Baby Jake, born 26th June 2008

My pregnancy blog:

Thursday 17th January 2008
My first entry! I am 17 weeks pregnant!! I have had two scans - 1 early at 8 weeks and 1 at 12, I heard the babies heartbeat at the midwifes on Tuesday - 150 BPM! Sooo would I be right in thinking this indicates carrying a girl??! I am convinced I am having a girl although Robert believes we are having a boy.. I have had no sickness, I have dull hair and skin, I have gained a large bump and my hips and waist have thickened so much that by 12 weeks I had most buttons on my jeans undone! However, I may be wrong and excitingly we only have 3.5 weeks until we find out!! Mad, but at the moment this is my main point of thinking - boy or girl! Suppose it detracts from labour worries! Thought I might have felt the 'popping' sensation of baby yesterday but not felt since:-( Really excited about feeling those first few movements!!

Friday 18th January 2008
Not sure if the 'popping' was baby or hunger pangs now!! Haven't felt it since so perhaps hunger, starting to feel hungrier at certain times of the day now and have a constant thirst that lollies seem to quench - especially lemonade ones, I can't get enough of the citrus thing at the moment! Enjoying my pregnancy so far, I've grown so big that it's nice to be actually recognised as pregnant now rather than as putting on weight!!

Sunday 20th January 2008
Popping not really happened for the past two days - so it possibly was hunger pangs!
Heard people can hear the babies heartbeat through a toilet roll when pressed to the bump, my little sister tried this and thought she could hear the baby although my mum and brother weren't sure if it was heartbeat or their movement on the roll! My friend has a doppler which is great but think i might worry too much if I couldn't hear heartbeat one time..
When out yesterday somebody asked my friend if I was having twins when she heard I was only 4 months!! Have grown loads but bump is looking good if slightly overdeveloped for my stage - have put on a stone at least - it must be all the lemon lollies!!
Took the Chinese gender chest and it indicated a boy I know this is one wives tale that a lot of people believe works but we'll see...! I like all this guessing.

Thursday 24th January 2008
Have felt the baby move!! She/he makes little bubbling and gurgling movements in me late at night when I try to get to sleep - Little minx like daddy! It's a great feeling and when I realised what it was I felt shocked as I have been feeling this for a little while now at night and mistaking it for wind!
One of my friends found out on Tuesday that she is having a girl - ahhhhh.... all of our friends have said this now means I am having a boy - er hello, no it doesn't!! ha... Think everyone was sure she was having a boy that it made them think I must be having one as they were sure she would have a boy and I a girl! So.. bessy friends or boyf and girlf?!

Sunday 2nd February
Almost at the half-way mark - we enter week 20 tomorrow!! Feeling like my body is changing really quickly - I'm sure my socks are now tight round my ankles - they must be swelling already!! I can't believe it - they are my best feature!! Can no longer walk too far without stopping now - keep getting a bad stitch lower left side I feel like an old woman!! But on the other hand I am loving being noticeably pregnant and feeling my baby turning mini somersaults now - daddy still can't feel but then again movements only happen once and catch me by surprise each time - felt baby move when I was walking today for the first time - it's usually when i'm sitting or lying down! Looked at prams this week - so much choice! Wont buy until after scan but was nice to get an idea of what we like - can't wait to start buying, feel like I am sitting on my hands - I don't know how I have managed to control myself!! Only a week and a bit to go until scan... really excited to see bean again but starting to feel nervous about everything being ok, felt this way before 3 month scan too - hurry up 12th Feb!!!

Tuesday 12th February
Scan day is here! In 2 hours time I will be in the hands of the sonographer - feeling nervous and excited at the same time - can't wait to see our baby again it feels like 12 weeks was ages ago! Am crossing everything that all is well with our little bean - she has been moving around loads recently and I felt a proper kick on friday and again last night - when I called Robert to feel she/he stopped!!

Well we had the scan today and IT'S A BOY!!! It was so emotional! I couldn't believe how much we could see. Unfortunately he wouldn't show the sonographer his whole heart so although she said everything appeared fine we have to go back on Monday for her to check properly... Everything else was in perfect working condition and we saw him sucking his thumb and moving his hands and arms about... I couldn't believe it when she said boy - feel really emotional still - it was amazing to see him again and so developed - roll on June!!!

Our beautiful baby boy at 5 months - sucking his thumb... x

Thursday 21st February = 22 weeks
We had the second scan on Monday and all fine with our little man - we saw his heart straight-away and I also got her to have a quick peek again to confirm he was definitely a boy!! (Everyone keeps saying 'what if they are wrong'!) We saw testicles this time - of course that made me cry again too! I have turned really emotional all of a sudden - anything good that I read makes me bawl!! Daddy felt Junior move on valentines night for the first time! He has been giving a few big kicks of late and when we were in bed that night he felt him - the best valentines day present ever!! I had the doctors check this week too - was supposed to be my 25 week one but they booked at 22 weeks by accident! Anyway doctor confirmed that I am large for my stage - I knew I was at everyones reaction.. tried to explain that I wasn't eating for 2 as such and had been pretty good with food but he told me I must be sneaking in extra calories somewhere and that I can be carrying lot's of water! Anyway, am keeping a food diary at the moment so I can see where these extra calories are coming from!! Luckily I am mostly bump but have noticed the tops of my legs and arms are starting to get bigger now.. I don't mind growing so much as it's all extra protection for bubs!! Junior is having a quiet day today - I find he moves most in the morning at work and then at night - he hasn't really moved this morning which gets me nervous but I am sure he will over-compensate tonight by having a good old kick! I am still amazed at how this feels - my little sister also felt him last night - it's so nice to share!

