Pregnancy Update ~ Second Baby (Week 36 - The End is in Sight!)

Happy New Year to you all! Well, so much for my regular pregnancy updates - looking back, my last one was around 28 weeks. I'm now almost at 37 weeks! The time has just absolutely flown by and I can't believe our baby will be here in 3 weeks time - eeeeek!

Gestational Diabetes

So in my last update I wrote about gestational diabetes and to be honest, that has taken over my life a bit. But not in a bad way - just it's always there, I'm always thinking about it and thinking about what I should be eating/not eating. Thinking about when I next need to test my blood sugars. I have appointments most weeks at the hospital so I feel like I'm constantly there sat in the waiting room! But I've got used to it all and it's becoming second nature to whip out my finger pricker thingy (there must be a proper name for it?!).

I've had to change the way I eat which was actually not as hard as I originally thought - I've taken alot of advice from http://www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/ and I've basically been following a high fat/low carb diet. Which is the complete opposite of what I'm used to with Slimming World - it still feels really naughty to be having full fat cream and luxury full fat mayo! I've cut out cakes completely (well except a small slither of Mum's Christmas Cake on Christmas Day!) and I've been eating nuts and cheese like there's no tomorrow. Eating out hasn't been too challenging, I just make sure I avoid any sauces and go for something meaty. I hear that alot of ladies who have GD stick with this diet after their baby is born but I have to say, I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into carbs again. And unlimited fruit will be such a treat!!

How am I feeling?

I've actually been feeling really well over the last couple of months and I've had lots of energy in the daytime. I'm sure by this stage of my last pregnancy I was in hibernation mode but I feel quite sprightly at the moment!

I get weighed at the hospital at each appointment and I've lost weight so there's the silver lining of gestational diabetes! I dropped 5 pounds last week and that is the first time in my life where I haven't put on weight over Christmas! I'm only a few pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight so I'm really intrigued to see what happens over the next few weeks and if I end up weighing less when the baby is born. It certainly gives me a good head start for when I return to Slimming World :)

What have I been wearing?

Fashionwise, I'm not going to win any awards for maternity wear! It's either leggings and a shirt or leggings and a dress. I have about 4 outfits that are on rotation! I did treat myself to a lovely maternity dress from Yours Clothing before Christmas which I wore to my choir performance - it's quite dressy though so I doubt I'll get the chance to wear it again before baby comes. Which is a shame because I really liked it!

I'm a bit camera shy when it comes to bump pics but here's me on the far right in my lovely Yours Clothing dress - good job you can't see my baggy tights and chunky ankles ;) 

How's Baby?

We had a scan last week and she is growing perfectly - she currently weighs 6lb 5oz so my money is on around 8lb at birth! (Hopefully not another 10lb+ baby like Elliot was!) . She is SO active in the evenings - I guess in the daytime I'm busy so don't notice it as much but when I sit down on the sofa I can feel her doing all kinds of flips and kicks.

What next?

I've now been given a date for my c-section so it's become very real now! It's forced me to finally pack my hospital bags and today I finally got round to sorting out her drawers and putting all her new clothes away in their new homes. I didn't think I had many outfits for her but actually sorting it out made me realise that she has plenty for the first 3 months at least! I've bought lots of things in the sales recently and picked up some lovely bits in Morrisons last week. Sabrina from The Mummy Stylist also sent me some lovely girly bits passed down from her baby Lily and I can't wait to dress our baby girl in these!

Elliot is still really excited about the impending arrival of his baby sister and has now taken to counting down in days.. "how many days now Mummy!". I think he will be a really great big brother and I have no worries about how he will be when she arrives. I think he'll love helping me out but has already stipulated that he won't be dealing with any dirty nappies ;)

Pregnancy Update ~ Baby #2 (Gestational Diabetes)

So following on from my last update , I just wanted to write about Gestational Diabetes. At 28 weeks I was booked in for a glucose tolerance test. This isn't something that all ladies will have to have in their pregnancy but if you are risk from getting getting gestational diabetes then you will be offered the test. Gestational Diabetes is when your body cannot produce enough insulin to meet the extra needs in pregnancy.  Any woman can develop gestational diabetes but you are more at risk if:

