Baby H #2: 35 weeks

As I sit here writing this I have been struck down with a head cold. Let me tell you, this sucks. I could be very descriptive about how much it sucks, but I’m too polite to put that ish down in writing.

But let me put it this way: It’s the middle of a heat wave here, I can’t breathe because I am seriously congested, but at the same time my nose is seriously runny. I look like a sick Victorian child who won’t make it through the winter. I have an annoying cough and I’m tired because not only do I have to get up 10 times a night to pee, but now I can add not being able to breathe to the list. Take my advice and avoid getting sick in the third trimester at all costs!

We have also been a one car family this week as mine has been getting repairs done. This is not ideal as A and I work on complete opposite ends of the city, but somehow we’ve managed to make it work. I have just been praying super hard that I don’t go into labour before my car is sorted.

Other than that this week has been marked by plenty of painful Braxton Hicks, especially in the afternoons and evenings, nothing timeable, but they are always accompanied by period-like cramps and I have had to breathe through them a time or two. I have also had tons of lightning crotch and have been just generally exhausted and grumpy.

On a positive note, next week is my last week at work and then I’m on leave! I’m seriously looking forward to some down time.

How far along? 35 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Honeydew melon

 Total weight gain/measurements: 66.5kg. Still gaining 500g per week

 Stretch marks: Nothing yet

 Best moment this week: I’m struggling to pin down a moment. Last week was hard and I felt like I was waiting for it to end since Tuesday. I had a moment of extreme disappointment when I woke up on Friday morning only to realise it was Thursday…

 Miss anything? Being healthy. I’m over this cold.

Movement: Bubs was moving regularly but not as vigorously as she normally does. I’m pretty sure it’s because I haven’t been as active this week myself. But whenever I’ve done kick counts she’s been well within the movement recommendations

Food cravings: I haven’t really wanted to eat. I’ve been too sick and too hot.

Exercise: I have not been great at exercise this week, but I have had an awful head cold, so I’m cutting myself some slack. I did manage to squeeze a toning workout in at the end of the week and that’s just going to have to be good enough.

Gender: A girl!

 Symptoms: I have been getting a lot of crampy, achy, lower abdominal pain and lower back pain lately. I’m not sure if its a result of sitting a lot more than I usually do as I’ve been ill. My energy levels have been seriously low this week and I have been very irritable. My Braxton hicks contractions seem to be remaining the same though. I have also seen a lot of swelling in the heatwave we’ve had, especially my feet, but I’ve noticed in my hands as well. I still get hip pain at the end of the day and pressure in my hips at night. I have also felt like I’m being burned alive in this heat. I had forgotten just how hot you get during a summer pregnancy. Oh and let’s not forget the lightning crotch.

Belly button in or out? It has officially popped.

Wedding rings on or off? Completely off and replaced with one in a larger size

 Happy or moody most of the time: I admit I have been moody AF this week. Being this far along and sick is not something I would recommend. I would get through my energy reserves pretty quickly and then get super snippy with everyone. Sorry family.

 Looking forward to: We have our 36 week appointment next week. I’m hoping that we will get more clarity one what may happen the following week. As the 15^th is close approaching. Also last week is my last week in the office. I will be on leave from Friday!

 

Baby H #2: 34 weeks

This week went by a lot quicker than previous weeks and for that I’m really grateful!

For some reason up until now time seemed to be moving at snail pace, so a quick moving and productive week was a refreshing change. I am so close to wrapping up my to do list at work. I will be really glad when it’s all done! That vacation time is dangling like a carrot in front of me.

I do admit that I feel slightly anxious at the moment. I have been experiencing a few labour signs that have my mind a bit on edge. Firstly, I feel it’s too early for Bubs to come now, she needs those extra three weeks! I also need those three weeks, I have stuff to do. Even though we’re ready for her in terms of the state of our home, family etc. I just need a her to stay put a little longer so I can wrap everything up in a neat little bow.

But each stab of lightening crotch, each twinge of hip and back pain, each trip to the loo makes me more and more anxious. I feel the clock ticking…

Speaking of lightning crotch, that delightful symptom is back in full force. I can usually tell when it’s been caused by the baby. She will give and enormous roll or stretch and I will feel like I’ve been tazered from the inside. It’s lovely (sarcasm). I remember it vividly from my previous pregnancy and it was the one symptom that pregnancy amnesia never dulled for me. Once you’ve felt lightning crotch you will never forget it! I get the odd stab during the day when Bubs hasn’t moved at all and I have the feeling that may be cervical change. I won’t really know until I see my Dr again.

