My Second Pregnancy: 39 Week Bump Update

I was really hoping that I wouldn't be writing my 39 week update and instead I'd have a squishy newborn in my arms but, no. Not yet!

This past week has been really tough as my blood pressure does not want to co-operate. I had a blood pressure check on Tuesday which came back as borderline, an iron infusion on Wednesday as my haemoglobin levels were so low, my routine antenatal appointment on Thursday turned into an overnight hospital stay (including a rather uncomfortable cervix check) and since I've been discharged, the midwife has been coming to my house every day and my blood pressure seems to be going down (90, 86, 84). Let's hope it stays that way. 

I definitely think the baby has dropped lower. I mentioned that my cervix was high but 1cm in a post last week and yesterday and today I've had, sorry for TMI, blood streaked mucus so I'm assuming that this is my bloody show? It could however just be from the cervix check, I guess. I have had some period-y cramps since. Apparently labour usually kicks in within a few days of having your show so fingers crossed I won't have to write a 40 week update next week :P 

My Second Pregnancy: 38 Week Bump Update

I'm 38 weeks pregnant and I feel like crap. 

I had a blood pressure recheck on Saturday morning as it was borderline at 124/91 at my consultant appointment on Thursday. This time, it came back at 140/88 so it did seem to be going down. There was, however, protein in my urine but as there was also leukocytes the midwife put it down to a urinary tract infection rather than pre-eclampsia so she has sent my sample off for testing. 

This week I have had horrible lower back cramps and shooting pains in my pelvis. I don't know if this is anything to do with the baby getting ready or just symptoms of a UTI. 

I'm at DOU tomorrow morning for another blood pressure check and more bloods are to be taken to see if my iron levels are progressing but I will update on that tomorrow. 

I still have swelling of my feet, ankles and legs. My face and hands seem to be a bit puffy too and I'm getting the occasional headache alongside a cloudy head, if that makes sense! I'm unsure if I'm actively looking out for these pre-eclampsia signs but I guess we'll find out tomorrow. 

According to Saturday's check the baby is 4/5 palpable which I think means 1/5 engaged? Hopefully we aren't waiting too long for her arrival now as she is an estimated 6lbs 13oz already! 

My Second Pregnancy: 37 Week Bump Update

I'm 37 weeks pregnant. 

I can't believe it - I've cooked a baby to full-term! 

This week has been very hard. I've had a lot of pains with the main one being cramps in my lower back which radiate up my spine then make my neck throb? I have no idea what it is but some people have told me that it sounds like sciatica :(

In addition to this, I've had more frequent Braxton Hicks. My feet and ankles seem to have swollen quite a bit too and they just get worse as the evening goes on. 

I'm not sure if my bump picture shows, but I do feel like the baby is lower down now. I'm feeling constant pressure down below (almost as if my waters could go at any minute!) and the pain in my rib is gone. I'm guessing that this is because she is moving down and getting ready to be born. 

At this stage the baby weighs around 2.8kg and measures roughly 49cm from head to toe. Now, not much is happening in way of development. It's just a waiting game now!

My Second Pregnancy: 36 Week Bump Update

I'm 36 weeks pregnant. I cannot believe that I'm writing yet another one of these updates already. The weeks seem to be flying by although I've heard that around about this stage is where it begins to drag a bit. 

Morning sickness is back with a vengeance. I don't want to eat anything other than snacks, my heartburn appears after I eat literally anything and I have been sick. It feels like I'm right back in the first trimester. 

I did have a little visual disturbance last Tuesday. It was exactly the same thing that happened with my pregnancy with C so naturally, I panicked. I cried. Chris urged me to phone the maternity unit but I hate being a hassle especially if nothing is wrong. I tested my wee with my Ketostix and only found a trace of protein so I wasn't convinced that my vision problems was due to pre-eclampsia. I phoned maternity anyway just to put my mind at ease and she said that because there is no protein and the fact that I had been vomiting earlier in the day, that it could just be down to dehydration. I kept drinking lots of water throughout the night and was absolutely fine. I think I just panic too much over the slightest thing and I'm comparing every little symptom to my last pregnancy. 

I'm really uncomfortable now. It hurts to even sit no matter what position I'm in. My hands and feet are swelling slightly and I've had to remove my ring - boo :( I've found that my socks are leaving marks on my new-found cankles! 

We had a scan on Thursday and the baby is weighing roughly 5lbs 4oz. Her length is around 47cm. I do feel like she is moving lower and lower - it really does feel like sometimes she might fall out! I constantly feel like I need to wee but by the end of this week I'll have a full-term baby. How scary is that!? The end is near! 

