Back from my scan!!

I went for my scan this morning and baby decided that it was the perfect time to curl into a ball and play hide and seek!!

I had to go for a walk to encourage baby to move (definitely not easy with a bursting full bladder!) and wriggled my bump about a bit.

Went back in and baby had moved slightly but was still playing games so I had to turn onto 1 side then the other and the sonographer eventually got all the measurements and everything looks ok.

She *thinks* we are having a baby girl. She said she wouldn't put money on it but dh and I think we saw the hamburger. I will keep hold of the boy's clothes I've bought just in case though lol!!

We have a 4d scan at the beginning of November so hopefully that will confirm it if our little cheeky minx plays ball!!

So glad that everything was ok though. I think this baby has a cheeky character already lol!!

Dh felt baby kick!!

This morning at 2.30am Vic felt baby kick for the first time and they did quite a few nice big kicks.

I'd been getting a bit worried about not feeling many kicks and not feeling them everyday but I was reassured by the nice kicks I got in the early hours.

I have another scan at 11.20am this morning and am feeling much better about it that everything will be ok with himher. Hopefully they will be in a good position and we will find out if we have a him or a her lol!!

Right had better go and start drinking my water and will update again later this afternoon after my scan.

23 Weeks Pregnant!!

You are now 23 weeks pregnant (or in your 24th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Your baby now weighs a little more than 500g and measures about 28.9cm from crown to heel. His hearing is well established and he can make out a distorted version of your voice, the beating of your heart and your stomach rumblings. Loud noises your baby has often heard in the uterus (womb), such as the barking of a dog or the roar of a vacuum cleaner, probably won't bother him when he is born.

Some studies seem to indicate that unborn babies prefer classical music, so put on a CD of relaxing music by Bach or Mozart for his enjoyment – and yours!

In addition to advances in your baby's hearing, his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. He's swallowing but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth.

If your baby were to be born now, he would have a small chance of survival (about 16 per cent) with the right care. Every day in the uterus makes a difference at this stage. If he was born at 24 weeks his chance of survival would rise to 44 per cent.

As for you, you may feel clumsy now that your centre of gravity has shifted. Your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth and your belly button, once an "innie", may now stick out. Don't worry. It'll revert to its pre-baby state soon after you give birth.

You may notice some bleeding when you brush your teeth - a common pregnancy complaint (along with nosebleeds). Pregnancy hormones can make your gums swell and become inflamed, which leads to frequent bleeding, especially when you clean your teeth. What to do? Brush and floss regularly but gently and follow our other self help suggestions. Although you may want to avoid disturbing your gums, it's crucial to practise good dental hygiene during pregnancy to avoid gum disease.

Most women don't have many antenatal appointments, so see if your partner can spare the time to come along when one is scheduled. Not only will he be able to hear first-hand how things are going, he can get his own questions answered too.