Mental pregnant woman eats her words

I am officially going mental. I phoned the doctor's surgery today to ask what LMP date I gave at the time of my first doctor's appointment after I discovered I was pregnant. The date I gave was 22nd November, not 30th therefore, making my LMP EDD as calculated by Naegele's Rule 30th August 2009. If the calculation is adjusted to allow for my slightly shorter menstrual cycle then my EDD is...TODAY! Which isn't so far behind the scan date. *eats humble pie*

However! Never content to agree with science, I've been doing more reading about EDDs. Misha Safranski raises an interesting point in her article ("The Lie of the EDD: Why Your Due Date Isn't When You Think") about the inaccuracy of Naegele's Rule. "Strictly speaking, a lunar (or synodic - from new moon to new moon) month is actually 29.53 days, which makes 10 lunar months roughly 295 days, a full 15 days longer than the 280 days gestation we've been lead to believe is average." She goes on to quote recent(ish) research: "In 1990 Mittendorf et Al. undertook a study to calculate the average length of uncomplicated human pregnancy. They found that for first time mothers (nulliparas) pregnancy lasted an average of 288 days (41 weeks 1 day)...To easily calculate this EDD formula, a nullipara would take the LMP, subtract 3 months, then add 15 days."

So, based on this calculation my EDD would be 6th September 2009. Er, hang on...this is the same date I worked out with my mental pregnant brain yesterday thinking my LMP was 30th November! As my menstrual cycles are shorter by 2 days than the standard 28 days it could be that the Wiggler is due on 4th September after all. Good grief.

The fact remains that I still don't want to be induced.

So now...that I have my dates straight:

I know it'll come when it's ready and you can never really tell, but I've got to do something with all this free time right? Can you tell that I'm going a bit nuts at home...? BRING ON THE BABY!

When is my baby actually due?

I've been thinking about this whole EDD (expected delivery date) business. How the hell can you tell when a baby is going to be born? Quite simply, you can't. You can use statistics gathered by people over the years to hazard a guess, but there really is no dead certain way of knowing when a baby will be born.

When I first visited the doctor, based on my LMP (last menstrual cycle), he advised me my EDD would be 30th August 2009. The midwife said the same at my booking session. Then when I went for my 12 week scan I was told my EDD was actually 24th August 2009, a whole week before the one based on my LMP dates. I don't quite know how they got the original date other than it's exactly 9 calendar months after the 1st day of my LMP which isn't how it's calculated anyway!

Franz Karl Naegele

What with it being my EDD today I've been doing a bit of reading about the whole EDD prediction thing and I've come up with the following. A chap called Franz Karl Naegele came up with Naegele's Rule which is a calculation to use for estimating delivery dates. It assumes that the menstrual cycles of the woman in question are regular, occur every 28 days with ovulation happening on the 14th day of each cycle. In my case my menstrual cycles are always 26 days and ovulation occurs on day 13. They were natural cycles, i.e.: not "helped" by the contraceptive pill, another assumption made by Naegele's Rule. The basic calculation is: 1st day of LMP + 280 days = EDD. So, based on the standard Naegele's Rule calculation, my EDD would be 6th September 2009, a week after the original EDD given to me and a whopping 13 days after the dating scan EDD. Using the EDD calculator on Babycentre.co.uk which seems to use Naegele's Rule (adjusting my cycle to 26 days), the EDD I get is 4th September 2009.

This new found information throws mixed emotions my way. Initially I am confused as to why this calculation wasn't used in the first place?  I wasn't even asked if my menses were regular. Actually, I'm still confused, but not in the least bit surprised. I understand that not everyone has a regular cycle and that not everyone knows when they ovulate, but I do!

I'm a bit peeved at the medical profession for relying on images of a foetus at approximately 12 weeks old to decide when its going to be born. How on earth is that accurate?? I wonder how many babies are induced before they're ready to be born? Fair enough if the baby is showing signs of distress, but inducing for the sake of it?

I've said from the beginning that I think the Wiggler will be early. S/he can't be early now by medical estimation, but might be early by the standard 9 months + 7 days Naegele's Rule calculation.  The midwife I saw at my last appointment said that when babies are "overdue" they aren't allowed to be more than 12 days so; what usually happens is the mother is booked in for induction on day 12 and on day 11 the baby is born. If I look at the calendar I see that 12 days over my medical EDD is 5th September and that day 11 is none other than 4th September. How funny would it be if the Wiggler was actually born on 4th September?!