My Second Pregnancy: 35 Week Bump Update

I'm 35 weeks pregnant!

We're still busy redecorating the house and it feels like it's neverending :( Chris has been doing the majority of it but I'm feeling guilty because it's not fair on him so I'm helping him out where I can. It is putting pressure on my lower back though and I have had some weird cramping pains there. 

I've found that whenever I'm walking I'll get stabbing pains in my pelvic region which does make me yell out and take my breath away. Poor Chris keeps thinking the baby is coming! 

My hands and feet seem to be swollen a little bit too. Not to the extent that they were in my last pregnancy (plus I'm testing my urine with Ketostix regularly so no pre-eclampsia!) but I'm not liking sausage toes and fingers! 

I've started to wash all the baby's clothes this week so they will be ready for her arrival. Not long now! 

The baby now weighs around 2.4kg and measures roughly 46cm. She has full length toenails and fingernails and a fully developed pair of kidneys. Her liver can now produce some waste products too! 

My Second Pregnancy: 34 Week Bump Update

I'm 34 weeks pregnant. I have never been 34 weeks pregnant so this is amazing - hooray! 

I really feel like it is getting tougher now. The skin on my tummy feels like it has been stretched as much as possible. I don't know how I have 3-6 more weeks of growth left. 

We're redecorating our home at the minute too (and built the baby's crib - eek) so we have been out and about trying to buy nice decor items. We don't drive so walking a lot is really taking it's toll. I have been getting a pain in my pelvis/groin area when I've done too much. I was in tears to Chris on Saturday night because I was so sore around my belly and lower back too. 

I seem to have lost my appetite which is really strange! I didn't expect this to happen. Its annoying because I know that I need to eat and I feel really rubbish when I haven't but I just don't feel hungry! 

The baby's kicks are still really strong. On occasion, I have cried out because they hurt me so much. My belly has gotten so hairy too. It's quite embarrassing. I remember it with C though, and it all disappeared when he was born - thankfully! 

At 34 weeks the baby now weighs over 2.2kg and is around 45cm long. She is just filling out and getting rounder now! Obviously, at this stage last time, C was already 5 days old so I have an idea of how she looks right now - strange! 

This is a photo of C when he should have been 34 weeks exactly. It's so odd to think that there is a little baby roughly that size in my tummy right now!

My Second Pregnancy: 33 Week Bump Update

I'm 33 weeks pregnant. This is the biggie for me. C was born at 33+2 so I think if I get past Wednesday I'll feel like I've accomplished something amazing! 

This week has, again, been tough. The baby's kicks are actually hurting and making me jump. I'm occasionally getting weird lower back cramps which is terrifying Chris because he keeps thinking I'm going into labour and heartburn just seems to be getting worse. Maybe she'll have lovely long hair!

Under my right rib still aches and it's proving tough to bend over to change C's nappy. He doesn't make it any easier because he gets really excited and kicks his legs which means nappy changes take twice as long!  

This week the baby weighs around 2kg (the size of a honeydew melon) and will measure about 44cm. I already know that she is head down and ready to come into the world. I have found that my ankles seem to swell but it does go away again so I'm not too worried that the pre-eclampsia may be back. 

Until next week! 

My Second Pregnancy: 32 Week Bump Update

I'm 32 weeks pregnant!

This week, there hasn't really been much change if I'm honest. Still tired, back is still sore. Pelvis is starting to hurt a little bit and I feel very heavy when I walk. I'm constantly having to tell Chris to slow down as he's walking too fast even though he'll only be walking at a reasonable pace. Her feet are still lodged under my ribs so that's hurting quite a bit. 

Chris had to bring me home Gaviscon the other day as the heartburn is gettin so bad now that it's waking me up. I never had this with C. I've also got new stretchmarks!!! :(

I've more or less packed my hospital bag. I only have little silly, fiddly bits to go in which I'll sort out this week. I will then do a post on what I've packed. I do think I've packed too much though! 

At 32 weeks, the baby is roughly 19in long weighing 3.9lbs (the size of a head of lettuce). From now on, I should be gaining about 1lb a week with half of that going straight to the baby. She now has fingernails, toenails and real hair! Amazing :) 

My Second Pregnancy: 31 Week Bump Update

I'm 31 weeks pregnant. 

This week, I feel like I have more negative things to write about than positive which is a shame! Let's get all of that out of the way first. 

