Friday, 30 September 2016

37 week pregnancy update-update

The ECV was a painful waste of time. Hopefully Dot just turns by herself. I wonder if she was ever head down like the midwife said. I was speaking to someone today who had a c-section for the same reason and her midwife told her the same as me. She had a scan the next day and was told her baby was breech. Who knows.
I put a car load of stuff into storage yesterday so, now we have a bit more space in the bedroom, me and B can attempt to put the cot up. That'll be fun with no instructions. I think I'll leave that to B. He managed to put a wardrobe up with no instructions so I'm sure he'll manage. My next job will be sorting out the huge box of clothes from B's mum. Working out all the different sizes and storing the bigger bits.
I also need to re-arrange the chest of drawers as I have 2 drawers full of cloth nappies taking up valuable space. I think I'll have to condense the things in my chest of drawers so there's more space for Dot's things.
A xx

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

37 week pregnancy update

If it wasn't for my scar I would now have an outie belly button so thank goodness for my messed up abs. I just hope the scar shrinks down after Dot arrives or my mum tum is going to be very weird.
I've been getting heart burn at least once a day now, often more. Rennies are still working so haven't had to resort to anything stronger.
Dot has been moving around loads making my belly look slightly scary. Like something out of alien. But I can sit and watch her for ages. It's fascinating.
I had another scan today and my antenatal appointment. At my last midwife appointment she said Dot was head down.
During the scan she was transverse (sideways) and while I was waiting for the consultant I felt her turn again, I thought back to head down. When I told the consultant this she did another quick scan and found that Dot was now breech. So I've now been booked in for an ECV (external cephalic version) tomorrow. They will do a scan first to check Dots position, if she is still breech they'll give me an injection to make my womb "relax". Then attempt to turn her which sounds really uncomfortable.
The leaflet they gave me said it's unlikely Dot will turn back to breech if the procedure tomorrow is successful as long as it's carried out after 36 weeks. I'm not so sure, she turned today and I'm 37 weeks so what's to stop her turning again in the next few weeks? Fingers crossed she stays put if they're successful.
If they can't turn her I'll be booked in for a c-section at 39 weeks.
I'm mentally preparing for a c-section either way. Just in case.
Everyone think upside down thoughts!
A xx

Monday, 26 September 2016

Road trips and baby showers

Had a lovely relaxing first few days off work. Then a busy weekend. We went up to Scunthorpe to see B's family 170ish miles. We've always gone the same way but decided to go a different way this time, straight up the A1. So glad we did. It was so much quicker. On the sat nav it's only 20 mins quicker but in reality it was about an hour. I think it's because the old way has quite a lot of single carriageway roads so we would always get stuck behind lorries.  But the way we went this time is all dual carriageway. It's a bit boring but much quicker.  
I took my hospital bag and the car seat with us, just in case but luckily didn't need them. 
It was great seeing them again and came home with a car full of stuff for Dot. Including a lovely cot which we an use when she grows out of the "space saver cot" we got free on Gumtree. 

We left at 8am Sunday and arrived home at 11.30. Had a quick nap then went to my surprise baby shower! It was a joint baby shower with R. Had a lovely afternoon eating, opening lots of lovely presents and playing games. I'm so oglad my sister, nephew, and sister-in-law-to-be made it. "Such a surprise," it wasn't, I knew, but it was a great afternoon all the same. R didn't have a clue thankfully. 
Really grateful to our friend Mol for organising it. (She does throw a fab party.) and to everyone who came and brought us lots of lovely presents! And to V for making a yummy cake.
See you Wednesday for my 37 week update. Scary!
A xx
Mol, R and V

My Sis, Nephew, Sis-in-law, S, Me and the cake :)

Everyone :)

Yummy food

R and Me with our Becks Blue

K saying Hi to Dot!

Monday, 19 September 2016

Parentcraft??

I wish I hadn't bothered with the antenatal class on Friday. Another waste of time.
With it being called "parent craft"
I expected it to be a bit more about looking after baby. Looks like I'll have to rely on instinct and YouTube after all.
It was on from 10-4. The morning was dedicated to birth. The woman rambled on for 2 1/2 hours. I'm sure there was some useful information in there somewhere but she was so boring that I switched off and don't think I took anything in. Luckily I've watched an antenatal class on YouTube with a nice, and more interesting, American lady.
Then we had a break for lunch, which we had to take ourselves.(it was a free class)
The afternoon was dedicated to after birth. The lady who took the breast feeding class arrived and repeated a lot of what was said in the morning. With bits of the breastfeeding class thrown in. Then she showed us how to bath the baby and we were done.
I don't know what I expected but it was awful. 6 hours of my life I will never get back.
I'm glad B couldn't get the day off as losing a days wages for that would have made it even worse. He's read the leaflets they gave out. Which pretty much summed up everything they said in 5 pieces of paper.
Dot has been super wriggly this week, getting pretty squashed in there now I guess. I'm starting to get quite uncomfortable at times. Mainly when sitting down for too long.
Just finished 1 of my last 2 days at work. Very busy today. B is working nights this week so I'm glad I only have 1 day left at work. Only saw him for 5 mins when I finished work before he got picked up to go and work on a big roundabout near Norwich. At least I didn't have to cook any tea I guess. B made a yummy quiche while he was at home today.
I'm off for a nap. V. Tired after today.
A xx

