Shy Baby

18 +2

I'm so disappointed baby was in a bad position but the scan place were brill and didn't charge me for the scan and have offered me a 4D scan for £35 when I'm 26 weeks!! Hopefully we can find out what we are having at our hospital scan 2 wks on Wednesday!!

Hoping for a scan today!!

18 +2

Today we are off to Fleetwood to the Bump and Baby exhibition. There is a company there offering scans for £35. You can't prebook you have to turn up and register and they will give you a time to go back. I'm so excited and really hope we can find out what colour bump we have!! Hopefully bubba will have their legs well and truely open!!

I am so nervous too and just want to make sure everything is ok with our baby. I could hardly sleep last night for thinking about it all. Dh is working unfortunately so am taking my mum and the kids with me.

We have kindof decided on names, Poppy for a girl and Toby for a boy. They are the only names we all agree on. As the kids are 10 and 7 we are giving them a say too in the name which does complicate things trying to please everyone but we want them to feel involved in the pregnancy.

Right best go get ready and will update again later after the scan.

18 Weeks

You are now 18 weeks pregnant (or in your 19th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

This week, you officially begin your fifth month of pregnancy. Your baby may have reached 15 cm from crown to rump by now, and he can both feel and hear. Admittedly at the moment, all he can hear is your heartbeat and the flow of your digestive system but soon he'll be able to detect noise outside the womb and identify your voice.

You're just a week away from the half-way mark. Pregnancy care is much more relaxed than it used to be, so you're unlikely to see your midwife or doctor often unless you need extra attention. But don't chew over things alone if you're feeling anxious.

However, in the next few weeks you'll probably have an anomaly scan, to check your baby's organs. Seeing your baby curled up inside you - or kicking or rolling - is immensely moving so take your partner with you if you can. If your pregnancy is problem-free, this may be your last opportunity to buy a scan photo for your baby's album. In a very small percentage of cases though, the scan shows up problems. If this happens to you and you want to talk about whether to continue with your pregnancy, you can contact Antenatal Results and Choices in the Organisations A-Z.

Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now. Treat yourself to a new pair of shoes also in a bigger size, your feet will swell along with your body, and pick a low heel for extra stability as your bump grows.

A long catch up!!

17 +2

I have been utterly rubbish at updating so far. I have been so tired and lacking in energy this last few weeks. I've also been getting rubbish nights sleep through going to the loo 4 times a night and taking 30 mins to an hour to drop off again each time.

It makes me really hormonal and teary some days but I am just so thankful to actually be pregnant that even when it seems everything is getting thrown at me I am still so excited about this baby.

I'm trying to rest a bit more and finding that I can't shop like I used to as my pelvis and back really start to ache after about 15 mins of standing up and walking round. This is probably a godsend for dh as I can't spend as much money lol!! Oh well there's always online shopping lol!!

I've already decided that it will be too much for me to traipse round the shops for xmas pressies and hope to get most of the stuff online and had better start it in the next couple of weeks.

When I was 15 weeks I felt the baby move for the first time. I still don't feel them every day but if I sit quietly and really relax then I can feel a couple of movements maybe every other day.

On Monday I started with a large cyst/boil just under my left breast at the top of my abdominal wall (ha what abdominal wall!! Mine's just a layer of fat lol!!) and it became very painful and I ended up seeing the doctor on Wednesday morning being sent up to the hospital. I was so anxious as a General Anaesthetic was mentioned and I really didn't want one as I was worried it would affect the baby.

Thankfully once I got there and the surgeon had a look he decided to give it a go doing a laceration and drainage under Local Anaesthetic but warned me if it didn't work then I would have to have a general.

Luckily they managed to numb it ok and get all the horrible gunk out. I've been having to go and have it dressed every day since and the dressings hurt more than the actual procedure itself. It's still an open wound and apparently it will close up itself eventually but for now it means going daily to see the practice nurse and to the Walk in Centre at weekends. Hopefully it will heal quickly and not get infected.

On Thursday I had my 16 week midwife appointment. I had the blood test for down syndrome and spina bifida. We decided that we would rather know if our baby had any of these conditions so we could prepare ourselves and our children but we would carry on with the pregnancy as this baby is so wanted and longed for already. If there is anything shown on the blood test then we should know within 7-10 days so hear's to hoping we don't hear anything.