I know that I do not want to be induced and I am prepared to argue to stay at home. One of my NCT ladies has a friend who went 17 days over her medical EDD and still had a home birth. This gives me hope! As long as the Wiggler is OK and not showing signs of distress, I don't see why I should have to go to hospital because my EDD was calculated incorrectly.

I think I understand why everyone's been telling me I look so well considering how far along I am - it's because I'm not as far along as originally thought. At least the pool isn't due to be returned until 8th September!

Sanity project dies a death

I woke up this morning at 4.13am. As I couldn't get back to sleep I decided to get up and carry on with my crochet project of the past week (the Froufrou cardigan from Debbie Stoller’s The Happy Hooker).

This is the company I had.

Out for the count, with snores

Clearly Rinny can't hack lack of sleep. I wonder how having a newborn will affect her? Hmm...

I called it my sanity project because it has literally been savings my sanity since I ran out of things to do at home while on maternity leave and I'm apparently not a nester (not yet anyway - I did wake up today with maniacally obsessed thoughts of hoovering, dusting and baking, but as the day progressed I just couldn't be ARSED!!! Saying that I made cookies this evening :-)) I've unpicked bits of it a few times because my pregnant eyes have misread the pattern/stitch instructions, but all was going well and nearly finished with only a modicum of sleeve concern. Today I sewed the seams together. I put it on to realise that a) the sleeves are waaaaaaaaaaaay to long and wide (as I'd suspected), b) I'd misread the pattern early on and made the back 21 rows too long so that c) the front pieces and back pieces were different lengths and what should be a fairly flattering wrap over cardi looked more like a dressing gown created by Mrs Weasley. Needless to say there isn't any photographic evidence of my monumental blunder apart from this:

Cardi is no more

I'm now debating whether to make it again using different measurements to or use the yarn for something else. I suspect I'll make it again, but not for a while. I'm somewhat deflated and feeling the need for more hats in different colours!

On a completely different note, I read somewhere that raspberry leaf tea can be frozen as ice cubes to suck during labour which struck me as a brilliant idea, but thought they might get a little cold and mouth hurty, so I made lollies using my new ice lolly moulds instead! They are nicely frozen and ready for labour. They even have drip catchers with straws on the bottom :-)

The Wiggler has definitely Wiggled™ its way further down; I feel a little like I've got a small honeydew melon (forgive the fruit metaphor, but it fits the bill weight/size wise) in my pelvis. Brains are heavy I suppose. It's further down than yesterday and more forward, any further &  it'll be falling out! I guess that's the idea (!)

Nothing else to report!

Labour ward tour

As the title suggests, we went on a tour of the labour ward.

Quite simply, it has confirmed with concrete certainty in my mind why I want to have the Wiggler at home. I understand that hospitals are a necessary evil, but childbirth is one of the most natural things in the world and, to me, the hospital is one of the most unnatural places in the world (when you stop to consider some of the things that happen in them).  The midwife lead rooms were OK, all 4 of them (!). By OK I mean quite big, had a birthing ball & a birthing mattress (about which a highly *informed* father-to-be commented "I'm not being funny, but what's with the big spongy thing?" Ugh.) The consultant rooms were really poky and the amount of equipment present in each room was baffling! There were several waiting rooms, very few of which had windows. It seems the fact that all rooms have televisions is a plus point and was highlighted as a benefit? I suppose it is to a certain extent, but good grief - really? There weren't any pictures on the walls and it was so sterile. I know it's a hospital and it has to be, but the children's ward is bright & colourful - do labouring women not need nice surroundings? Oh, hang on, I guess that's where the TV comes in right?

I'm sure the midwives are all lovely & do everything to make your labour/birth go as smoothly as possible and you can take your own things in to make it more your own, but I honestly felt uncomfortable walking around the ward; not a place I'd like to bring the Wiggler into the world. I'm probably only seeing the negative side of things and quite possibly being difficult because I don't like doing things that many people do in the usual way.