- Your BMI is above 30
- You've previously had a large (10+lb) baby
- You had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
- You have a family member with diabetes
- Your family origins are South Asia, Chinese, Africa-Caribbean or Middle Eastern

My test was at 9.15am at the hospital so I was told to fast from 10pm the night before. At my appointment I had a blood test and this is used to see the level of sugar in my blood. Straight after the test I was given a measured glucose drink to drink within 5 minutes - I won't lie, it tasted pretty grotty! You can take your own Lucozade in to have instead of the glucose drink but check with your midwife/notes as hospitals may vary and it has to be a specific type of drink. I was then told to sit in the waiting room for two hours. I did feel abit hungry towards the end of the two hours but I had my Kindle to read so it wasn't too bad! After the two hours, I was called in for another blood test and this was to see how the levels compared to my first test. Unfortunately they aren't able to give you a result there and then so I was told that the hospital would be in touch within 48 hours if my test returned positive.

The next morning I had a phonecall and my heart sank when I saw the hospital number because I knew that it would be bad news concerning my GTT test. The midwife confirmed that my test result was positive for Gestational Diabetes and that I needed to go back to the hospital to attend the diabetes clinic that very morning.

Having escaped GD in my first pregnancy I was quite upset that I'd got it this time round and I didn't really have a clue what to expect. Fortunately I remembered that one of my friends had had it during her pregnancies so she was able to give me some advice and calm my nerves abit!

Back at the hospital I met with the dietitian who was really nice and put my mind at rest that I wouldn't have to cut out completely everything and live on a diet on brown rice and broccoli! She gave me some dietary advice handouts and the main thing I was told was to watch my carb portions and cut out any sugary drinks. I was then introduced to the diabetes specialist midwife who I will be seeing alot more of over the next 3 months and she gave me a blood monitoring kit. This was a bit overwhelming at first - I would have to test my blood 4 times a day by pricking my finger with the special needle device. Good job I'm not squeamish :-s

That was over a week ago and I'm pleased to say I'm getting my head round things and knowing what I can/can't eat. I've found a really good website (http://www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/) which has helped so much with everything and they have a really active Facebook group too which has been useful for questions and reading what other people are eating.

Unfortunately my morning readings of my blood levels are still higher than they would like and this isn't something that can be controlled by diet. So I've been put on some medication which should lower this. If this doesn't improve then the hospital will look into putting me onto insulin. Hoping it doesn't come to this but we'll just have to wait and see - I've read that gestational diabetes can get progressively worse towards the end of the pregnancy.

The positive thing is, the gestational diabetes should go when the baby arrives but unfortunately it will leave me more at risk in the future of developing type 2 diabetes so will have to ensure I really watch what I'm eating after the baby is born. Good reason for me to return to Slimming World!

Pregnancy Update ~ Baby #2 (Weeks 24-28 & Pregnancy Essentials!)

Well, here we are in November - how did that happen?!! And I'm now 28 weeks so heading into the third trimester. I feel like it's going so fast now, the first trimester went so slowly because I was conscious of not telling people but now it's becoming more realer by the day. We have so much on over the next two months too so it really will be due date before I know it - eek!

I've been a bit slack at blogging my pregnancy updates recently but the truth is, there's nothing major to talk about! Other than a little tired, I've been feeling well. No sickness as such but certain smells are still making me retch and even brushing my teeth some mornings can cause me to get a bit retchy...not a pleasant side effect!

Lots of movement from the baby, even more so than what I remember with Elliot. Such a strange feeling, like she's doing somersaults in there!

Haven't seen my actual midwife since 16 weeks but I did have an appointment with the hospital midwives last week. I got the letter and wasn't sure why it was at the hospital and not at my local Dr's surgery but when I got there I was told it was due to my high BMI and that it was a special clinic for overweight mums to be - great!! Was expecting a lecture but the midwife was very nice and just did all the usual measurements and checks. She said I should be trying to limit my weight gain over the next 3 months - currently I'm up about a stone from my pre-pregnancy weight. She went over what I should be eating, what exercise I could do - obviously I won't be doing any marathons anytime soon but walking is very much encouraged in pregnancy, not just for larger ladies!