I had a short reprieve from the hip pain for a few days, but its back in force now and feels worse than ever. I am really struggling to walk these days. I look like a cowboy just home from the range. I feel terribly bow-legged and wobbly.

I’m also seriously starting to run out of steam. I’m slower, heavier and just terribly unenthusiastic. I feel super emotional all the time. I can barely make it to 8pm most nights without wanting to cry I’m so tired. The final days of pregnancy are such fun.

Wow, I have moaned my way through this whole post. It’s definitely time to wrap things up.

How far along? 34 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Honeydew melon

 Total weight gain/measurements: 66kg and counting. I seem to be steadily gaining 500g per week

 Stretch marks: Nothing yet

 Best moment this week: I was surprised by a wonderful baby sprinkle this weekend. It was so special that people thought about Bubs and I. A few people who couldn’t join us still sent a gift through mutual friends and it was a lovely afternoon spend chatting and laughing.

 Miss anything? Being a stable, non-emotional human being. But it will still be a long time till I’m back there.

Movement: Bubs has been so busy this week. She’s makes me anxious when she doesn’t move so having her be super busy is definitely how I prefer it.

Food cravings: I wanted a coke so badly the other day I could have cried. I have been trying to hold strong against that craving, but I may end up giving in.

Exercise: I wasn’t brilliant with my workouts this week, but also I wasn’t too bad. I got in two good walks and a strength workout. If I can stick to three workouts a week until the end I will be super happy.

Gender: A girl!

 Symptoms: My long list remains the same with the inclusion of lightning crotch. I have also felt really crampy with lots of back and hip pain these past few days. Turn away now form TMI I have had some unpleasant symptoms this week too: (increased discharge and an ‘upset stomach’)

Belly button in or out? It has officially popped.

 Wedding rings on or off? Completely off and replaced with one in a larger size

 Happy or moody most of the time: I was very up and down this week. I had moments of being super happy and then moments of being really sad. I think the exhaustion is messing with my brain.

 Looking forward to: I am looking forward to getting the last two weeks of work behind me and hopefully having a few days to catch my breath a bit before Bubs comes. My last day of work is the 9^th of November. I also have a dr’s appointment on the 8^th to look forward to.

 

 

Baby H #2: 33 weeks

I started this week out really struggling with weekend hangover. It was such a busy weekend with two four-hour road trips and a huge family and friends gathering that I felt really worn out come Monday morning. I feel like it took me the whole week to recover!

Feeling like a zombie was a trial as I had so much on my late last week.  I have been working furiously at work to get everything ready for while I’m away. I am slowly but surely starting to conquer the to-do list and to be honest, I’m very impressed with how productive I was last week, but it was not easy! I have also packed my hospital and labour bags, I have packed the baby’s bag, I have filled out my UIF forms, I have finalised my leave with my boss. I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

With the prospect of having this baby on the 15^th on November looming over me I came to the realisation that the idea of going from work straight to my appointment and then possible being admitted to the hospital to give birth was a little soul destroying. I have some leave owing to me, so I have moved up when I will start my leave. I just need a little bit of breathing room and time at home to relax before she comes. So the 9^th of November will be my last day before I start my annual leave and my maternity leave will start as planned in December.

A and I have a few chores to do at home to prepare for her arrival, but really these are not essentials. If we get to them, we get to them. If not, it’s not the end of the world. We’re pretty much just waiting for her to get here and I am more than ready! Having a baby camping in your pelvis is not a comfortable experience.

I have a serious waddle going on and the back and hip pain have become daily struggles. I’m battling to get through the most basic of workouts right now. I also feel huge and have been having more Braxton Hick’s contractions each day. I am also running to the loo what feels like every five minutes, so she has definitely dropped. On the other hand I have had some really great sleep lately, aside from very early waking times (but I have been falling asleep at 9pm every night). Other than that I haven’t seen any other labour signs. I’m not too concerned, but I’m keeping an eye on things just in case.

I just have a few more loose ends to wrap up, but I feel very in control of everything right now. I am very much looking forward to going on leave though.

How far along? 33 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Pineapple

 Total weight gain/measurements: Still keeping with my given target. I’m now at 65.5kg

 Stretch marks: Nothing yet

 Best moment this week: It was a birthday on the weekend and I got to spend it with friends on Saturday and was able to go on an epic fabric shopping trip on Sunday.

 Miss anything? Being able to walk normally

Movement: Bubs is still quite busy, but not nearly as acrobatic. She is too low and too cramped for major shenanigans.

Food cravings: I can’t say I have craved anything specific this week. But a lot of my food choices haven’t been great based on sheer lack of energy to make the healthy choice.