I know you aren't in control of your labour and it all just happens, but I don't think I'd feel like I had any control in the hospital with bleeping machinery and unfamiliar people watching me from a different room ready to rush in with more machines at the drop of a hat. I'm sure others find this reassuring, but I have faith in my body and ability to deliver my baby. Thousands of women have done it over the years in much more challenging conditions and I find it quite insulting that the medical profession seems to have lost sight of this. Maybe I'm just anti-institutionalist? I know there will be two strangers in my house (i.e.: the midwives), but they'll be in my house - it's my baby after all!

Saying all that, I may have to eat my words and go into hospital. Here's hoping not and also hoping I don't have to be induced! I really don't want that. Really, really I don't.

 

More maternity antics

I've done yet another load of washing today. This is good though because it means the weather is good enough to hang clothes outside! Hurrah for the sun!

I changed the date of birthing pool delivery from Saturday (yesterday) to Monday (tomorrow). This is good because it means that we won't have boxes lying around while the girls are here and also endless questions relating to said boxes from said children. I do think the Wiggler is trying to break out of me though so I'll be glad when it's here & set up. I can sit in it & watch DVDs!! *Must buy plastic sheet things/shower curtains* I really did think there would be a chest burster moment last night, but exiting from the side rather than through the sternum. As much as I love the Wiggler, I won't half be glad to have my body back. I've got some serious pelvis action going on what with the poking and Wiggling™!

I made some fitted sheets for the crib last week!

I used this tutorial. I think my pregnancy dementia is climaxing in super stupid because it took me several goes to get it right. Maybe I should've printed it out rather than thinking "I can remember that". Seriously, it's very sad and a tad worrisome! Please tell me I'll get my brain back post-birth!

I also made flat sheets from the remaining part of the sheet so I now have 2 of each. So here is the crib in its made-up glory :-D The little bear is a gift from Mum. Can you believe that my Dad made this crib 35 years ago??

I know it's virtually impossible to distinguish between sheet & blanket, but that's the joy of a direct flash and phone camera combo. I still can't be bothered to get my other camera out. Maybe when not pregnant I will. In-fact, I know I will because I hate direct flash.

I think a hooded towel project is on the cards next week, now that I've wrapped my pregnant brain around it that is! However, there are loads of tutorials for making a hooded towel. Some have pleats in the back & some are just squares sewn together. I don't know which one to make! Which one my machine will stand is probably the question I should be asking. Hmm...

I've got my presenting scan on Wednesday next week. I'm sorely tempted to ask what gender the Wiggler is...although we've come this far without managing to find out so I think a few more weeks will be tolerable, especially as I've stipulated on the birth plan that we'd like to find out ourselves, rather than the midwife telling us. I've decided that I'd like to cut the cord. The Wiggler has been linked to me by the thing for the whole pregnancy and I think it fitting that I should end the permanent physical connection.

I've been drinking raspberry leaf tea so I'll be interested to see if it has any effect on my labour. Will it be possible to tell? Scientists will say no because there isn't a controlled environment in which it can be tested and "everyone is different", but the midwife may have an opinion? I've also ordered some arnica 200cc in preparation for baby time. I was going to take some anyway, but didn't realise it came in a 200cc strength! All I have around the house for general use is 30cc, but birth/labour is pretty traumatic for both mother & baby so I guess 200cc is a better bet. Also, some sweet almond oil for perineal massage. I hope there's enough time to do some before the Wiggler makes it's appearance...after last night I'm not so sure there will be!

Next!

I did clean the windows yesterday - the downstairs back ones anyway. They really were disgusting, as was the kitchen floor.

Anyway, the news is that the Wiggler is partially engaged! Midwife wasn't going to tell me, so I asked. Apparently when 3 5ths of the head are in the pelvis she calls that being engaged, although this isn't what every midwife says. Pah - how am I supposed to know? I knew it must be though because I could feel it in my pelvis & I haven't been able to before, plus I could breathe more easily.

Had our first post-class NCT meet today at my house. I made brownies...mmm. Think they went down well - hurrah! Was really nice to meet up with everyone. One of the other ladies has step-children too! Phew! Now everybody knows & it's all OK. I was stressing, but it's all good. I think we're going to do lots of stuff together over the course of our maternity leave which is good. I've volunteered Simon to take a photo of all of the babies when they're out which will be nice :-)

Rant

I really have to rant about this.