I got my other blood results back and my iron levels are good now at 11.5 so pleased about that. I am NOT Rubella Immune. I never am despite having the injections when I was supposed to at school and after having both the kids and it just doesn't seem to work on me. The midwife said I can have another jab after this little one is born but I am thinking of telling them what is the point as it obviously doesn't work on me!!

I was also weighed and was very surprised to find that I had lost 0.5kg according to their scales. I know it could just be their scales but for now I'm sticking with it lol!!

I took the kids to the midwife with me and we heard baby's heartbeat for the first time which they thought was fantastic and they loved it. It was really reassuring for me too after going through the procedure to remove the cyst on Wednesday. I am far more nervous this time round of things going wrong so was so pleased to hear our baby's heartbeat pumping away.

I really want to book a private scan for this week to see our baby but I think dh will need a bit of persuading. I will wait for him to have a really good day at work and ask him then so he will be more likely to say yes. We have our hospital scan on 16th September but I really want a scan now. I'm also itching to find out whether we are having a boy or a girl and check everything is ok.

With my other 2 I was fairly certain by 12 weeks what I thought we were having and I was right. This time I really am not sure whether this is a boy or a girl. I have moments of leaning towards it being one or the other but deep down I'm not sure. I really don't mind what we have though as I just feel so blessed to be having another baby after starting to doubt it would ever happen to us.

I will do an updated bump photo later this week as I have a huge bump already and its quite a high bump too.

I did a prediction from Madame Zaritska just for fun.

http://pregnancyandbaby.sheknows.com/pregnancy/baby/Madame-Zaritska-predicts-your-birth-experience-5.php

The day you deliver, outside will be rainy. Your baby will arrive in the early morning. After a labor lasting approximately 12 hours, your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 5 pounds, 1 ounces, and will be 17-1/2 inches long. This child will have dark amber eyes and fluffy red hair.

Can't see that being true in a million years as I have big babies and fast labours. Also my other 2 were born with dark brown hair. There is noone in the family even distantly with red hair!! So am taking this with a rather large pinch of salt lol!!

17 Weeks

You are now 17 weeks pregnant (or in your 18th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Your baby is now nearly 11.1cm long from crown to rump and weighs about 140g. His skeleton is mostly rubbery cartilage, which will harden later. A protective substance called myelin slowly begins to wrap around the spinal cord (Visembryo 2006).

With the help of a special stethoscope, you can now hear your baby's heartbeat. There's almost nothing more comforting or exciting than hearing your baby's heartbeat galloping along. For times when boredom strikes and you feel as if you'll be pregnant forever, it can be a pleasant reminder of what will come at the end of 40 weeks of waiting.

Your expanding uterus (womb) where your baby is developing has shifted your centre of gravity and you've probably been feeling a bit off-kilter. Be careful and wear low-heeled shoes. Finding it hard to settle when you go to bed?

If you haven't had an amniocentesis yet and plan to, this week is a good time. One perk: you'll get a long look at your baby through the ultrasound scan used during this procedure.

First-time mums often start to feel their baby's movements around now. Many women report that the first sensations are fluttery or like butterflies in the stomach. Unfortunately, your partner won't be able to share in your excitement just yet - real kicking doesn't usually start for a month or so.

As your body gently expands, you may feel less than glamorous. Take some time to feel good about your changing body in the coming weeks. Even if you don't feel attractive, your partner probably still finds you a turn-on - some men find the roundness that pregnancy gives to women's figures very appealing. It's quite safe to have sex right up until your waters break, provided there is no medical reason not to, such as bleeding. Some women find that their libido increases during pregnancy while others go right off making love - it's quite normal either way.

You may also notice that the areola, the darkish area around your nipples, is getting larger as your breasts expand. It's a harmless side effect of pregnancy but it may last as long as 12 months after the birth. You may have noticed other skin changes such as the linea nigra and the mask of pregnancy; both of which will also fade after the baby is born.

16 Weeks

You are now 16 weeks pregnant (or in your 17th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Your baby is now about the size of an avocado, is about 10.1cm long from crown to rump, and weighs approximately 100g. In the next three weeks she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length.

In or out of the uterus (womb), babies are playful creatures. Yours may already have discovered her first toy – the umbilical cord – which she'll enjoy pulling and grabbing. Sometimes she may even clutch it so tight that less oxygen gets through, but don't worry – she doesn't hold onto it long enough to harm himself.