We had another scan this week (28 weeks) and this was a growth scan to see how the baby was doing. I love the later scans because the image is so clear, we could see her pursing her lips! She's growing well and measuring exactly as she should so that was good.

Pregnancy Essentials

I'm lucky to have had a good pregnancy so far but there are certain things I've been using that make life a little easier!

Pregnancy Pillow - Velinda 
I didn't have one of these when I was pregnant with Elliot but I have to say this has come in really useful this time round. It is rather big so it does take up a fair amount of room in bed but it really does make things comfier. The material is soft and the pillow is squishy without being too soft. Elliot quite likes propping himself up on the pillow to watch a film too so I think we will be getting lots of use out of it! I've read that pregnancy pillows can be used as a feeding aid when baby arrives so I will definitely be giving this a go.

I love the pattern on mine!

Maternity Leggings - Yours Clothing
I never used to wear leggings but my first pregnancy changed all that and I'm back in them this time round too - so so comfy! The choice for plus size maternity clothes online is sadly abit limited but good old Yours Clothing have a great range called Bump it Up which has lots of essentials like leggings and shirts. I kind of begrudge paying lots for maternity clothes but these leggings were £12.00 which I didn't think was too bad and I do wear them alot! I've not bought any maternity jeans so I generally live in leggings with a shirt or dress over the top.

Baby Center Pregnancy App
I love reading the daily updates and seeing what size my baby is now compared to a piece of fruit or vegetable - last week she was the size of a cauliflower which made us chuckle!

What were your pregnancy essentials?

Pregnancy Update ~ Baby #2 (Weeks 22-23 & Gender Reveal!)

The weeks are flying by thick and fast now and we finally know the sex of our baby - yippeee!!!

Last week we had a holiday in Majorca and had a really lovely time. The temperature was perfect. it wasn't too hot so this was a relief for me, didn't want to be too uncomfortable! I wore compression socks on the flight even though it was only two hours but I still got swollen ankles which I expected - I usually get this even if I'm not pregnant! We were all inclusive and it was a shame I couldn't take advantage of the cocktails but I did enjoy lots of slush puppies which are a firm favourite of mine whilst pregnant!

My bump is well and truly out now and it feels alot firmer. Even my husband said "wow you look really pregnant now!".

No cravings really but appetite is a bit hit or miss. I always feel hungry but can't manage a big portion. I eat a little portion but then find I'm hungry again within an hour!

My sense of smell is driving me mad still - public toilets seem to be the worst culprit at the moment!! I was sick at the airport as the toilet was a bit whiffy, poor Elliot, I missed his head by inches!

20 Week Re-scan

If you read my last pregnancy update then you'll know that our 20 week scan was incomplete and we had to make another appointment. It was booked for the Monday morning after our holiday and I was really excited that we might finally finally find out the gender. We decided to take Elliot along too so I wondered how he'd take to seeing the baby on screen! 

We arrived at the maternity unit and the midwife looked at my notes and said "you're not in the system, you have the wrong date!" - what! I knew I'd definitely got the correct date and she was quite rude to be honest, even when she saw the details of the re-scan written in my notes she was still trying to make out I'd got it wrong. She even said "well you're booked in for another scan on the 2nd November, why is this?" - er, you tell me, you're the midwife! Fortunately she said they'd try and squeeze me in but I was a bit annoyed as I knew it would mean sitting in the waiting room for god knows how long and Elliot was due at pre-school in a few hours! 

After waiting for 45 minutes we were called in (finally!) and I was quite pleased that the sonographer was lovely and not mean like her colleague we had met earlier! She was able to get most of the measurements she needed but was struggling with the heart - the baby was in a really awkward position and no matter how much I moved and changed positions, she still couldn't see what she needed! So I was told to go for a wee and a drink and she'd call me in after the next person. 

Fortunately, on the next go the baby was positioned perfectly and she could see that the heart was all plumbed in as it should be and everything was fine. Phew!

The sonographer said this was a cute pic of the baby's profile but I think it looks like she has giant teeth and a beard!! 