All the literature I've read tells me to enrol in a yoga class or aqua-natal class or something designed for pregnant women. Also that going to pregnancy groups helps you feel better by talking about stuff and generally being around other women who are going through the same/similar things.

WHEN AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS???

I work full time (8am-4pm Monday to Friday). All the yoga/aqua-natal classes and mother & baby groups are held WHEN I'M AT WORK! "Pop along at 10.30am on Wednesdays" - that's no bloody good is it? Where are the evening ones, or is the assumption that we'll be so tired by then that we won't want to go. Work aren't going to give me time off so I can go are they?? They already give me time off for antenatal appointments.

The really frustrating this is I know that this stuff really will help. There are things that Simon just doesn't understand - how can he? He doesn't have a womb, or leaky nipples, or freakish inside tickling, or swollen ankles, or irrational mood swings. I can't even go out and drown my sorrows :-(.

I have 2 weeks maternity leave before my due date and there's a possibility that Wiggler might make his/her grand entrance early so that's even better! Can't even cram some in then. Although, I'll be so huge I probably won't want to get off the sofa.

It takes the biscuit and makes me MAD!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!

Midwife appointment at 28 weeks

Saw the same midwife today! Wooh! She measured my bump and said that it was 2cm bigger than it usually is at the point. My reaction was "oh no big baby", but Simon's was "ooh, early baby". So we'll see. Have another appointment on 25th July - should have blood test results then and measure bump again. She also signed my Health In Pregnancy grant form today which I shall post tomorrow. The Government is giving us money! £190 to be exact. Or, as a work colleague pointed out, the Government is giving back some of our money lol. That'll come in very handy as money seems to disappear in our house.

Developments in pregnancy:

My lung space is now greatly reduced; makes sitting/breathing comfortably quite difficult. Our sofa is also rubbish for being pregnant on, apart from the lying down bit :-). For sitting it's awful and gives me back ache :-(. Have seen a maternity pillow on the Argos website which will be purchased when it comes back into stock so hopefully that'll help some. Have been using large quantities of cushions for the time being.

Sleeping is getting more uncomfortable too. Lying on my side isn't great because my hips hurt after a while. I've found that tucking the duvet in under the bump so it sort of cushions it & pulls me back a little bit at the same time helps. It's all very complicated! Perhaps the maternity pillow will be helpful for that too?

Wiggler is very wiggly, for most of the day now! It really tickles! When it kicks/pushes me in the side it's really very tickly and quite weird. It makes it more bizarre because it's an inside tickle, so there isn't anything I can do about it! It also likes to kick me in the diaphragm, which is kinda weird.

Still no specific cravings, just getting more hungry. That is normal though as Wiggler is now mainly getting bigger.

Birth pool

We booked the birth pool today! It's all becoming alarmingly real. It arrives on 1st August & goes back on 8th September. 5 week hire for £340, not bad. We went with Aquabirth - Fiona, the woman who runs it is lovely and very understanding. She said that if Wiggler is late, it's more important that we have her/him rather than worrying about returning the pool so to tell her & she'll jiggle her pools from her end. How nice is that?!

Still, getting quite scared now.

*Think happy thoughts, don't get freaked out because it'll make it worse*

Travelling while pregnant

We're back from the States now. We had a fabulous time, except in NYC where it rained pretty much the whole week :-( I'm glad we went; I feel refreshed having not been at home/work for 3 weeks, but if the situation presents itself again I wouldn't repeat the experience. We did a phenomenal amount of walking which, had I not been pregnant as was the trajectory when said holiday was booked, would've been fine. However, the amount of walking we we did meant that I was so very tired for the last week while we were in Washington DC. Normally I'd have been fine, but I was ready to come home by 11th May, which is a shame because DC is a really nice city - so spacious & clean. It's easily walkable, which is just as well as the metro stops are quite far apart compared with Boston and NYC.

I found it frustrating that I was ready to be back "home" in the hotel by early evening. Usually I'd have liked to stay out and seen the night-life, but I was ready for bed by about 8pm! I think Simon found it frustrating too because he didn't have anyone to go out with like he does at home.

I also did a really stupid thing - I booked our train tickets for April instead of May. Luckily the nice man at Boston South Station realised it was a genuine mistake and refunded the whole amount. We actually ended up getting a bus which was a fraction of the price of the train ($17 each for a single trip from Boston to NYC & the same for NYC to DC). I was so cross with myself and can't help thinking that it wouldn't have happened if I weren't pregnant with pregnancy dementia.