Exercise: I did manage to do two strength sessions and a good walk this week and I’m proud of that. I feel very heavy, cumbersome and tired. Working up the motivation right now is hard!

Gender: A girl!

 Symptoms: I still have a lot of the symptoms I have mentioned previously – pregnancy rhinitis is the most annoying because I have had a blocked/runny nose for nine months. I also have dry, itchy eyes, dry, itchy skin, back and hip pain, the need to run for the loo constantly, fatigue, bouts of indigestion, nausea etc. But it is what it is and I just get on with things. To be fair, aside from the blocked nose I sometimes don’t notice the other symptoms.

Belly button in or out? It has officially popped.

 Wedding rings on or off? Completely off and replaced with one in a larger size

 Happy or moody most of the time: I was pretty irritable last week because I was so tired. Aside from the weekend. I had a great weekend.

 Looking forward to: I have a few things I’m looking forward to. I’m seeing my mom on the weekend, we have a dr’s appointment in just over two weeks and then I go on leave. I have a lot of work to do between now and then, but I am looking forward to wrapping things up.

 

Our 4D scan

One of the things I have looked forward to most in my pregnancies has been the 4D scan.

It was the most incredible experience with Willow and I felt that she looked exactly like that when she was born. It really helped me to see her and connect even more with her.

This time around I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for Willow to connect with her baby sister. Willow is already pretty possessive of the baby and calls her ‘my baby’ which is stinking cute. She is also always telling us what she and the baby are going to do together when the baby gets here. So I figured this was the perfect opportunity for Willow to see what was going on.

I fetched her early from school and we headed off to the hospital. It dawned on me that this was also the perfect opportunity to explain to her that this is where mommy would come when it was time to have the baby and that Daddy would bring her here to see me. She took it all in with huge eyes, but the highlight was being able to press the button for the elevator (oh to be three and so easily entertained).

The Sister who administered the scan was lovely and she really explained to Willow what was happening and showed her things she thought Willow would be interested in. We found her hands and counted her fingers, we pointed out her long legs and how she was all curled up.

Bubs was not really cooperating as usual. We struggled to get a clear shot of her face. She kept hiding behind her hands or squishing her face into the placenta. We did get one good shot though.

By far willow’s favourite part was listening to the heartbeat. She asked the Sister to play it over again and again. I eventually took a video recording of it so she could listen to it at home as well. I found that fascinating.

What I loved about having Willow at this scan with me was that it wasn’t a medical scan. We weren’t checking to see if Bubs was alright and growing well. This allowed us to really enjoy it and to soak up Willow’s reaction to everything. Willow was able to sit on the bed with me and she got her own picture printed so she could keep it in her room. It was so sweet and well handled. I highly recommend moms with older children taking them to a 4D scan.

The month that was: September 2018

I’m a little shell-shocked that September is over already.

This was another busy month that just seemed to fly by for us. Why is it that spring always seems like a rollercoaster ride?

My Dr’s appointments are getting earlier and earlier in the month as the weeks go by. So early September saw me bidding farewell to my second trimester and ushering in the third with another visit to the doctor. We were very happy with the progress that was made over the previous month. Bubs put in a lot of growing and I’m so pleased. The check-up was very thorough because they wanted to check all her growth points and blood flow. Everything came back as perfectly normal – the best words you can here as a mom.

We also had the fun that is Willow’s School concert. They have been preparing for it for ages and I had been so looking forward to it. The theme was A Night at the Movies and Willow’s class got Trolls. They sang and danced to Can’t Stop the Feeling and September by Earth, Wind and Fire. It was too adorable. Willow is such a little performer. When she spotted where we were sitting she rearranged her position on the stage so she was standing in the middle and she had all her dance moves down. She has been singing it around the house for months now and I die from cuteness every time.

Sewing – I kept the sewing list pretty conservative this month with just a handful of makes for myself. I wanted to make a few maternity/nursing tops and dresses and I got through the majority of it. I made a Chalk and Notch Fringe Dress with some maternity adjustments, a Hey June Handmade Phoenix Blouse, also with some maternity adjustments. I also made a Megan Nielsen Amber Maternity and Nursing Top, a blank Slate Tulip top and a Schwin and Scwin Hello Tank for Willow. Looking back on it now, I was pretty busy! It didn’t feel like it at all, these were all very simple easy to make projects that I found very satisfying.

Cooking – nothing I cooked has really stood out to me this month. We’ve still been eating a lot of simple meals consisting of a protein and salad. It is all my energy levels in the evening are up to really. I did make a delicious stir fry and some chicken fajitas though. Mostly all I want to eat is ice cold pineapple.

