Sunday 8 May 2011

35 weeks 4 days

Tomorrow marks 1 month until baby is due.

I confess to feeling a little anxious at this point as this is about the same time that my waters broke with Nicholas and I simply am not ready to repeat the experience. Although Nick has suffered no long term effects of his premature birth, it certainly took its toll in those early days on Si and I and I am really hoping that this little one doesn't intend following in his/her brothers footsteps.

Pelvis playing up worse than ever and I am hoping to see the doctor around mid week to see if there is any pain relief that I can use at this point as it is really starting to become debilitating. Si, Megs and Phill have all been absolutely AWESOME and have acted as both my hands and feet over the past weeks.....just hoping that seeing me like this doesn't put Megs of having children for life lol.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

34 weeks and 1 day

Less than 6 weeks to go now until the arrival of our beautiful fourth child and I am a mixed bag of excitement and absolute abject terror. This birth sees the realisation of a dream, my family complete and the arrival of our final child.....BUT it also sees a 38 year old, not so fit mother of 3, having to deal with the constant and daily onslaught of housework and domestic responsibility whilst trying to juggle a new born and all the other "stuff" life continues to throw my way.

I have my moments of shear panic to be honest, but then I try to sit quietly for a moment and remember a story I read a little while ago about the "mayonnaise jar"....this new baby is a bright shiny golf ball and all the rest is just sand, so I breath, and I gather myself together and I go forward into another day, and before we know it we will again be the very very proud parent of a gorgeous little cherub :0)

Now if only I could settle on a name....my boy's name is DONE AND DUSTED and has been for months....I thought my girl's name was the same, but find myself vacillating again (sigh).

Tuesday 19 April 2011

32 weeks 6 days

Been a while since my last post but that is probably because everything has been progressing normally and as well as can be expected for a 38 year old mommy on her 4th pregnancy ;0)

We had some lovely maternity photos taken last weekend and as soon as I have them I will post a couple here....have managed to really control my weight this time round and so am feeling quite good about myself - tummy is ENORMOUS but I guess that is also to be expected.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

24 weeks 6 days

Monthly midwife appointment today and all is progressing nicely, my 28 week blood tests are booked and if the heartburn / pelvis pain would just lessen I could settle down and enjoy the last 15 weeks.

As I was coming home today I passed this mom out walking with her severly disabled child and I have to be quite honest it totally freaked me out....found myself holding my tummy and hyperventilating at the thought that something could happen to our precious little bundle. Funny the things that destabalise you at this time.

Sunday 13 February 2011

23 weeks 4 days

Am really starting to battle with pelvic pain....am assuming it is due to the fact that I am getting old (38 in a couple of weeks) and that this is my 4th pregnancy. Don't think all the bending and lifting in the move helped either but really hoping it settles down as I simply can't imagine the next 16.5 weeks being like this.

Friday 11 February 2011

23 weeks 2 days

A lot has happened in the last two weeks, not only have we moved house but I have also had my appointment with the Birth Story Counseling clinic and Heather Brown, Head of Obstetrics at the Princess Royal Hospital.

The appointment with the BSC clinic was fantastic and I am really glad I went, we spent a hour and a half going through Nick's birth, all the decisions made by clinical staff were explained and some of the more traumatic moments put into perspective. I came away with a much better understanding of those hours and feel much happier and more secure for this next delivery. Jane Cleary (the midwife / councilor) supports my request for a c-section in the event of some kind of intervention becoming necessary which has also made me feel a lot better.

On 9th Feb I had my appointment to finalise our birth plan and again came away feeling happy and secure. Heather Brown is a South African Obstetrician and as such I was able to relate to her instantly and we had quite a giggle about the fact that I was a very unusual South African woman having had 3 v-back deliveries.

She has agreed in principal to my c-section and felt that I was being reasonable in agreeing to wait and see if I go into natural labour and if not she will sign off the c-section instead of any other form of intervention. I have an appointment to see her again on 8th June (day before baby is due) and if my cervix is still not starting to soften she will book the caesar. All in all I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome.

I decided to find out the sex of bean at our last scan and although I am having to keep it a secret as Si doesn't want to know, I am quite enjoying the novel experience of already thinking of baby by name instead of just it. I didn't know the sex of my last three and while I loved the surprise as well, it has been fun to do things a little differently this time round.

Psychologically I am feeling a little more in control and I think now that the move is over I will be able to get things together again. I think I have just been worn out by the stress and now that that is all over I am sure things will settle down a little bit.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

21 weeks

Today was our second opportunity to see the bean and as it is also Si's birthday it was wonderful that he is on leave and able to come along. The scan is amazingly thorough and they literally start at baby's head and work their way down looking for any anomalies or abnormalities along the way.


Delighted to say that our little cherub is all well and developing nicely and that my amniotic fluid is within normal ranges and placenta is nicely placed for an easy delivery. Everything that is meant to be closed is and all the organs are functioning in a perfectly normal manner.

Tuesday 25 January 2011

20 weeks 6 days

Monthly midwife check up this morning and all seems to be well....baby's heartbeat is nice and strong and I am not carrying too much fluid or putting on too much weight at this stage.

Did mention to her that I have been feeling a little emotional lately but she feels it is probably normal given the move. If it hasn't settled by our next meeting which is 22nd Feb she will refer me to someone for further assessment.

Tomorrow is the big scan and as luck would have it Si is on leave because it is his birthday....now to find out the sex or keep it a surprise....that is the decision.

Wednesday 19 January 2011

20 weeks exactly

Today marks half way.

Nick and I are allowed to return to group activities as German Measles no longer presents a threat in the second half of pregnancy and I am looking forward to being able to take him back to some of the clubs he so so enjoys.

Am feeling really good about myself at this stage, not sure how much weight I have put on but today I was able to wear a pair of my regular jeans which I bought in SA when I returned in Nov 2009. The heart burn is now under control thanks to Gaviscon and I am feeling fit and healthy (if a little overwhelmed and tired at times due to the move).

According to "Baby Centre", Bean is fully developed at this point and measures about 16.5cms, I am feeling lots and lots of movement, particularly in the late evenings and think I am going to have a busy little bee on my hands in 4 months time.

Lots of baby stuff coming up over the next weeks with my monthly midwife appointment on 25th Jan, anomalies scan on 26th Jan, birth story debrief on 1st Feb and appointment with head of obstetrics at the PR on 9th Feb.

Monday 10 January 2011

18 weeks 5 days

And the heartburn has begun....can see this is going to be a wicked one as it has set in a bit earlier than with the other three. Shew going to be using a LOT of Gaviscon over the next 21 weeks.

Tuesday 4 January 2011

17 weeks 6 days

As the half way mark approaches I am feeling really good, I haven't put on huge amounts of weight and apart from needing a little more fabric around the tummy I am managing really well with my clothing.

Have only been though 1 bottle of Gaviscon to date but sadly the heartburn is becoming more frequent especially when I eat bread.....this is quite normal for me around the 5 month mark so looks like this pregnancy is going to go exactly the same was as the first three. No real serious cravings at this point although I am still enjoying my fruit and salami pizza.

Have been feeling a little lethargic so have started on pregnancy vitamins today just to give me a little boost.