So, if you're going to go on holiday while you're pregnant, do it before you get to 25 weeks, get someone else to check your reservations before you make them and go sit on a beach!

Midwife appointment at 23 weeks

So I saw another different midwife today. She seems nice and has said that I can stay with her now rather than seeing someone different each time. She was actually pretty shocked that I'd seen different people each time.

I asked her about the possibility of a home birth. She was really excited about it! She said that none of her ladies are having home births at the moment and that she likes them. This really surprised me because everyone I've spoken to and most things I've read on the internet say that midwives aren't a fan of home births. A pleasant surprise then - she even said that it was the best way to get one to one care during the birth! Phew, I'm now relieved. All we need to do now is figure out how to afford a birthing pool. It may have to be born in the bath teehee! Just kidding. I said that to Simon and he nearly died. Hahaha...

We're off to America for 18 days tomorrow. I'm nervous about all the travelling. The trip was planned before we knew about le bump so will see how it goes. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Post Germany

Simon and I went to Germany for a friend's wedding the weekend just gone. I didn't plan the return very well! We got back quite late last night and so I've taken today as extra holiday to catch up on travel sleepiness!

Ute (friend who got married) is also pregnant and expecting at the same time as me. It was really nice to be around someone who is in the same situation as you. I got sooooooooo tired at the wedding party, we didn't get to bed til gone 2. It was great to see her so happy though - and in a dress!!

Pregnant, married school friends!

Some of her wedding guests bought her baby stuff like a push chair/travel system thing. It made me realise that we haven't bought anything for our baby yet. At all. I have a list of essentials and some stuff we're having from my Mum's house (changing table/chest of drawers and a mirror). It was Mum's when she was little and I had it when I was a child and now it's going to belong to Pie mini. Dad's going to get the family crib from Uncle Mike's in the next few months. I'll feel better when we've started to get stuff together. It's creeping up faster than I thought it would; we haven't even decorated the nursery yet! We are agreed on what colours we want, which is a start. The plan is to get on the case when we're back from America - the next hurdle! (Financial and physical).

21 week pregnant bellies!

20 week scan!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! I love scans. I appreciated that bump doesn't really like them, but they're bloody wicked! It sounds incredibly cheesey and everyone says it but it really is true: there aren't words to describe the sensation of seeing the development of your unborn child.

We got 2 pictures (seems to be what they do at the hospital instead of just giving you 1) and this is the best one. It's more clear on the actual image, scanning always seems to lose clarity. It's so much more advanced than it was before - it actually looks like more of a human now! We decided to still not know if it's a boy or a girl so it remains an it until birth. I could tell that Simon really wanted to know, but we stuck by our original decision which I'm pleased about.

Not so keen on the scan lady this time, she kept poking it and got quite irritable with it when it didn't lie how she wanted. I get that she needed to get certain measurements etc, but hey!

Anyhoo, we're both really excited now!

16 week midwife appointment

I didn't know what to expect from my midwife appointments, but now I know the answer is "not much". I see her for all of about 15 minutes, if that and the midwife I saw last time has moved areas so I won't be seeing her again. That's all I'm going to say about that.

I've turned into a recluse. I haven't been out (with the exception of the first 4 weeks when I didn't know and was feeling ok) since I've been pregnant. I just don't want to. I like to be in bed by 10 at the latest and if I do go out I find it less than fun to be surrounded by noisy drunk people who stink of alcohol. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I'd really like to be one of the noisy drunk people! People know you're pregnant, but don't seem to realise the implications of said situation. I guess I was guilty of not understanding either before I know what being pregnant was like. Sentences like "I've got something you can't have" really aren't appreciated.

12 week scan!

Here it is...the moment we've been waiting for, our 12 week scan! All is fine :-)

Baby lies on its back

Baby lies on its side facing away and waves

The sonographer said it was very wiggly LOL! It was constantly on the move and didn't like having it's picture taken, but apparently babies in the womb aren't fond of sonographs. It kept rolling over, like when you roll over in bed and take the duvet with you! She had to keep chasing it around to get the measurements for the Down's test, but baby wasn't playing. Typical, stubborn just like it's mother! If the test result is low risk we'll get a letter in 2 weeks, if high risk they'll phone us in the next 2 weeks.

