Pre labour?

I had not felt much movement from bub since he/she moved down a few days ago, so last night I went into the Pregnancy Assessment Centre at the hospital to get bub checked out. Bub turned out to be happy and healthy, and just was making me worry for no reason! So I went home and had my sciatic nerve seize up!! So I went to bed and within a few hours I started getting severe lower back and tummy cramping, like period pain. This can apparently be part of pre labour, but until they turn into actual contractions there is no need to worry!
During my birthing class this morning I had two contractions, but nothing really since, so just trying to rest up, and see what happens. If things don't get better I will call the hospital, otherwise my ultrasound is on Thursday and my next doctor appointment is on Monday, see what happens by then!
In good news, bub has gone back to being pretty active since I was in PAC yesterday, so there is no longer any concern there!

This is me at 33 weeks + 4 days

The countdown is on!

Just a quick update... I think bub may have moved down, and taken my sciatic nerve with him/her! I have constant pain in my left leg/butt now, plus pressure in my pelvis... I also get sharp 'lighting' pains really low when I walk... I hope bub comes soon because I don't think I can deal with all this pain for too long! At least it is now only 25 days til I can be induced... Plus my growth ultrasound is booked for next Thursday, so I will find out how big bub is, and maybe talk about getting him/her out sooner!!

Think your baby is big? Not as big as mine!!

Bub and I have done it! We are another week down!! Excitement is building now, 33 weeks... only 27 days until the doctors will think about inducing me! It is so exciting but so scarily soon at the same time!
I had my doctor's appointment yesterday, nothing new, nothing exciting! My sciatic nerve in my left butt and leg has been playing up A LOT so the doctor has put through a referral for me to see a physiotherapist, which hopefully will bring me some blessed relief. It is getting so bad that I am almost in tears when it happens and it is happening all the time! I guess there is no way I am going to be able to deal with the pain of labour if I cannot even deal with my leg seizing up!!
The doctor also did a quick ultrasound to see how big bub currently is (I know bub is big because I can feel movements all the time now, and painful ones, like a foot in the ribcage while the bum pushes out on the left side of my tummy and a fist hits somewhere in my pelvic region, usually into my bladder!!! And all at once! Ouchie!) and told me that he couldn't get very clear measurements, but bub is only measuring at 35-36 weeks, a reasonable size considering I was almost 33 weeks yesterday... Ok, sure... But I saw the measurements and the weeks the computer converted them to... like, head diameter: almost 11cm, meaning 38+ weeks... and torso length: 30-something cm, meaning 37+ weeks! and he wants me to keep 'cooking' this baby for another 5-6 weeks?! No thankyou!! He did order a proper growth ultrasound for me that I will have next week, just to get clear measurements, so if those measurements are as big as the ones he took yesterday, I think I am definately pushing for my induction to be at 37 weeks, not 38 or 39!!
I must say though, I have got to the point where the only part I am enjoying about this pregnancy now is my little ones movements (when they don't hurt!)... It makes me smile everytime! There is such a connection that I cannot explain that I feel, and I hope it continues after bub is born. I am just so ready to not be pregnant anymore!

On to a sadder note, I now have two stretch marks!! Yes, I am no longer one of the "lucky" ones who managed to avoid them, I have two just on the bottom of my bump on the left side... I guess I am still lucky because I never actually tried to stop them, and my tummy is so tight and big that I was bound to get some!

And just an update on my friend's little girl that she had at 30 weeks... baby girl is now 4 and a half weeks old and is doing amazingly well! I was allowed to go in and visit her in the NICU and she is so cute and tiny... It tripped me out a little bit that my baby is probably already bigger than this little girl (she now weighs just over 2 kgs) but it also gave me great confidence that no matter what happens now and if my bub comes early or I need to give birth via emergency c-section, bub will be fine! What a relief to know that!

Also, time is running out (as who knows when I will go into labour!) if you want to take part in our "Bub Stats Guessing Game"... enter your guesses here!

Count the kicks!