Saturday 1 March - 23 weeks
We went to the baby show in London today and bought everything!! We have now got Juniors pram, car seat and moses basket. We got some nursery bits like cot, changing cupboard and a rocking chair for feeding - it is so comfortable we went back a second time just for a rest! We have asked for everything to be delivered in April, hopefully towards the end so the nursery will be decorated and ready for his new bits.. got some cute smaller bits like a baby towel poncho and cow print snuggle rug, definitely worth a visit for expecting mums, everything under one roof! Had a great day shopping just for Junior, so pleased we are almost there - can't wait to get it all out and in his nursery now. Junior had a quiet day today with all the walking soothing him to sleep but when we got back and relaxed he had a mental 5 minutes of kicking - kicking seems to be on the other side now so maybe he has moved position? So tired after all the walking and had a work do last night so was out late, can't believe how tired my body gets - it's screaming for my bed right now and it's early on Saturday night, 6 months ago I wouldn't even be in now!

Monday 17th March - 26 weeks today!
So, I finally feel as though we are getting there!! 6.5 months and almost in that third trimester, yay! All is going well with the pregnancy, am getting the usual ailments like cankles (no ankles!!) at night sometimes and am increasingly getting bigger - I am still having the twins comment and the your are massssssive comment all the time - why do people think they can say what they want to a pregnant person? We have feelings!!! But am loving my bump, I'm getting a seat on the bus now most mornings so that's got to be a bonus! Junior is doing really well, he kicks a lot in my right side although when we put our hands on him to feel he stops, I think he likes our touch, we have the midwife in a week so I am hoping she will be able to feel how well he is doing regarding size and development - can't believe we have no more scans in which to see him but feeling him kick is enough.

Tuesday 25th March - 27 weeks
Had a midwife appointment today - she told me I am not big for my stage!! She said I was a normal size and so was Junior - she couldn't tell his weight yet it's too early for that but he is measuring just fine and heartbeat is good, he was feet down which I kinda guessed as I have needed the toilet loads today and can feel him dancing on my bladder! So to everybody that says I am massive - NO I AM NOT!! Haaa...
On another note they have referred me to an anesthetist who needs to check out my back as I have a history of a bulging disc, I have had no trouble with this since being pregnant but she said it may affect me if I want an epidural (No I don't WANT one but you don't know what's going to happen) she also said because of this I may not be allowed to use the active birth centre that I had hoped to give birth naturally in but only the anesthetist can decide this so fingers crossed he finds my back in a good condition!
Junior is still doing well, he has active days and not so active ones - just like his parents: likes to party and then relax for a day after! Although, Mummy has been living the life of a saint recently - my pyjamas have become my staple outfit - poor daddy!! ha..

Wednesday 23rd April - 31 weeks
Well all going well still, had a doctors appointment yesterday, Junior is now head down and will stay that way so very pleased he is starting to get ready!
So, after saying I had, had no problem with my bulging disc it went last week, was in pain and bed for 5 days, could hardly walk and couldn't take anything it was awful I really started to worry about labour and what would happen if my back went whilst i was in it, doctor reassured me yesterday that apart from being in intense pain I would do no lasting damage so I have to be happy with that!
We are underway with the nursery now and almost ready for his arrival! Am hoping he wont keep us waiting too long and will come on time if not a little early to suprise us but I don't hold out much hope of that happening!!
Getting bigger and bigger with every day now, just had another growth spurt and needed new clothes once again, starting to feel really heavy now and tired in the evenings and think my first trimester hormones are back oh and stretch marks have started to appear - thought I was one of the lucky ones, unfortunately not!

Friday 9th May - 33 weeks
So, am almost getting there!! Am finding this final trimester the hardest time by far, I have had a great pregnancy so far but am starting to get the ailments you hear about; cankles, sore hips, leg cramps, heaviness, overheating... But on the plus side I am feeling and seeing Junior loads - he is kicking out and showing me various body parts, feel bad that I never know what they are but he has shown me how strong he is - gone are the ideas of an average 7-8lber... my boy is going to big! Don't have the midwife for another week and a half so will be interested to see what she says, up until now he has been reported as average but I am sure he has grown loads recently as has his mummy, I am really out front now and weight gain is huge! Junior is head down now but not engaged as far as I know - been having slight low down pains so think he may be trying to get in position. We have our birth classes tomorrow which I am really looking forward to as it will be a step closer for us.
Nursery is on it's way to being finished and we are almost finished with all the essentials and cute extras buying, have saved some bits for maternity leave in 3 weeks time! I can't wait to be at home, starting to get really heavy and uncomfortable in the afternoons being at work so am counting down the days!

Wednesday 18th June - 39 weeks
Nursery all completed and I'm 2 weeks in to maternity leave, I've been getting bigger and bigger and Junior has been a little minx! I was diagnosed with Polyhydromnios a few weeks ago which is too much amniotic fluid, I was told that Junior would arrive early but no sign of him so far - because of the water he has kept turning and hasn't engaged yet - last time we went to the hospital he was head down though, there was talk of a c section if he didn't turn but as he has we will be delivering normally, I don't think Junior is ready just yet, he likes it in there, I feel him move so much as there is lots of water and i get strong braxton hicks during the day, i have had no show though and no false contraction pains or any of the other things people talk about at this stage, I am sure he will go over now. Can't wait for him to be here!! Everything is ready for him so we are just waiting and getting more and more excited with each day - I really can't wait for the contractions to start or my waters to break for everything to signify he is on his way... 3 weeks at the most!!!

3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 months bumps!