It was pretty crazy seeing it on the screen.  I knew it was there and that I was pregnant, but now there's proof. We saw it's heart beat and it waved its arm around. I didn't realise how clear the image on the screen is. I've seen other people's scan pictures and they've mostly looked like white blobs, but having seen it on the monitor I can totally see what's what with ours. I guess it really is different when it's your own :-)

It's really amazing that it's now fully formed and the remaining 6 months are for growing and maturing. Incredible! The scan also moved our EDD forward from 30th August to 24th August 2009. That makes me 12 weeks and 3 days today. No wonder I feel so much better! The nausea has all gone and I've got my energy back! I still like going to bed quite early, but that's fine by me. We even went to see a band the other night (Mumford & Sons - excellent. Support from Peggy Sue (also excellent), House of Brothers (shockingly pretentious and awful) and Alessi's Ark (outstanding)). I wasn't tired at all the next day! Wooh! Things are on the up, but apparently it's only for the next 3 months or so then the final trimester is back to super tired. I can understand that though, huge bump and all...

We're both really very excited now; Simon was grinning from ear to ear - even when we got back to the car, but maybe that was because his face was frozen with biting British cold LOL!

Off work...still

I'm still off work! I was feeling much better last night then lo and behold I wake up this morning with massively swollen glands and an incredibly tender neck. What that all about?! I managed to get the doctors appointment that work wanted me to. He checked me over and said everything was fine. I forgot to take my pregnancy notes with me (argh!) so he couldn't write on there that I'd seen him, but I guess it'll be on my regular notes. So everything is fine and it's all normal early pregnancy stuff, feeling shattered to the point of falling asleep at work. He doesn't think I'm anaemic which is good.  In his words "it's all quite normal, you'll just have to struggle on with it as you are and work will have to understand." How do I put that in a way that won't irk them??

To ice the cake as it were, we're having our boiler and radiators changed Monday through Wednesday. It's snowing and -3 degrees Celsius. We haven't any heating, with the exception of small oil heater on loan from Simon's Mum and a panel heater; the house is thus terrifically cold! Simon made his sandwiches in his coat this morning! Bless him.

We wanted to wait until our 12 week scan before we told people, but we were just too excited!! I suppose everyone we see more often than not now knows. Me not drinking is a dead give away, also the fact no one's seen me since our house warming party! I just don't have the energy to go out and be sociable right now. Plus sitting there while everyone else is drinking sucks, for want of a better word. Have you ever wanted to talk to drunk people? They SMELL! Going to the cinema is ok; it's relatively short, I can sit down and don't have to speak to anyone! I'm not into cooking right now either, which is worrying. I don't think I'm eating as well as I should be. God I sound miserable. Actually, I am! Temporarily, I hope.

Feeling completely shattered

So I know that pregnancy takes it out of you, but I wasn't prepared for the whole new levels of tiredness i.e.: unable to get up to eat, sleeping all day and all night. Work can't be happy with the amount of time I've had off so far, but what can I do? I actually fell asleep today, at my desk. They sent me home. What more can I say? When I can sleep at night it's great! I'm usually getting up to go to the toilet and then find myself lying awake for about 2 1/2 hours after. Then there's the weird as hell dreams that wake me up in fits of shivers/sweats. The thing is, they're not the usual "I had a weird dream last night" in that it was a random, disjointed effort jumping all over the place; no, they're full on epic tales of what seems like history of my life which is very strange - I certainly hope they aren't. Another weird thing is I remember most of them unlike regular weird dreams where they're gone the instant I wake up and all I'm left with is the memory that it existed in my brain that night.

I really hope that I feel better soon and I start glowing or whatever it is that pregnant ladies are supposed to do! Everyone seems to think that the first trimester is the worst and that once it's over the second one is better energy wise & then the third one gets worse again. We'll see.