Drinking – A lot, and I do mean a lot, of water. Most days I find myself so thirsty! When I was pregnant with Willow I only wanted orange juice, this time I find it difficult to drink anything but water. I love it straight out the tap, ice cold from the fridge and of course, sparkling.

Hoping – to start wrapping up my monster to do list at work. I have about 8 work weeks left before I go on maternity leave and there are a lot of loose ends that are stressing me out a bit. But I am slowly but surely wading my way through the list. We had a strategy meeting the other day and I feel better having a plan in place. Seeing check marks on a to-do list is very satisfying.

Loving – All the kicks and jabs from Bubs. She has turned and is now lying head down, so her movements are different. But she is very busy. I won’t lie sometimes the kicks can be quite painful. She loves to stick her knee in the same spot over and over again. But mostly I find it highly entertaining. My stomach is starting to look alien-like when she is having a particularly vigorous stretch. It’s one of the best parts of pregnancy and what I miss the most after the baby comes.

Hating – feeling tired and lethargic. I’m usually an on-the-go type person and I have been struggling a bit with the third-trimester fatigue. I manage to muddle along during the day and exercise definitely helps, but I’m usually asleep by 9pm most days.

Buying – I have been stocking up on a few things to wear postpartum, particularly in the hospital. I have turned to my old faithful favourite shop – Pick n Pay Clothing and so far is it serving me well. I have a few pairs of comfy pants and shorts to wear both in the hospital and around the house once Bubs comes. The goal is to feel like I’m wearing pyjamas without looking like I am. I would love to go fabric shopping, but I’m not feeling inspired to make things right now and am busy working through my stash.

Watching – This month I have been all about season 10 of MasterChef Australia. I love this show! This season has been so good!

Sporting – Broader hips and a stellar waddle. Not surprising really given that I am almost 8 months pregnant. But it’s weird for me to have hips. My standard body type is quite straight with few curves. I’m what you would call ‘boyish’. But these days my hips have definitely spread and I am waddling into the last days of pregnancy like a champ.

Laughing – at myself mostly. I have reached the stage where I do nothing without sound effects, I often leave things on the floor when they drop and I officially can’t see my toes. The final days of pregnancy are fun.

Admiring – my ‘Push Present’ from A. I know what it is because 1.) I chose the colour and stone and 2.) we needed to measure my fingers to get the correct size. He got me this gorgeous ring from Janine Binneman who is a Cape Town based jeweller. I saw this on Instagram and immediately fell in love with it. When I found out what the stones were it took on even more meaning. It is made with garnets, citrine, tourmaline and topaz – the birthstones of everyone in my little family. I can’t wait for it to arrive, but I think it will be a while until my fingers are in any state to wear it #swollen

Thinking – about how little time we have left until our little girl arrives. I have probably said this every month, but as the countdown winds down it gets more and more ‘real’ if you know what I mean.

Planning – my work schedule so that I’m not really ‘missed’ while on maternity leave

Needing – to get all my ducks in a row. I am starting to feel that urge to prepare. I want to set up the baby’s stuff, buy all the things, tick things off the list. Until now I thought I had everything handled. I have been doing little bits here and there. Now all of a sudden I feel totally unprepared. I think it’s the uncertainty that comes with not knowing exactly when you will have the baby. It drives me nuts.

Beauty:

Justine’s A FirmTime Reversal Skin Renewal Over Night Peel. This is a chemical exfoliant that gives the most beautiful immediate results. I had an issue with dry flaky skin for a while there, but using this stuff sorted it out in a snap. You simply put it on after cleansing and go to bed. The next day your skin looks amazing. I love this stuff.

Mixa Body Lotion for Dry Sensitive Skin with Oat Milk. One of my pregnancy side effects has been dry, itchy skin on my body. I have really struggled to find something that is hydrating and soothing but doesn’t leave me feeling too sticky in the heat we have been having. This stuff fits the bill perfectly. I also love the pump dispenser and it was super affordable.

Justine A-Frim Intensive Anti Wrinkle Eye Cream. I have long been an eye cream convert. I really think it makes a huge difference when you moisturise the delicate eye area with the correct tools for the job. The third trimester of pregnancy means you don’t get great sleep, but this eye cream goes a long way in reducing puffiness, the appearance of dark circles and the fine lines and crepey look I get under my eyes due to tiredness and dehydration. I really feel I look more away and my make up goes on a lot better when I use this regularly.

Baby H #2: 30 weeks

And just like that its good bye 20s and hello 30s. This pregnancy feels to be both crawling by and flying past at lightning speed.