So....I guess you're wondering if it's a boy or girl?! I've been convinced throughout the whole pregnancy that we are having a boy....so imagine my surprise when the sonographer tells me it's a girl!!!! 

It's a girl!

I was completely shocked and it's taken me a few days to get my head round it but I'm really excited that Elliot will have a little sister! It also makes the name options easier because I couldn't find any boys names I like whereas I have definite favourites for girls ;) 

Now I know the gender I've been able to start shopping and I've managed to pick up some lovely bits and bobs in the Tesco sale. I'm not a girly girl and I hated all the pink floral stuff in Asda but Tesco had lots of different colour bits which were more my cup of tea! 

So there we are, time to get organised now. I think January will here before we know it!

Pregnancy Update ~ Baby #2 ( Weeks 18-21 & Anomaly Scan)

Well I'm officially over the halfway mark now and time seems to be going a bit faster now. We have lots planned for the Autumn so I feel like Christmas will be here before we know it and then January - baby time!!

Still feeling generally fine in the pregnancy although I have struggled with the heat over the last few weeks. It's been so muggy so I feel like I've just been constantly sweaty - nice! I've had swollen ankles too which happened in my first pregnancy too.

I've been feeling baby move so much more recently - my husband hasn't been able to feel it yet but I can certainly feel it! It's hard to explain, just feels like lots of bubbles and swirling inside. The baby seems very active!

My bump has definitely popped now and my tummy is looking much more baby belly round, and not "eaten all the cake" round!

I need to get round to sorting Elliot's old baby stuff out soon so I can see what I need to buy. I think I have most of the big items but I did pick up some Tommee Tippee bottles in the Asda baby event last week, plus some neutral baby grows.

20 Week Scan

Week 20 meant it was time for our anomaly scan. It was fantastic to see the baby again on the screen - he/she was really active and flipping around all over the place. Unfortunately the sonographer couldn't get all the measurements he needed - a combination of the baby moving, and my BMI. This is quite common in overweight ladies and actually the same thing happened at Elliot's 20 week scan. We are booked in for another scan at 23 weeks so hopefully the baby might be more cooperative then. I'm also gagging to find out the gender so hopefully we will know at this next scan!

As I'm under consultant care I had to have a meeting with my consultant after the scan. To be honest this was a big waste of time and just felt like they were ticking boxes! I had to sit in a room for half an hour while they read my notes and when she came in she said "Well we have a lot to go through!" so I thought I'd be in there for ages. But she literally had a list of things she whizzed through:

"You had a big baby last time, we'll keep an eye on that this time"
"Do you want to see a dietician? No? OK"
"I see you want a c-section, are you sure?"
"You're booked in for a GTT test, correct?"
"When are you seeing your midwife next?"

And that was literally it, felt it was a complete waste of not only my time but her time too!

We're off on holiday soon to Majorca and I'm looking forward to spending a week in the sun and relaxing for a bit. Well, relaxing as much as you can with a lively almost 4 year old!

Pregnancy Update ~ Baby #2 (Weeks 13-17)

Well the Summer Holidays are almost over and I've not had a chance to write as many pregnancy updates as I'd quite like as we've just been so busy! Hence why weeks 13-17 are lumped together.

I've been feeling really well over the last few weeks since my scan, I don't feel queasy at all now which is great! But I've been feeling pretty hungry alot. It's very similar to my last pregnancy where I can't eat a massive meal but I seem to graze more throughout the day! Lots more energy too.

No real cravings but I am drinking ALOT more milk - well specifically, Crusha milkshake mix!! I hear this is quite common but I just fancy milkshake all the time, I've even taken to hiding my Crusha in the cupboard so Elliot doesn't spot it and want to have some ;)

My smell has been a bit funny these past few weeks and everything smells so strong - yuck! I had to empty the bin in the kitchen and there was cat food in there, it's all I could smell and it made me start retching - even when I put the bag in the wheely bin I could still imagine the smell of it which made it worse!! Elliot said "Are you going to be sick Mummy?!"

Elliot has been so excited about the baby and every new person we meet he tells them that Mummy is having a baby! He can't decide if it's a boy or girl, I think he's just excited to have someone to play with. Although he did ask if he would have to share his toys!