1st midwife appointment

Today I went to see my midwife for my booking session. Simon and I had dutifully filled in our forms as instructed at the pre-booking session. I think this confused her slightly and apparently not many people do! I've never had a problem with peeing in pots, but for some reason this time I just couldn't do it! I drank a pint of water before I left to go over to the midwife (over the road from my house) and all I could muster was about 1/4 centimetre in the damn tube! Sod's law, but she said it's OK and to take another one next time. She's lovely and her support worker has the same birthday as me! She was quite new though (the support worker) and rather nervous about taking blood, which is fine - everybody's got to learn! I did end up being stuck three times because my vein gave up halfway through the 4th tube. Then she missed on the other arm so the midwife took the blood from the original vein. Now I have 3 bruises! Not what I expected from going to see the midwife, but hey, it's been a while since I had to part with my blood for whatever reason. Just cos I have lots of tattoos doesn't mean I'm a fan of giving away my blood!

Everything is normal - yay! She says I can stay with them for the duration; there aren't any family diseases/illnesses that require her to refer me up to the hospital etc, which is great. She did say that, according to my BMI, I'm pre-obese. Which means I'm prone to diabetes! Er...I really don't think so. I know I'm a little over weight according to those stupid height/weight chart things, but show me someone who's in line with it with my height & build and I'll bet they look alien! When my Mum had got down to her "correct" weight she was a size ten & resembled a skeleton!  Sure I'd love to be 11 stone, but I don't think it'd look attractive by any means, not that flab is attractive, but I'm used to my flab. LOL! Anyhoo...I digress, she said that would be the only thing they'd want to keep an eye on at the hospital when I go for scans etc.

Speaking of which, my first scan is on 12th February. I've opted for the NT+ scan which checks for Down's Syndrome and also requires...you guessed it...another blood test. Hurrah!

I spoke to her about the ever increasing tiredness and the time I've had to take off work. She said, and I quote "it's all quite normal my love, they'll just have to accept it". Hmm. Don't think they like it very much, but hey, what can I do?

Pre-booking session

We went to our pre-booking session today. Essentially it was a group session where a midwife support worker runs through the basics (no yummy cheese (i.e.: brie, stilton etc), no pate because of the mould (there's mould in pate?? I'm so glad I'm vegetarian!!) and the like. She also gives us a feck load of forms to fill in so the midwife doesn't have to do it in the booking session. It was quite a lot to take in, but...I am a geek and have read up a lot already so most of it was old news. I bought Your Pregnancy Week By Week by Lesley Regan. It's really helpful and totally non-patronising, unlike some of the other books I've browsed in Waterstones (such delights as "let's face it, there's nothing much you can do while you're pregnant so you may as well eat!" er...no). I thought it was all rather marvellous until I read the section on pain during labour and felt pure panic wash over me right down to my toes. All I can say is, man it's gonna hurt like hell. As much as I'd like to feel nothing I don't think I would want an epidural. How much of an experience can that be - being told when to push because you don't know? I'm sure there will be a load more bumph thrown at me by midwives etc about my options for pain relief, different types of birth etc. Bring on the raspberry leaf tea!

Talking of bumph, there wasn't half a lot of adverts in one of the packs she gave us today. One thing I found really grim was a little card saying "the first time you saw me" with a space designed for the first scan image which is very twee and quite a lovely idea if it didn't have Pampers plastered all over it. Even Mastercard are at it! There's much encouragement to join "the best Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting Club - Bounty" which, as far as I can tell, means you get a load of free samples of baby products full of horrible chemicals, most of which I have no intention of using! Like...Pampers. Uh...LANDFILLS ANYONE?? So anyway, I might give that a miss and speak to people I meet along the way.

The next appointment, by which time we must have done our homework, bring on the forms, is 20th January. Hopefully Simon's work aren't stingy about giving him the time off. Hmph. Stupid work.

Oh my god it's actually happened!

I've had this blog for a while now...and have written very little in it; it would seem I was not as inspired as I'd thought plus life has been busy what with moving, bathroom building etc. Now it seems life's gonna get a whole lot more hectic because after what seemed like forever, but was actually only 2 & 1/2 months, Simon and I are pregnant! Not a great deal to report other than I feel like I should be sleeping - ALL THE TIME! We both agree that we don’t want to know our baby’s gender until the birth. All (7 of) the grandparents are very pleased and excited, but other than family we’ve decided to keep it quiet until the 12 week scan. I’m trying to get a midwife appointment to book in for stuff…like scans etc. I don’t really know what else to write just yet other than my mind is spinning with baby business! So…that’s it for now!