It occurred to me when I woke up on Sunday morning (my roll over date) that if this pregnancy follows Willow’s timeline then I have eight weeks left!

With Willow I had spent weeks preparing myself for the fact that most first time moms go past their due dates. When I woke up on the morning I went into labour I really thought nothing of it. I convinced A to take me out because I was dying of boredom. As the day progressed however it became clear that that was the day. Willow was born exactly at 38 weeks.

When I first saw my OB Gyn at the beginning of this pregnancy she told me that due to my size (I’m on the taller side, but have a very small frame) and my history, we all need to be prepared for Bubs to make her appearance at a similar time, although it is still possible that I could go over.

Add to that the fact that I’m showing signs of a mature placenta and I have a feeling I may not see the end of November pregnant. I’ve been told to be on baby watch from November 17. For some reason my brain has latched onto November 18^th as D day. If that comes to pass I’m totally claiming mother’s intuition. But I’m not sure if it’s not because that was the timeline we followed with Willow. But as we all know each baby is different and will come when they come. So I’m trying not to put all my eggs in one basket.

For now, nothing has really changed much as side from my ever expanding girth. 30 weeks has always been significant in my head because it signifies the final stretch of pregnancy. This is when the aches and pains and tiredness start to settle in again for me.

How far along? 30 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Apparently she is now the size of a cabbage

 Total weight gain/measurements: I am up by a total of 12kilos so far for this pregnancy. I was right not to take the scale at face value last week. After a chilled week at home with my feet up whenever I could and a few good workouts it is now telling a very different story. I think 64kg sounds a hell of a lot better than last weeks’ number so I’ve logged it. I am also measuring 94 cm around now.

Stretch marks: No nothing yet. My stomach and boobs are incredibly veiny though and I’m starting to see the faintest hints of the linea nigra

Best moment this week: We had a long weekend in South Africa and boy did I need it. It was both chilled and productive. I managed to sort out Willow’s cupboard, A did a few chores for me in the garden so I was able to get stuck in and tidy up there a bit. He also fixed a light for me, we got rid of a whole lot of clutter and we sorted out an issue with the shower head in the bathroom. Other than that we just chilled. I finished sewing a nursing top, I played with Willow, we watched movies and napped. It was lovely.

Miss anything? My energy. I feel like I’m constantly tired.

Movement: She has been quite busy, especially over the weekend.

Food cravings: I have noticed that I can’t eat as much as I used to without feeling nauseous and if I don’t eat on time I feel nauseous too. So that’s fun. This week I have wanted sweet things I think it’s my body’s way of trying to recoup some energy. I have been very lucky that this pregnancy has been marked by mostly healthy cravings.

Exercise: It was ok. I went on a long walk and did a strength session, but it could have been better.

Gender: A girl!

Symptoms: I have developed really sore nipples this week. Like beyond first trimester sore. I’m not sure what’s up with that but it kills. I’m also a lot achier in general. My hips get really sore in the night and that keeps me up quite a bit. I’m most definitely waddling these days and a lot of people have commented on how strange it is to see me with hips (my build is usually quite narrow). I am also getting those electrical shocks when Bubs decides to head butt my cervix as well as some pretty intense round ligament pain.

Belly button in or out? Completely flat and weird looking

Wedding rings on or off? On but down to two

Happy or moody most of the time: I was generally quite happy I feel

Looking forward to: We have a babymoon staycation this week because Willow is visiting her grandparents. It’s so strange not to have her in the house, but I won’t lie, I’m looking forward to some down time and a few good night’s sleep (relatively speaking)

 

Baby H #2: 25 weeks

And just like that August is early at an end and so is my second trimester. I feel like time is starting to fly by. I have whiplash from it all…

I am seriously starting to feel like I’m in my third trimester already. I start most of my days off strong with a lot of energy, but come the evening I am tired and uncomfortable. It’s going to be a long 14 weeks if this is how I feel already.

We could not have asked for better weather this week and I have been soaking up as much sunshine and vitamin D as I can. My walks outside have taken on new life as I spend a lot of it with the warmth of the sun on my skin. I even wore a dress the other day with no leggings or tights. All the walking has been really good for my calves 😉

I think Bubs has turned into a different position because all of a sudden I feel so much more comfortable with a lot less back pain. She was lying transverse and low in my uterus with her head on my right and her feet on my left for the longest time. I kept complaining to A that her movements were painful and my back would ache terribly. My stomach didn’t look the way it did with Willow and I was just feeling out of sorts.

Then on Friday morning I woke up and I wasn’t feeling her the way I used to. Her movements have changed completely, where she is kicking me is different, I feel more out of breath and less back pain, my stomach has changed shape. I’m pretty sure she’s flipped around.

