Pregnancy - 40 week update

This update is a little late as, last Wednesday on my due date at 5:30 am my waters broke!  It will also therefore be a bit of a messy update but I'm doing it for completeness.  We are enjoying adapting to our new life as a family and there will be a birth story and pictures in my next post.

How far along?  40 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a pumpkin (or a red panda).

Total weight gain/loss?  I'm going to guess I ended at around 65 kg (with my waters breaking I didn't weigh myself at 40 weeks) so that would be a total weight gain of 6.5 kg (just over a stone).

Waist? I didn't get to measure my waist either but I'm pretty sure it hadn't grown much from the week before.

Stretchmarks?  None whatsoever, which I am very proud of and thankful for.

Maternity clothes?  Exactly the same as before - I spent the last week in my leggings and stretchy t-shirts.

Sleep?  A bit broken over the last few nights but not too horrendous.

Best moment this week?  We went out for a lovely walk to our local park at the weekend, it's been great staying so active until the end and it was a nice day out as just the two of us.

Movement?  Still plenty, still mostly at night.  Lots of hiccups!

Food cravings?  Nothing in particular.

Food aversions?  Nothing really.

Gender?   Just that very strong feeling that it's a girl.

Labour signs?  A few crampy period pains overnight for the last few nights - I went for a really long walk yesterday and we had sex last night so maybe something will start (obviously it did).

Pregnancy symptoms?  Heartburn is still in full swing, as is the backache.

Belly button in or out?  Still just flat.

What I miss?  I'm starting to miss being able to curl up comfortably in bed and the closeness with ALS.  We've not cuddled in weeks because I'm surrounded by pillows all the time. 

What I am looking forward to?  Meeting my little one - 2 weeks maximum wait now!

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I am due to see the midwife again today and  I have a sweep booked with the Consultant on 6th November (40+5) if Pip hasn't made an appearance by then.  

 Weekly wisdom?  Enjoy your last few days of relaxation, any one could be your last day pre-parenthood so make the most of it before the biggest adventure of your life starts! 

Milestones?  Due date today!

Bump picture: 

This ended up as my last bump picture and was actually taken very early in the morning after my waters had gone.  My bump actually looks a really different shape - the photo wasn't taken very well as I was half asleep and a bit overexcited!

Pregnancy - 39 week update

How far along?  39 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a mini watermelon (or an American short-haired cat)  - around 50.7 cm and 3.3 kg (7.2 lb).

Total weight gain/loss?  I'm 64.7 kg today so no real gain or loss over the last couple of weeks.  I've heard it's not unusual for your weight to plateau around the end so I'm not really expecting much change. 

Waist? 36 inches so no change again (possibly creeping up to 36.5).  I'm pretty sure the baby is getting bigger by the week but my body is refusing to expand any further, which is rather annoying because it's getting pretty cramped in there.

Stretchmarks?  Still none - I can't believe how lucky I've been.

Maternity clothes?  Still loving the leggings!

Sleep?  I'm getting a good solid 4-5 hours between around 2am and 6-7am most nights but prior to that I'm up and down a lot peeing or trying to get comfy.  I tend to doze til around 9am but I'm trying not to lie in any later than that.

Best moment this week?  We had a lovely day on Saturday meeting my friend's baby for the first time and then visiting more friends for dinner and pumpkin carving.  It's nice to still have the chance to get out and socialise this late on!

Movement?  Still plenty - most nights he/she goes crazy when I'm trying to sleep.

Food cravings?  I'm back on the coleslaw again... just enjoyed a lovely jacket potato with cheese and coleslaw.

Food aversions?  Nothing but I'm still feeling quite nauseous on and off.  Last Thursday I couldn't keep anything down all morning and my stomach has been upset since - all normal I understand towards the end.

Gender?   The general consensus is still that it's a girl - not long until we find out now.

Labour signs?  I've had an upset stomach on and off for weeks now which people keep telling me could be a sign that things are imminent but I'm not taking it to mean anything.  I've still had no real signs at all.   We had sex last night and I wondered if that might start anything but other than some crampy pains on and off overnight (more like a constant period pain than anything else) it didn't have any effect.

Pregnancy symptoms?  The heartburn has been horrendous for the last few days and my sciatica is worsening by the day, although bouncing around on the exercise ball has helped a lot with this.  