At this stage with my last pregnancy, this is when the pre-eclampsia symptoms started. I currently am getting a pain under my right rib. I see my midwife on Wednesday so I'll mention that to her then. I am obsessively checking my urine with Ketostix but no protein is being found so my mind is put at ease. 

I am constantly exhausted from the minute I wake up in the morning and my lower back aches. Standing to do the dishes is the worst. 

I've been getting nosebleeds but only ever from my left nostril. It's so strange. I don't remember having them last time. 

I feel like I've past the blooming stage and just feel fat. I feel disgusting in everything that I wear :( 

I was having a nosy online about raspberry leaf tea as I hear that it's good for toning the uterus and making labour easier - amazing! Except it's not recommended if you have had a previous c section or premature birth - boo! 

I'm still finding it hard to find anything that I want to eat. I am seriously craving mints though. I can't get enough of them. 

On a happier note, my crib, mattress, bedding and travel system all arrived today so if baby were to be born, we'd have everything we need! 

I've got everything for my hospital bag too so I will pack it sometime this week and do a blog post on what's inside.

At 31 weeks, the baby is around 16 inches long and is roughly the size of a head of lettuce. She can turn her head from side to side and her limbs are plumping out. She is constantly moving around which reassures me that she's doing okay! 

My Second Pregnancy: 30 Week Bump Update

I can't believe I'm 30 weeks pregnant already. 10 weeks to go! 

This week I've felt quite a lot of Braxton Hicks. I don't remember ever feeling them with C so it's a really strange sensation. They aren't painful, thankfully, just a little uncomfortable. 

I've also felt the baby hiccuping. I remember when C did this so it just brings it all back. I love it. 

The baby seems to be moving a lot. It's almost constant. I wonder if they can move TOO much? 

My belly feels really tight this week. I don't know how I'm gonna get through the next 10 weeks. I think I'll need to applying more stretch mark oil cus I'm gonna need it! 
I ordered my crib, mattress and bedding yesterday so when that gets delivered (along with my pram!) we will be completely ready. Ahhh exciting!!

At 30 weeks, the baby measures around 39cm and I know from my scan last week that she is an estimated 3lbs 6oz (around the size of a butternut squash). Her lungs and digestive tract are almost fully developed and she is continuing to open and close her eyes.

My Second Pregnancy: 29 Week Consultant Appointment

Today I had an appointment at the hospital with my consultant. Last night I had a horrible headache and as that's one of the symptoms of pre-eclampsia, I tested my urine with the Ketostix that I was given and found that there was only a trace of protein so I had nothing to worry about. 

At the appointment today, she measured the size of my tummy which was all okay, checked my blood pressure which although was high at the first reading, it was 117/81 the second time so perfectly fine and, my favourite (!), she took some bloods to check my blood sugar and antibodies. 

I mentioned that at my 20 week scan, the sonographer only spotted two vessels in the umbilical cord instead of the usual three. She then gave me a quick scan and she was right, there are only two but this is enough to bring blood to and from the baby. It doesn't seem to be affecting her growth as she is estimated to be around 3lbs 6oz. She is head-down at the moment too. 

I was really happy with the way everything went and although I won't see my consultant again until 35 weeks, I'll need to see my midwife at the GP surgery every two weeks just to keep an eye on my blood pressure. 

I was told that having a natural birth this time is fine (considering that my BP stays down) so I am completely over the moon at that. I have everything crossed as I really don't want to go for another c section. 

My Second Pregnancy: 29 Week Bump Update

I'm 29 weeks pregnant.

I always said that due to my circumstances surrounding C's birth that I wouldn't wish this pregnancy away but I've been finding it so tough this week. 

I'm so uncomfortable all the time, even sitting on the sofa, and I only really feel properly comfy when I'm lying in bed. I'm constantly tired too and the heartburn is a bitch! I've also hit that stage where I'm running to the toilet every half an hour. 

C was born at 33 weeks and Chris has told me that he thinks I'm bigger now that I was the day he was born! 

This is photo of my bump at 32 weeks with C. I was 2st heavier pre-pregnancy then than I am now so I'm not sure when it comes to comparison!

This week, we've bought a few silly small items like these gorgeous MAM bottles so really all I'm waiting on is my pram and crib and we're all sorted!

The baby now weighs around 2.5lbs and measures roughly 15 inches (the size of a butternut squash). Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature and her head is growing bigger for her developing brain. 

My Second Pregnancy: 28 Week Bump Update

I'm 28 weeks pregnant. Officially in the third trimester and boy, don't I know it!