I have a feeling that she’s head down at the moment because when she gets hiccups I feel them low in my abdomen. I know that there is still a long way to go and she could change position a lot between now and when I go into labour. But for now I’m enjoying feeling more comfortable.

How far along? 25 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Bubs is as big as a swede this week or 660g and 34.6cm long

 Total weight gain/measurements: I didn’t experience much weight gain this week. I don’t know… I don’t feel like I was as hungry, which is slightly concerning. So 200g it is. We’re now at 60.40kg. I read an article on measuring fundal height and for interests’ sake decided to try it. I’m not a professional or anything but the measurement seemed to put me at 25 weeks. So I guess we’re still on track.

Stretch marks: Nope not yet. I do have a few very suspect looking veins on my stomach though.

Best moment this week: we had a great evening out with our friends to celebrate one of my bestie’s birthday. This is birthday season for us, we have quite a few from now until the end of October. Speaking of, I felt really accomplished when I managed to finish the birthday gift I was making in time for the party, so that counts as a highlight too.

Miss anything? Being able to sleep on my back. I find myself physically craving it in the middle of the night.

Movement: I am still experiencing a lot of movement and can see them from the outside 90% of the time. She’s a very busy little girl. I have also started feeling hiccups. It’s very sweet.

Food cravings: I’m sure there were, but as I sit here I can’t think of anything. I have definitely eaten too many carbs this week.

Exercise: I went for a walk on Monday which was awesome in the moment. Willow had a bad night that night and I was a bit shattered on Tuesday, but managed to power through one round of the second trimester workout by Lucy Wyndham Reed. Mostly I needed to get my blood flowing so I could stay awake. My afternoons this week were full of errand running.

Gender: A girl!

Symptoms: I get very uncomfortable pelvic and hip pain in the night, especially if I lie on one side for too long. Rolling over can be very uncomfortable. I have also been incredibly tired this week and have needed a nap pretty much every day. Other than that everything is still the same as before: a bit of heartburn, restless nights, little sleep, slight nose bleeds, itchy skin. All very standard.

Belly button in or out? In but flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On but getting tight. I’m going to take off a band soon I think.

Happy or moody most of the time: I was pretty happy this week if a little tired and slow.

Looking forward to: We’ve got an unexpected free weekend this weekend and I’m looking forward to getting to chill and maybe do some sewing. I have another Birthday gift to finish.

 

Baby H #2: Week 22

Goodbye July! I’m so happy August is here. We are going to be really busy this month. I already feel a little frazzled, but in a good way.

I find our years tend to be like this. We hit the ground running, then slings slow down a bit when the cold weather rolls around. Then when spring time comes we find ourselves frantically busy again.

I consider August spring. It has that transitional weather I associate with the season; my garden starts to look lovely and is full of blossoms. It’s a fun month. We’re still in danger of a cold snap here and there, but mostly the weather is already in the low 20s.

As far as how me and Bubs are doing, things are still trucking a long. Last week was a tough one at work and I found it to be more draining than usual. I had a few bouts of nausea and indigestion which weren’t fun, but luckily they soon passed.

Despite the fact that I am apparently carrying around a large baby, I don’t really see it. My bump seems so small. I’m not sure where she’s hiding. Maybe I feel I’m much smaller than last time because all my memories are of my huge bump just days before I went into labour.

Regardless, she’s very busy in there. She likes to throw dance parties at about 9.30 every night. Her movements are also very strong, I feel like I feel her more than I did Willow. The other night in the bath I was watching her move about doing large flips and rolls. My stomach already shows the wave like motions. Again, this is much earlier than with my previous pregnancy. Everything about the pregnancy seems to be on fast forward.

 How far along? 22 weeks

Baby is the size of a: According the apps she should be as big a spaghetti squash. I’m looking forward to seeing what her measurements are during the scan next week.

Total weight gain/measurements: I am still measuring 86cm and weight 59.5kg according to my home scale.

Stretch marks: No stretch marks yet.

Best moment this week: when Friday finally came and I could clock off work. This week was long and my body and mind are tired.

Miss anything? Being able to eat something and not feel my thighs expand almost instantly…

Movement: I feel her daily dance parties profoundly. It may also be in my head, but I think I can feel a degree of frustration in her movements as if things are getting cramped and she’s trying to get comfortable.

Food cravings:  I have been quite good this week. I wanted chocolate cake at one point which I indulged with a cupcake. But other than that I have been all about salad and fruit.

