Watch us grow

Click on the pic to see a bigger version (if you can bear seeing so many me's :)

Not many words required with this picture. The numbers are the weeks pregnant. I don't feel like there was much change these past few months. We are guessing a nine and a half pounder.

38 weeks

Well almost there. I had my last visit to the obstetrician on Monday. He's pleased with everything and we are up first this Saturday morning (7.30am) for our planned Cesar.
Mark asked him if he had any 'socialising' plans for Friday night that included alcohol and he replied - 'of course I do - a few drinks will help calm the nerves'. Gotta love a doctor with a sense of humour.
Never thought to ask him what if things happen 'naturally' in the meantime. Hopefully they don't, as I haven't packed my hospital bag yet! BB's Nana and Grandad arrive from England early tomorrow to help out with Ela and George (our dog), I can't wait.
This week off work has been blissful - especially the days that Ela is at Gumnut cottage :) She is also very excited about the imminent arrival of her baby brother. More so about the present he is going to bring her than actually meeting him.
Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and this time next week he'll already be 5 days old.

35 weeks

Last week I bought my first set of clothes for BB, then this week I got out Ela's baby clothes to see if there are any we can 'salvage'. As you can see from the pic, there is rather a lot of pink (and lilac) but I did manage to find some plain white, some green, red and even a couple of blue items (right most pile).


I'm rapidly growing out of all my maternity clothes and am mostly living in trackie pants. Even the belly bands I made, are not quite stretching far enough! So after my Obs appointment this week I bought a few more outfits - lucky that today's fashion is that sort of baby-doll look and they go great over enourmous protruding stomachs.

At my last Obs appointment, Dr Sacks told me he had been approached by a media production company (Antonia Kidman's) who were filming a second series of shows for Foxtel on pregnancy, following 12 couples on their journey. He asked me if we would be interested in being filmed. Of course I would - but hubs was not keen at all so we have decided to forgo fame and fortune (hehe) and pass on the offer. I guess blogging is enough publicity for now :)

This weeks appointment was all good. Blood pressure A-OK and size 36cm. Baby is head down and posterior but not fully engaged. Dr Sacks wants me to go for another 3rd trimester scan to check on size. He's hoping the growth spurt has evened out as the last scan at 32 weeks put BB in the 90th percentile.

31 weeks

Well last week we had a chicken pox scare. We were with my good friend Maria whose little girl Leah contracted it two days after our playdate so we had to go see the GP. It turned out, after a blood test, that I do not have the antibodies present and so had to go to St George for a shot of Imunoglobulin - in the derriere. No side effects noticed, and apparently no harm done to poor little BB.

Today we had our 31 week Ob visit. All good. Fundal height is 33cms so BB is growing slightly bigger than average. Elective Cesarean booked in for 3rd September at 5pm, but looking at changing it to 1st as we can get a morning slot then. Seems crazy to be choosy about the time of day we have our baby, but thinking about when Ela will be able to meet him, I think morning will be best. Plus I will go crazy waiting all day!

As you can see from the photo, I'm starting to look pretty tired. Going to the toilet 4-5 times a night is surely getting me in practice for night feeding. Cramps in the thigh/bum come and go during the night/early morning but nowhere near as bad as first time round. Don't seem to be as swollen nor do I have the numbness and tingling I had in my left hand and arm like I did with Ela. Still, early days yet. 8 weeks to go and counting.

Bugs

Well there has been a cold/flu/stomach bug doing the rounds of our house this week.
Last night I had to go to the emergency department of Concord Hospital and get them to check me out as I was experienceing a band of pain across the top of my stomach, was short of breath and very uncomfortable.
They put me on a drip to get some fluids into me, and took plenty of blood to test for other ailments.
BB although quiter than usual (possibly because I hadn't eaten all day) was doing well (heartbeat 150-160bpm when measured) and my blood pressure wasn't too bad.
I did feel a bit stupid going there - especially when the blood results came back as all normal and they said it was possibly just a gaseous buildup! But the doctor suggested an ultrasound next week to rule out gallbladder stones as he felt it was a bit tender around there.
Best to be safe than sorry I guess.

27 weeks

Into the third trimester now and starting to feel it. I developed a rash on my stomach about 2 and a half weeks ago and have tried numerous creams and remedies, all to no avail.
It has now spread to my thighs and boobs and I think it is time to take action and get the steroid cream that the GP prescribed.
I've also started drinking dandelion tea (foul) and taking flaxoil - by the spoonful (double disgusting) as I have read that they can work well. I think tomorrow though I'm going to get the antihistamine (piriton) prescribed by my OB and take it before bed as the itching/scratching has started to keep me awake.

I recall having a similar thing with Ela, but I never sought 'help' - just dealt with it until it went away (about 4-6 weeks). Dr Sacks thinks it will probably come and go until I deliver - which is looking likely to be about the 3rd or 4th of September.

Other than that, Gestational diabetes test came back 'normal' with a BSL of 3.7. BP was 110/70 and fundal height 27cm - so buba on track for being a 'normal' size at this point. I feel like I popped out really early but have slowed down a bit now. I'm definitely not feeling as bloated as last time - altough I can't now remember whether that feeling was closer to the end with Ela.

Front runner in the name stakes is Tom at the moment with no other real contenders except for maybe Johnny.

23 weeks

I changed locations to see the obstetrician (Dr Sacks) today. His Bondi Junction offices are 100% nicer than Kogarah (view of the harbour) and there was no wait. Unsurprisingly my blood pressure was the lowest it has ever been (120/70).
Anyway here is the little kicker - I swear he'll be playing for Australia one day :) Everyone has been telling me I'm 'big' but we measured up pretty average today (24cms).

So far the pregnancy is going well, lots of movement, not much else to report really. No heartburn yet, some sleepless nights and dead legs, but can't really complain.