need.  When Ant is there, I don't have the same desire because I know he'd tell me to stop it and we just look at the practical things together and buy what we actually need.

Milestones?  I'm 30 weeks today which is 3/4 of the way through!  Hitting the 30s feels like a really big milestone for me and I'm liable to start counting backwards from here and counting how many weeks I have left rather than how many weeks I've done.

Bump picture: 

I took my bump photo in the light today so it's a better image (as you can see from the background I've been sorting out baby stuff too).  Bump is getting bugger every week - it's measuring 3 weeks behind but the midwife isn't concerned as baby was measuring fine on the scan so clearly I'm just not carrying much extra fat/water.

Pregnancy - 26 week update

How far along?  26 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a red cabbage (or a slow loris) - around 35.6 cm and 760 g (1.7 lb)!

Total weight gain/loss?  59.8 kg so no change from last week.  I didn't expect much of a change to be honest as I ate like a pig last week and have tried to eat more healthy this week so I think the weight gain has just spread over a couple of weeks.

Waist?  32.5 inches - a whole inch on!  I actually measured myself on Sunday night as well (when it was also 32.5 inches) because I thought I looked huge after eating a giant bowl of spaghetti bolognese and a Kinder Bueno ice cream sundae so I thought it might be around 32 by today now I'm less stuffed, clearly I've expanded and stayed expanded!

Stretchmarks?  No new ones.

Maternity clothes?  Just the couple of bits I have for work - primarily the skirt because my trousers don't fit.  I'm still in my normal clothes around the house, accompanied by leggings.

Sleep?  It's been a bit hit and miss but nothing too bad.

Best moment this week?  Getting the wardrobe up in the nursery and getting the shed up in the garden - the house is really starting to come together now!

Movement?  Plenty :)

Food cravings?  I just want chocolate ALL the time.

Food aversions?  Nothing.  

Gender?   Still no idea.

Labour signs?  Definitely not - not even Braxton Hicks.

Pregnancy symptoms?  I've had a lot of trouble with sciatica this last few days but I expected it as I struggled with it pre-pregnancy too.

Belly button in or out?  In.  

What I miss?  Being financially comfortable... due to a fire at his workplace ALS has been effectively unemployed for 6 weeks with very little pay (he's essentially self-employed so isn't covered by the company).  We have also had a car written off and had to get a new one and have a lot of expense at the moment due to various annual bills (like car tax) all falling at the same time.  We're far from destitute but I'm having to be very careful not to buy anything else for the baby until ALS is back at work and earning properly again (fortunately he's back on 1st August), which is frustrating when I just want to get everything in place.

What I am looking forward to?  My best friend, who is coordinating a baby shower for me, is coming over this weekend to discuss it and get everything finalised.  It'll be lovely to see her and obviously a baby shower is a very exciting prospect!

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I have another growth scan and appointment with the Consultant on 14th August and then I'm back at the midwife on 23rd August.

Weekly wisdom?  Know when to remove yourself from a situation.  My mum's mental health has deteriorated and I've had to be on hand to support my grandparents a lot in the last week.  However, I have taken great care to remove myself from the situation (even if only for a few minutes) if I've felt myself getting stressed or wound up.  I've noticed that when I'm around my mother, Pip doesn't move at all, which makes me very sad as it's his/her grandmother but at the same time it's also a giant warning sign for me to not be under that stress too much.  There's a fine line between helping her and taking care of my baby but I think I'm managing it quite well - she's actually been admitted to hospital in the last few days so that's a big relief for me as I know she's safe BUT she's over 120 miles away so I'm not really able to visit.

Milestones?  For some reason I didn't change this last week and left it as viability from the week before BUT it's a big milestone so I'm not concerned!  This week I've started to really notice a pattern to baby's movements and it's lovely waking up every morning to feel him/her wriggling around as soon as I start my day.

Bump picture: 

My bump is still looking pretty tiny - I'm filling out in general and I've noticed my waistline getting wider as well as more towards the front so that's probably why it doesn't look as big.  Also, compared to other women I've seen my bump starts very low down - there's still a distinctive dip in at the top of my bump whereas most women seem to start right under their boobs by this stage.  Just waiting for that bit to pop out so I start looking pregnant and stop looking fat! :D