Exercise: As usual my goal was a workout every day. I didn’t do as well I as liked last week, so I was trying to make up for it this week. Things didn’t go according to plan…again. So I have to be happy with one walk and one strength training session.

Gender: A girl!

Symptoms: I have had some slight nose bleeds this week. I had this with Willow as well, and it’s pretty common in pregnancy. Joburg is so dry at the moment that it’s really not surprising. As mentioned earlier I have had some bad indigestion and nausea this week. My stomach is not up to processing food the way it used to. I also had a weird pain in my left wrist and forearm on Wednesday. It was terribly painful and I could barely move my joint but after a few hours it went away. I did get some carpal tunnel during my pregnancy with Willow but that was always in my right hand (which I dislocated in my youth and has always given me trouble.)

Belly button in or out? In but flat. My belly button changed a lot after my pregnancy with Willow and I expect the same to happen now. It never fully popped during that pregnancy, but I have a feeling it will with this one.

Wedding rings on or off? On and comfortable. Not as loose as before, but still wiggle room

Happy or moody most of the time: I feel drained. Like I need to sleep for a week.

Looking forward to: our scan next week and seeing how much she has grown

 

Baby H #2: 21 weeks

I feel like this pregnancy is just flying past.

I won’t lie that there is a hitch in my heart rate when I look at the calendar these days. I think about how fast the past five months went. And then I see that I only have five scheduled appointments to go!

July is already over and at the end of August I will practically be in my third trimester. I’m not panicking, but sometimes feel slightly anxious that I need to get everything ready and that I don’t have much time left. On the flip side, I want it to be November already. It’s a weird place to be.

We had a lovely week this week. It was so warm and delightful. The average temperature was about 20 degrees and it felt so spring-like. I definitely feel my mood pick up when it’s warm out. It’s much easier to eat well and get out to exercise.

I started the week out with a haircut which I was in desperate need of. We refreshed my highlights, refreshed my cut and I feel like a new person. It’s amazing what a great haircut does for you. I haven’t had one since the end of April, but I will definitely be making the time to get another one in before the baby comes.

Other than that not much happened. We had a nice weekend where we were able to see friends, go out for brunch, I did a lot of sewing and finished all the items on my to make list! On Sunday we just chilled and watched movies. It was pretty awesome.

 How far along? 21 weeks

Baby is the size of a: According to the apps she should be as big as a cantaloupe, but we know she’s bigger than that.

Total weight gain/measurements: I am currently measuring 86cm and weight 59kg according to my home scale.

Stretch marks: My skin definitely looks more veiny and is definitely itchy, but no stretch marks yet

Best moment this week: getting a haircut and completing the final item on my July to make list

Miss anything? I am definitely feeling a lot more zen this week and don’t miss anything

Movement: I am definitely starting to pick on up her movement habits now. She’s quite active in the mornings and evenings with periods of activity during the day. There is certainly a pattern there. I am also starting to recognize body parts. I had a little bum sticking out to the side the other day.

Food cravings:  I was quite stable I feel last week. I did indulge in some biscuits, but mostly I was able to eat well and I felt really good about that.

Exercise: The goal was five days this week. I wanted to do three toning sessions (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and two good walks (Tuesday and Thursday). Yeah, I fell pretty short on that. But I did manage three workouts and I was up and down our stairs a lot. So I was still moving a lot. I’ll take the three as a win.

Gender: A girl!

Symptoms: I have been experiencing some congestion, especially in the mornings, but it lightens up as the day goes on. I also have really itchy skin on my boobs and belly. Weirdly my nipples also feel like they’re stinging a bit. The usual back pain, which is really controlled by exercise. Tiredness at the end of the day. But I have started taking magnesium and I have noticed a huge change in the quality of my sleep. Other than that its business as usual.

Belly button in or out? In but flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On and comfortable. Not as loose as before, but still wiggle room

Happy or moody most of the time: I feel like I was mostly happy last week. Looking back I can’t pinpoint major moments of upset. I’m feeling a bit blah about the month and feel like its dragging on a bit. I wanted July over. Luckily that’s now a reality.

Looking forward to: warm spring weather, changing up my wardrobe a bit and getting out into the sunshine

 

Baby H #2: 20 weeks

Out of the teens and into the 20s. I’m officially half way.

It’s is getting real now. I woke up last Sunday (my roll over day) and had a holy crap moment that’s for sure. But I feel good and the baby is active and growing well.

This pregnancy has definitely made me a little over sensitive to things that normally would phase me. Thanks, hormones. I like to think I’m usually quite even-tempered, so I’m finding it hard to deal with. The hormones make me touchy and irrational. This week has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster because of it and I feel a little wrung out.