I had my 16 week midwife appointment a couple of weeks ago and that was fine. She went through some of my test results and then she had a listen to the heartbeat which was lovely to hear. Took her a while to find it though! The appointment was really quick and we were out within 10 minutes. Probably just as well though as I had Elliot with me and he decided to do a really loud fart as we got into the room - boys!!

I feel like I have a bit of a bump now although being plus size, I probably just look like I've been eating too much!! (Maybe it's the milkshakes!) I'm still wearing my usual clothes although I have bought some new things for my holiday in a bigger size. There isn't a great deal of choice when it comes to plus size maternity wear so I'm reluctant to spend a fortune on clothes I don't really like or I won't really get too much wear out of. Instead I've just sized up and in a few months when it starts to get colder, I'll just be in my trusty leggings and shirts/tops!

My 20 week scan is just a few weeks away and I'm so excited about finding out the gender!

Pregnancy Update ~ Second Baby, Week 12 & The Scan!

Week 12

Exciting times now as the first trimester is almost over! Been feeling really well this week, the queasiness has pretty much gone now which has been good. I'm almost sure I felt the baby move too. I know it's early but I recognised that little fluttery feeling very low down where the baby would be - I was singing at the time too with my choir and it almost made me forget my words!

It was finally time for the first scan this week - I felt quite nervous but really excited to see the baby. And excited to be able to everyone our news! We left Elliot with my parents and headed to the maternity unit at our local hospital. I was weighed and measured (I haven't got any taller...sigh!) and then we waited in the waiting room until we were called a few moments later.

I was fully expecting to have a vaginal scan as this is what happened at my 12 week scan in my first pregnancy. (If the sonographer is unable to see a clear picture then they will suggest this, normally if it early in the pregnancy or if you are overweight. ) This time round the sonographer did a regular scan and we were able to see the baby really clearly. He confirmed that there was definitely a baby (phew!) and only one (phew!) and that everything looked normal (phew!). We had some pictures printed (£5 for 5) but they're not the clearest, we could see the baby really clearly on the screen but as soon as he clicked to take the picture the baby moved!

The scan took around 10 minutes and we then had to wait back in the waiting room for me to have some blood taken. Unfortunately the hospital had some kind of emergency and everything was delayed so we had to wait almost an hour for someone to see me! Finally though a lady took my blood and explained that it would be sent off and tested so we would know if the baby was high or low risk for Down's Syndrome.

We didn't tell Elliot the news straight away, we went out for dinner on the way home but when we got back we sat him down and showed him the pictures. I'd bought him a dinosaur tshirt too which said "I'm going to be a big brother!". He seemed a little shocked but quite excited and kept saying "wow!".

I think he was a bit tired at the time and it didn't really sink it but the next morning he came running into our room and said "you've got a baby in your tummy Mummy!" - and since then he hadn't stopped talking about it! I get asked at least 5 times a day when the baby is coming and he is constantly telling people "we're having a baby!" - even complete strangers!!

Pregnancy Update ~ Second Baby (Weeks 9-11)

Week 9

Still knackered!! I definitely don't remember feeling this tired in my first pregnancy but this time round, I am just exhausted. I don't think it helps having a 3 year old to run round after, he certainly keeps me busy! Seem to be waking at least twice in the night for a wee, that'll only get worse though so better get used to that!

Apart from the tiredness, I'm feeling ok in general. Queasiness hasn't been too bad but I've been making sure I have breakfast everyday, a proper breakfast too and not just a quick cereal bar! My appetite seems to be all over the place. I seem to be hungry all the time but nothing really appeals except bread and butter! (Proper butter on a fresh tiger loaf is literally my idea of heaven right now)

I've still been attending my Slimming World meeting but to be honest I haven't been sticking to plan at all. Lots of healthy foods have lost their appeal - the thought of a salad makes me want to retch right now! I've also gone off Pepsi Max which is mad, I used to be addicted to the stuff and now the thought of it turns my stomach. I've been drinking lots and lots of sugar free squash though so that's got to be better for me!