I'm feeling a lot like I did during the first trimester. I'm constantly tired, I wake up in the mornings feeling a little sick and again, I'm finding it hard to find food that I want to eat. I've put on 13lbs already! How can this be possible? I'm really gonna have my work cut out for me when baby arrives! 

My heartburn has been really bad this week and on Saturday night, I found I had to sleep upright with a cushion propping me up. It was awful! 

This week I did an inventory of the clothes that we have for the baby so we would know what we had still to buy. I popped out to pick up a few packs of newborn bodysuits and sleepsuits yesterday so I think that we are totally prepared now when it comes to clothing.

I also ordered a baby bouncer and I'm waiting for that to be delivered. This week, we will also order our crib and bedding so we'll be pretty much ready for her coming. With C arriving at 33 weeks, we wanted to make sure we had everything in sooner rather than later. 

This week, the baby weighs around 1kg and is roughly measuring 38cm (the size of a head of cauliflower!). She can now turn her head, open her eyes and blink. She even has eyelashes now too! 

My Second Pregnancy: 27 Week Bump Update

I'm 27 weeks pregnant! Is it just me or is this pregnancy going scarily fast!? I think I'm just a bit panicky because I still have quite a lot to buy. Once I at least have her pram and crib set up, I'm sure I'll feel a lot more ready. 

We went out to buy her 'coming home from hospital' outfit. It's all from Matalan & I love the vintage floral feel as opposed to just bright pink!

This week has probably been the hardest week yet for me. Chris and I don't drive so we walk everywhere. It's now started that when I walk (even if it's a short distance) I get a stitch-like tightening pain over my whole bump. 

My lower back and ribs are sore which makes it hard for me to sit upright without back support or to sit forward. It literally takes my breath away. Speaking of which, I am getting breathless a lot quicker now. I'm also finding it hard to find a comfortable position to sit on the sofa :(

Her kicks are still very much prominent. She definitely wants me to know that she's in there. It's just not so nice when I've found a comfy position in bed and she delivers a lovely kick or punch to my bladder! 

I'm getting really tired now too. Normally, I could sit up til past 2am getting all my blog posts done but as soon as it hits 9pm now, I'm pooped! 

At 27 weeks, the baby weighs almost 2lbs and is around the size of a cauliflower. Her length is roughly 14.5 inches. She is waking and sleeping at regular intervals and to be honest, I've started noticing that with regards to her movement patterns. Her brain is very active and her lungs are still developing. She is also capable of having the hiccups now but I haven't felt any yet! 

My Second Pregnancy: 26 Week Bump Update

I'm 26 weeks pregnant!

I'll start off with a lovely point - leaky boobs are well in truly in. I've officially broken out the breast pads. I don't remember this happening until after C was born last time!

The baby is still in breech position so her kicks are right on my bladder. Not good for me as I constantly feel like I'm going to wee myself!

I have my first sickness - I have the cold! Woe is me. I know, it's not the worst in the world but I'm feeling soooo crappy!

Chris's sister gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl on Wednesday. We completely forgot how tiny newborns are and when we got home, Chris and I had a new found excitement for the baby arriving.

At 26 weeks, the nerves in the baby's ears are better developed so she can hear when we speak. She is also inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid to develop her lungs and get her used to breathing when she's born. 

She now weighs around 1.8lbs and measures roughly 14 inches (the size of a papaya).

My Second Pregnancy: 25 Week Bump Update

I think my bump looks smaller this week than last week! 

This week I've found it harder to do silly things like roll over in bed. It takes me a couple of minutes! I'm also pretty sure I've started to waddle too. 

I've got a real pressure under my ribs which is worsened after eating. It's so uncomfortable. 

My tummy has been a little bit itchy which I'm putting down to the skin stretching but I haven't developed any new stretchmarks, thankfully! 

Heartburn is getting increasingly worse, especially at bedtime and I've started getting strange pregnancy dreams. I never ever remember any of my dreams but these ones are just too weird! 

One good aspect is that this week I've realised that my hair seems to be less greasy!? I was sure that pregnancy made your hair worse. Before, I would need to wash my hair every other day but now I can go two days without washing it! 

I always said that I hated slogan maternity tops such as "Hands off the Bump" or "Does my Bump Look Big in This?" but I spotted this gorgeous top in Mothercare for £10 and I couldn't resist! 

My Second Pregnancy: 24 Week Bump Update

I can't believe I'm at 24 weeks already. Now, the baby is viable! 6 months pregnant :O This is definitely the week where I say "I've popped". 