We had our Anomaly scan on Thursday. It was a mixed bag. Baby is growing well, for which I am really grateful. We started the appointment by having my blood pressure was taken and a counseling session – pretty standard.

My usual doctor doesn’t do this scan; it is the same fetal scanning specialist who saw us while I was pregnant with Willow. He hasn’t seen me since her 20-week appointment so he had a whole lot of questions about her birth and birth weight, how the final half of my pregnancy went etc.

When all that was done we went to have the scan. Bubs is still curled up in a tight ball low in my abdomen, just like she was at my scan last month. This seems to be her favorite place to lie. It made it quite a challenge to get all the measurements we needed.

We confirmed that she is indeed a girl (for reals reals). She’s still measuring ahead and weighs a whopping 480grams already! That puts her at 22 weeks in size. All her organs look good, her spine is well formed, her palate is closed, her kidneys, stomach, liver, lungs, and brain all look to be developing well. She was given a clean bill of health and looks to be growing well.

In terms of me, the blood flow from me to the baby is good, my placenta is posterior and in a good position. My cervix also looks good. Towards the end of the appointment, the Dr noted that I have a placental lake, which is a pocket of blood inside the placenta. They don’t really know what causes these and they are pretty common (normally they are not even brought up during scans). But he mentioned that it may be from lifting heavy things and that I should scale back on strenuous activity. If my OB-GYN is concerned about anything in the report she receives from this appointment she may request further scans, but right now they’re not worried.

He asked a lot of questions about family history with diabetes, whether I had gestational diabetes last time (we have no history of it in our family and I did not). I got the feeling he thought she was a bit too big. There’s still some debate about her true gestational age as she’s measuring so big. But Willow always measured ahead as well and was born at 38 weeks weight 3.2kg. Bubs is in proportion, all her measurements are ahead, not just her weight. So I’ve just been advised to keep eating well and being healthy.

This was also a big week for the family as A’s cousin had her second baby on Tuesday. Our two will be about four months apart. It’s going to be fascinating watching all the kids grow up together and interact with each other.

This weekend I took a solo trip to see my parents. A’s crazy work schedule meant he couldn’t come with us. The only weekend he could go this month was when I had strep throat and we had to postpone the trip. So I braved the four-hour journey on my own with Willow. It was a wonderful weekend, it’s very cold right now up in the mountains, but it was such a relief to get out of the city for a while. We had a really relaxed weekend that involved picking tons of lemons, making great food and a huge batch of lemon marmalade.

How far along? 20 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Mango (yum, now I want one.) We found out at our scan that she is currently 480 grams which put her in week 22. Willow also always measured ahead.

Total weight gain/measurements: I am currently measuring 86cm and weight 58.5kg. I feel like I’m on track with weight gain. I’ve given up worrying about it and have adopted a more disassociated interest if you will.

Stretch marks: Nothing yet

Best moment this week: The scan and seeing my folks

Miss anything? At some point this week I wanted a huge Gin and Tonic. I’m not a big drinker, so not being able to drink alcohol doesn’t usually upset me much. But this week a G&T would have really hit the spot.

Movement: Baby’s movements are actually a little uncomfortable. I say ‘ow’, when she does one of those huge rolls, but its more to have something to say rather than it being truly painful. She is lying really low in my abdomen and the movement feels so odd and uncomfortable. She also likes to push out against the front of my stomach which is also not pleasant. It’s almost like a Braxton Hicks contraction, but a lot more localised.

Food cravings:  I feel like I’ve had a handle on things this week. Like I said, on Tuesday I wanted a huge G&T but that’s it. I actually exercised a lot of restraint and didn’t buy an entire bag of chocolates to compensate. I’m counting that as a win.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope,

Exercise: I hit my goal of five workouts this week! I did toning on Monday and Wednesday and took a good walk on Tuesday and Thursday and squeezed in some yoga on the weekend. It really makes a difference when I exercise regularly. I’m going to keep working out but I will definitely be scaling back on the intensity.

Gender: A girl!

Symptoms: Lot’s of movement, a bit of back pain (I find sitting for long periods of time uncomfortable) and some insomnia. I fall asleep very well, but if I’m woken up in the night it takes me forever to go back to sleep. On Wednesday morning I was woken at 4am by Willow and was up for the day since then.

Belly button in or out? In but flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On and comfortable. Not as loose as before, but still wiggle room

Happy or moody most of the time: I’ve had a very up and down, emotional week that has left me feeling flat and drained. I hope that next week is a lot more stable.

Looking forward to: getting a haircut on Monday! I haven’t had my hair cut since the end of April. It is definitely time.