Week 10

Had my booking appointment this week at the hospital. Met my midwife and she's really nice - I was a bit worried incase I had a mean one who'd pull me up on my high BMI! It was much the same as last time and it was lots of questions to answer about medical history. We also talked about Elliot's birth and whether I'd be having another c-section. (Yes I will be!). She took my blood pressure and that was fine and she wanted to take some blood - eek! I mentioned that last time they always struggled to find a vein so she got her colleague to do it, she eventually found a decent vein and it took a couple of seconds...and didn't hurt!

I was given my notes and lots of leaflets to read and I'd say it took just over an hour. I was glad to get out of the hospital as it was so hot in there!

Week 11

We spent the weekend at Bluestone, Wales and I was abit worried that I might feel sick on the 4 hour journey but I took a few snacks and I was fine. Elliot decided to get car sick though so at one point I had to catch his sick in a carrier bag and hold it til we pulled over on the hard shoulder - it took alot to block out the smell and not start retching!

Feeling ok in myself this week, not quite as tired which is good. Still pretty hungry all the time though! Haven't weighed myself for a couple of weeks but I'm sure the weekend away put on a few pounds...can't resist a Welsh cake!

My scan is next week and I can't wait - not just to see the baby but to be able to tell Elliot, he is going to be so excited!

Pregnancy Update ~ Second Baby (Weeks 5-8)

So this is the first in my series of pregnancy updates. Blogging about pregnancy is all new to me as when I was expecting Elliot I didn't even read blogs, let alone write one! I enjoyed reading other pregnancy updates from bloggers such as Sabrina at The Mummy Stylist and Beth at Life as Mum so I thought I'd give it a go myself. I'm past the 12 week stage now but here's a look back at my early weeks :)

Week 5

So I found out this week that I am pregnant - eeek! I'd been feeling a bit out of sorts and quite tired, I'd originally put it down to my period being due but then that didn't happen so I thought I'd better take a test. I had an inkling that I might be pregnant and the test confirmed it - spent the rest of the day in a bit of a daze!

Rang my husband at work to tell him but he wasn't on his own so didn't mention it....but sent him a whatsapp message saying "can you please call me when you get a moment to yourself....there's a small chance we might be having another baby!". So of course he rang back straight away and I think he was totally shocked and surprised!

It was my birthday the following day so I told my parents who were very excited. To be honest, it still doesn't feel very real as apart from the tiredness, the early pregnancy symptoms haven't kicked in yet.

Week 6

Starting to feel slightly queasy in the mornings but if I make sure I have breakfast, I'm ok. Been feeling hungrier than normal but the thought of salad is not appealing which is bad news for my Slimming World diet! I do plan on sticking with SW for as long as I can throughout the pregnancy so I can minimise my weight gain. But not sure how this will pan out....

Blogging has taken a bit of a backseat, by the time I get to sit down at my laptop in the evenings I'm knackered and the lure of the comfy sofa is often too much to resist!

Week 7

Been struggling with tiredness this week - it really hits me in the afternoon and I have succumbed to a nap on a couple of occasions! Although that's not so easy with an excitable 3 year old bouncing around all over the place. We've been trying to catch up with Game of Thrones in the evenings but I can only manage one episode before I'm snoring - poor husband!

The morning queasiness continues and certain smells have been making me feel sick! I've been eating a bit better but feeling really bloated and my jeans are feeling a bit snug. Boobs are feeling bigger too.

Finding it really difficult not to tell people about the baby - I'm crap at keeping secrets!

Been reading lots of pregnancy blogs and really enjoyed this one from Lisa at Mummascribbles about the transition her son will go through from only child to sibling. It will be the same for Elliot so it was interesting to hear from her perspective. We haven't told Elliot the news yet but I think he will be really really excited about having a baby brother or sister!

Week 8

Tiredness is still my number one issue! I don't remember being this knackered in my last pregnancy but I guess I didn't have a lively 3 year old to chase around then.

Got the details of my booking in appointment with my midwife which will be happening at ten weeks. Last time the midwife came to my house but this time round I have to go to the maternity unit at the hospital which is a pain, the parking is rubbish there and it means I'll have to get my mum to look after Elliot whilst I'm there. Better get used to it, will be spending a fair amount of time there over the next 7 months!