I had a severe decrease in bub's movements yesterday... to the point where I only felt about 2 wriggles, no kicks, no rolls, nothing else... But I woke up this morning and bub was moving again, especially when hubby played "Jessie's Girl" to my belly! You should have seen my tummy wriggle! But being an over concerned, first time, diabetic mum, I went into the hospital this afternoon anyway, just to get everything checked out. There is a lot of fear associated with fetal movement and kick counts in the third trimester, and it has been in the news a little bit after English celebrity Amanda Holden lost her baby boy due in March this year. Amanda Holden stillborn tragedy. There is also a lot of push for mother to "count the kicks" and a massive awareness campaign to help mum's stop the increased instances of stillborn deaths. This is called Chloe's Count the Kicks Campaign. So after being attached to the trace at the hospital for half hour and talking to the doctor, the verdict is that my baby is happy, seemingly healthy and moving like normal again. I am glad I went in and got checked though!

On another note, today is 32 weeks, another week down! Not long now til I get to meet this little ratbag that I have already grown to love so much!

Officially finished work...

I have been officially put off work, as of yesterday. I do not know how I am going to cope not working 5 nights a week, even as much as not having to work is going to be really really nice. Plus the lack of money is going to be a massive strain on both of us. But the good news is the doctors did not put me in hospital and do not believe that I am likely to give birth anytime soon, barring any major diabetic dramas!!! Even the fact that bub is measuring a lot larger than expected, the doctors still do not believe they will induce me before 37 or 38 weeks. They have told me to expect 38 weeks. That really seems WAY too far away!

I had a mini meltdown tonight after reading the info the hospital gave me on c sections. It wasn't the procedure itself that upset me, it was realising that if I have a c section it will be because there is a medical issue that makes it necessary, and therefore will be will bub is still premature or pre-term. So even after bub is born I will not be able to even hold my own child as he/she will be rushed straight to NPICU (intensive care unit). This devastated me!

On a happier note, I am now 31 weeks... another week down!!

Little bitty bub and bed rest!

My "little" baby is currently measuring at 34 weeks according to my ultrasound on Friday! I will find out at my doctor appointment tomorrow what exactly that means to my delivery date and pregnancy. I have also recently been having quite a few low blood sugars and I expect that the doctors may have something to say about that tomorrow. I am half expecting that they will want to admit me to hospital... Fingers crossed everything is okay!

I have been feeling dizzy and lightheaded and headachy the past week or so, so I went and had my blood pressure checked at the local chemist. It was a little low and my heart rate was a little high, so I have been told to keep my feet up and take it easy tonight until my appointment tomorrow. So I am at home completely bored! My darling husband refuses to let me do ANYTHING, which in normal circumstances would be great, but I hate losing my independence!!! I want to be able to do things for myself!!!!! Unfortunately, although my maternity leave is not due to start for another 4 weeks, I think that the doctors are going to suggest I stop working immediately!

Top 5 things to do when I am no longer pregnant!

So today I finally hit one of my 'landmarks': 30 weeks! I am so happy to be here, hoping to make it to my next one of 32 weeks! Ultrasound on Friday and back to the doctors on Monday... Lots of fun!

So for a bit of fun, I am going to list my 5 top things I cannot wait to do when I am no longer pregnant!
1) Enjoy intimate times with my husband again!
2) Be able to sleep on my back, side, tummy, however I want without waking up being sore and uncomfortable.
3) Do things like bend and pick things up without people telling me that I can't because I am pregnant.
4) Be able to go more than a couple of hours without food and not feeling like I am going to throw up!
5) Eat ANYTHING I want... Seriously, things I never really wanted to eat before become so much more desirable when you know you cannot eat them!!

Things I am going to miss about being pregnant...
1) Feeling my little baby roll, kick, punch, and move inside me... Such an amazing feeling!!
2) The knowledge that I created a life and it is growing inside me and getting stronger and all that amazing "wow" that goes with knowing that!
3) The amazing curve of my belly (even though it mostly gets in the way now!)
4) The attention I get from being pregnant, from random strangers trying to give me advice, to friends wanting to touch my belly.
5) The amazing group of pregnant facebook ladies I have connected with all over the world (although technically I won't lose this once I give birth)...

Of all the good things, and not so good things, I have loved being pregnant and the experience of it all... Hopefully bub just stays put for a little while longer! Fingers crossed!! x