The circulatory system and urinary tract are in full working order, and she's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid through her lungs (Visembryo 2006). Your baby is immersed in amniotic fluid, which is protecting her as she grows in the amniotic sac.

Sometimes, when you move suddenly, you may a feel a slight pain in your sides. Ligaments on each side of your uterus and pelvic walls are stretching as your baby grows. It's normal to feel some pain, but if it continues for a few days or gets worse, talk to your midwife.

You've probably gained at least 2.2kg/5lb by now, maybe as much as 4.5 kg/10 lb. Your uterus is growing and you might feel pangs caused by the ligaments stretching in your abdomen. These pains are usually temporary but your growing uterus will put extra strain on your back - follow our tips for protecting your back so that you avoid backache.

Many couples worry about what labour will be like and how they'll cope as new parents - it's all perfectly normal. Try chatting to couples with children about how they felt at this stage and read up on what happens in labour. It may help to read some birth stories so you know what to expect too.

It's a good time to arrange a last minute holiday if you can spare the time and money. Travelling in the middle trimester is often recommended because you are usually over the early pregnancy feelings of nausea and fatigue and still not too far advanced for size or premature labour to be a problem. If you are booking now for a flight later in pregnancy make sure your airline will allow you to fly at that stage.

15 Weeks

You are now 15 weeks pregnant (or in your 16th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Your baby is still small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. New this week - light sensitivity and a bad case of the hiccups, a precursor to breathing. You can't hear them because her system is filled with fluid rather than air but don't be surprised if you feel them later on.

Although you've probably gained between 2.2kg and 4.5kg, your baby weighs in at only about 70g. He measures nearly 9.1cm long, crown to rump. Legs are growing longer than arms now and all his joints and limbs can move. You may be able to find out the sex of your baby by ultrasound now, since the external genitals may be developed enough that the ultrasound technician can tell you if you're going to have a boy or a girl.

One of the most exciting moments of pregnancy is feeling the baby move. Most women notice "quickening", as it's called, between 16 and 20 weeks. You may feel these first wiggles as a flutter low down in your tummy. Once you realise it's actually the baby turning somersaults, make a note to tell your midwife at your next visit. Some women feel the baby move later or less often than others so there's no need to worry if you haven't noticed your baby moving yet.

Around now you'll be offered an antenatal test to screen for birth defects. The multiple marker screening test, which measures levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) among other things, is usually performed between 15 and 20 weeks. Ask your midwife which marker test you will be offered as some are more limited than others. Amniocentesis isn't routine, but it's often recommended for women over 35 and those with a history of birth defects. It's usually carried out at around 15 to 20 weeks. Genetic counsellors, on hand when you have the procedure, can explain the full implications of these tests for chromosomal abnormalities.

Your immune system is slightly impaired when you’re pregnant so you may have noticed that you’ve had more coughs and colds than you normally would. Although, they are annoying and tiring, these sniffles won’t harm your baby. Other infections that you may come across while you are pregnant such as slapped cheek disease, chicken pox or rubella can cause problems for your unborn baby depending on the stage of pregnancy when you catch it – but chances are you’ve already had these infections in your own childhood or, in the case of German measles, been inoculated against it, so you will be immune anyway. Shingles won't harm your baby but you should avoid other pregnant women.

We have a crib!!

14+6 weeks

Well, it seems like we won't be needing to buy much for this baby at all as my mum and auntie are going mad already buying stuff. My auntie is terrible and is buying stuff almost every day. I think the baby might have about 6 snowsuits now in 0-3 months lol!!

We went to a babyshop on Tuesday and there was a beautiful crib in there and I was trying to decide whether to buy it now or not. Anyway next thing I know my auntie had bought it for us. It is being delivered either tomorrow or Saturday. I can't wait!!

I didn't really want to have anything in the house just yet but my mum has so much stuff at hers that there really is no more room there lol!! I need to sort out our built-in wardrobe/cupboard so that it can go in there out of the way for now. I have to buy a crib set for it and I have fallen in love with the Babies R Us I Love My Bear crib set. It's beautiful so I'm looking forward to getting that.



It seems like every time I go to my parents there is more baby stuff waiting for us lol!! I will have to work out what I do need to buy but am waiting til my 20 week scan before I start doing lots of shopping.