I'm still feeling really heavy at the bottom of my belly and although she's kicking me all over, the majority of kicks are still quite low down. This is the week where I've noticed that I'm going to the toilet a lot more and it's now meaning a toilet trip is needed in the middle of the night. I've also had to enlist Chris's help to get up off the sofa a couple of times and, apologies for the TMI but, I had my first experience of breast milk leakage on my PJ top!

We did a little shop and bought these gorgeous pink baby grows from Matalan which were £12 for the three of them. 

Source

I ordered these cute strawberry booties from Amazon a few weeks ago because they were a bargain at £1.90 with free delivery and they arrived this week. I love them! 

Chris's mum and nan had also gone shopping and bought us some lovely bits too; a Hello Kitty babygrow, a Bambi babygrow and a gorgeous little pink dress and leggings. 

At 24 weeks the baby has put on around 4 ounces since last week making her around 1 1/3 pounds. She is almost a foot long (around the size of an ear of corn). She is filling out proportionally and her brain is growing very quickly now too. 

My Second Pregnancy: 23 Week Bump Update

How I'm feeling hasn't changed very much this week. I still haven't bought any bump bands to help support my lower back but they're definitely on my list to buy this week. Heartburn is starting to get a bit ridiculous too. 

The baby is still feeling really low down and her kicks are pretty much still around my bladder area - not good! I have had a few kicks higher up though...but then again I think my bump looks a bit higher this week?! We did have an incident where I was lying on my side in bed, the baby mustn't have liked it and kicked me. I jumped and squealed, scaring the life out of Chris. She's getting stronger!

I've been struggling to eat this week. It's not that my appetite is gone or that I feel sick, but I can't find anything I want to eat and when I do find something, it has to be the tiniest portion known to man otherwise I just feel breathless!

This week, we've been deciding on baby purchases (the bigger items). We move house at the start of July so unfortunately, we can't start buying until then. 

At 23 weeks the baby weighs a little over 500g and is measuring around 29cm. Her hearing is now established so she can probably make out distorted voices, my heartbeat and tummy rumbles! Her lungs are now developing to prepare her for breathing. 

Next week I'll have a viable baby!!

My Second Pregnancy: 22 Week Bump Update

There has been no real change this week with how I'm feeling. I feel like my belly has gotten huge within the space of a week but it doesn't really look it. I really do feel like there's not much more space for the baby to grow! 

I've had a few mornings where I've woken up feeling a bit sick, exactly like I did with morning sickness but it usually disappears not long after I get up. 

Around my lower back and bottom of my belly feels very tight. I'm pretty sure I'm starting to waddle when I walk now too!

We popped into TK Maxx a few days ago and picked up a few bits. A gorgeous 4 piece set (babygrow, vest, hat & bib) for £9.99 and a 5 pack of bibs for £4.99. 

I've also made a start on my hospital bag. I didn't have mine ready last time and poor Chris had to run around like a headless chicken getting everything for me. I'll do a "What's In My Hospital Bag" post at around 30 weeks. 

At 22 weeks my baby weighs around one pound and is roughly 12 inches long (the size of an eggplant!). If I were to give birth at the end of this week, she would have a 50% chance of surviving.  

My Second Pregnancy: 21 Week Bump Update

This week I've been more tired than I have previously. I've been in bed earlier than usual a few times and I've even napped while C is napping! I forgot that I have a prescription for iron tablets so I think I'll be getting those soon!

My skin is still awful. My forehead is dry and my entire face seems to be breaking out. I haven't got any new stretchmarks, just the ones from my previous pregnancy. 

My lower back and bottom of my tummy seems to be quite sore. I'm going to invest in some bump bands to see if they give me any relief. I've started to get heartburn too. I didn't get this until 32 weeks last time and it is a right pain! 

I'm pretty sure that I've been seeing 'floaters' and unable to concentrate on anything, especially at night. I'm not wanting to jump to the "oh my goodness, it must be the pre-eclampsia developing again" assumption as it usually doesn't develop until around 29-30 weeks. I haven't had any headaches and I'm hoping its just happening for another reason! Maybe I should get my blood pressure checked just to be on the safe side! 

At 21 weeks my baby's eyebrows and eyelids are fully formed and she can now blink. Her kicks are getting stronger and Chris and I have now witnessed my belly move. She seems to be most active between 10pm and 1am. 

We had our 20 week scan on Thursday and you can read more about that here if you missed it. Now that the scan is out of the way, we will be focusing on buying the bigger baby items and getting my hospital bag sorted sooner rather than later!