Monday, 12 September 2016

Busy days off

Another uneventful but quite productive few days. H at work said I can share her sisters storage unit which is handy. Had a day off work on Friday as the weather was supposed to be nice and rubbish all weekend. Planned to go to mum and dads beach hut but didn't because it wasn't half as nice as originally forecast.
I decided to go swimming at the local leisure centre instead. Didn't stay long as swimming with a 34 1/2 week old bump isn't very comfortable. Also took a few things to the dry cleaners (never used a dry cleaners before so was shocked by the price!) for some reason it's going to cost about the same for 3 jackets as it will for 1 dress. Definitely glad I don't have many, if any other, clothes that need to be dry cleaned.
Over Friday and Saturday I ....
Sorted out the cupboard under the sink. Did 3 loads of washing. Hoovered. Washed the floors. Started sorting out our suitcases ready to be put into storage (sorted out stuff to keep and stuff to chuck so more can be added to them once I've sorted other drawers and cupboards). Walked the dog a few times. Cleaned the bath room. Re-packed my hospital bag into a suitcase(so stuff is easier to find and easier to carry) and pulled all B's jumpers from the bottom of our wardrobe ready for him to sort out. I'm sure I did more than that but can't remember what else.
B was working Saturday and then Sunday afternoon. So I drove myself to ipswich to visit dad then mum. Then had a lazy Sunday evening watching rubbish tv.
B is home every night this week which is nice.
Dot was just kicking like mad and for a long time so B FINALLY felt her moving properly. Every other time I've told him she's kicking, she pretty much stopped as soon as he's tried to feel. Quite frustrating.
3 more days at work this week then a free antenatal class all day on Friday. Hopefully it's a bit more interesting/useful than the breast feeding class last week.
A xx

Tuesday, 6 September 2016

34 week midwife appointment

Me and My pregnant friend went to a breast feeding workshop yesterday. Hopefully she found it useful as I thought it was a bit of a waste of time. It seemed to be more about trying to pre-warn people about the downsides of breast feeding so they go into it knowing that it can be tough to begin with. I already knew that. I know a few people who tried and failed, and also a few who successfully breast fed. I'm determined that I'm going to breast feed so didn't really need convincing. At least it was free.

Had my 34 week midwife appointment this morning. All fine. Blood pressure good, measuring average size. Some Leukocytes in my pee but she wasn't concerned as there were less than a previous test they'd sent off which came back fine.
Dot is head down now but she was at my last midwife appointment and she'd flipped again in between that and my last scan so don't think it means much at the moment.
Getting pretty uncomfortable sleeping now. It's been suggested by a few people that I get a pregnancy pillow but I haven't got long left now so I'm just propping her up with a pillow.
Having a quick nap after work most days which is helping. Only 9 days left at work now. I've decided to finish a few days earlier than planned as I've got some holiday left to use this year.

Been looking into storage for all our excess crap. There's a storage unit on one of the industrial estates which are quite a reasonable price. Hopefully we'll only need it for a few months anyway.
Had an email reply from them about price from an old school friend i'd lost touch with which was nice. She went away to uni but is back in the area now which is cool. Glad I looked into it now.
A xx

Sunday, 4 September 2016

Hospital bag packed!

It's been a pretty uneventful week hence my lack of posts. Dad is feeling better so as long as his platelets start going up he'll be home in the next few days.

I re-packed my hospital bag today and thought I'd write a list of what I've packed. With only some leggings/ jogging bottoms, my slippers and my hospital notes to pack last minute and some muslin cloths which I'm yet to buy I think I'm done.
I've probably over packed but I always tend to.
So...I packed my bag and in it I put....
1 small set of baby clothes including nappy
1 large set of clothes including nappy (both in labelled bags so B can see which is which if I'm not very mobile post natal)
1 hat
2 bibs
1 pair of scratch mitts
8 nappies
2 muslin cloths
1 blanket
Hair clip and hair band
Straws
Lip balm
Charger
Robinsons squash'd
3 nursing strap tops (including 1 for sleeping in)
1 vest top with buttons
2 nursing bras
5 pack of disposable maternity briefs
10 pack of maxi pads
2 towels (old, throwing away after as we've just got a new set)
1 bikini top (hoping for a water birth)
1 can of dry shampoo (recommended by everyone on YouTube, not sure I'll use it but it was half price)
1 bottle of blue Powerade (yum!)
5 pack of Alpen light, chocolate and fudge
4 pack of black full briefs
4 pairs of socks
2 pairs of boxers to sleep in (living in these instead of shorts at the moment)
Plastic bag for dirty clothes
Camera

Wash bag which contains;
Specs
Paracetamol
Deodorant
Brush
Mini shampoo and conditioner (went a bit mad on the minis from the local pharmacy which were 3 for 2)
Mini face wash
Face wipes
Mini shower gel
Hand sanitiser (also in the 3 for 2 offer)
2 Tooth brushes (incase B wants 1)
Mini hand cream
Mini tooth paste (free from the dentist)
4 pairs of breast pads
Nail clippers
5 pairs of Contact lenses (always take 5 when ever I stay away anywhere)
2 hair bands
3 chocolate Brunch bars (so they don't get squashed loose in the bag)
That sounds like a lot but all fits into 1 bag, surprisingly.

I've also packed a few extra baby bits in my lovely 2nd hand Pacapod changing bag. Just in case we have to stay in a bit longer.
1 more set of baby clothes (might pack another haven't decided yet)
2 sleep suits
Water wipes
Changing mat (comes with the bag)
1 blanket
1 swaddling blanket
14 nappies

Obviously we'll be taking the car seat as well.
I haven't decided whether i'm taking my own pillow or not. Let me know if there's anything I've missed.

Now having pork chops, roasties and mushy peas for tea. Yummy.

A xx
My Pacapod Jura

My Hospital Bag