Belly button in or out?  Kind of flat.  I'm wondering if it'll fully pop out at any point or not.

What I miss?  I'm missing work a little bit already - I've only been off work for 2 weeks but I'm starting to get a bit impatient for baby to arrive and keep me busy!

What I am looking forward to?  Halloween!  It's my second favourite holiday (after Christmas) and, although we won't be doing a lot this year because we didn't want to make plans and have to cancel them, we are going over to my sister-in-law's for movies and stuff so I'm looking forward to it.

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I see the midwife again on 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.  The Health Visitor also came round today to introduce herself which was nice, although a little unnecessary if I'm honest.

 Weekly wisdom?  You'll never feel ready!  I've been desperate to have a baby since I was a teenager, we've planned this for a long time and with the IVF it's definitely been a long time coming.  Then I've had the last 9 months to prepare myself but I'm still starting to get a little nervous about the fact that there will soon be a tiny human who is entirely dependent upon us.

Milestones?  Being physically ready for baby.  The nursery is ready, the house is clean, our bedroom is ready, the changing/feeding stations are ready, the hospital bags are packed, the freezer is packed with meals, we've made arrangements for the cats and we generally couldn't get more more prepared now.

Bump picture: 

My bump seems to flit weekly from quite round to quite defined but it doesn't really seem to be getting much bigger.

Here's a little picture of our pumpkin family, just for fun.  I'm very attached to our little Pip Pumpkin!

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 - 35 week update

How far along?  35 weeks

How big is baby?  The size of a honeydew melon (or a mini-lop rabbit)  - around 46.2 cm and 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) - although according to our scan he/she is a bit bigger than this!

Total weight gain/loss?  64.1 kg today (working again so weighing at a different time to usual).  That's 1.3 kg on since last week but only about 0.6 kg from the week before so maybe last week's dip was just an anomaly.  

Waist?  Not measured this week because ALS stole my tape measure for work again!

Stretchmarks?  No new ones - the Consultant even commented on the fact that I'd not developed any marks!

Maternity clothes?  Same as before.

Sleep?  I'm really struggling with sleep - comfort is hard as baby's feet are in my ribs and I'm having to go to the toilet up to 20 times a night (no exaggeration) because it's headbutting my bladder.  I could do with a nice nap in the middle of the day - roll on maternity leave!

Best moment this week?  Seeing our little monster wriggling around on the scan.

Movement?  Lots - I've noticed baby having hiccups for the first time this week as well.  It's had them every day since the weekend.  It also keeps sticking a foot out in my right hand side which is both weird and cool!

Food cravings?  Nothing really this week.

Food aversions?  Nothing, although I've felt quite nauseous on and off this week.

Gender?   Still no real clue.

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

Pregnancy symptoms?  Pretty much all of them - I'm just about getting to the point now where I drop something on the floor and spend time considering whether I actually need it any more because picking it up is just hard work haha.

Belly button in or out?  In.  

What I miss?  Being able to fasten my shoelaces without having to be a contortionist - at least I can still do it myself though!

What I am looking forward to?  Getting the garden turfed!  My dad is coming over this weekend to help us, we've ordered the top soil and turf and hired all the tools we need - then we will finally have a garden.

Upcoming appointments/scans?  I see the midwife again next Wednesday (4th October) and 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.  No more scans now, the next time we see our baby will be when it's born!

 Weekly wisdom?  Don't underestimate how hard it gets towards the end at work.  Whilst I'm still coping pretty well and managing to exercise plenty, trying to sit at my desk for 10 hours a day is becoming really, really hard.  I was off work last week on holiday and going back over the last few days has been really hard work.  It sounds daft but sitting too much is the worst.  Getting comfortable at my desk is impossible so I've just been walking around often and counting down the days - only 2 more weeks to go! 

Milestones?  I don't think we've hit anything in particular this week - for some reason 35 weeks pregnant seems SO much further along than 34 weeks.  It's getting very real.

Bump picture: 

It may just be how I'm standing or how my clothes are positioned but it definitely looks to me like my bump has dropped down a bit this week.  I was hoping that would give some relief from my rib pain but clearly it's not dropped enough yet!