Baby showers are the Marmite of pregnancy- you love 'em or loathe 'em. They are yet another American cultural tradition that we seem to have appropriated much like Halloween and cheerleading but actually the sentiment behind them is very sweet and genuine.
I wasn't planning to have one - however as we decided to have a house warming party and everyone was asking about baby presents, it seemed silly not to let people bring what they wanted and apparently everyone wanted to buy us presents! We were overwhelmed by the generosity and touching presents we received.
It was a really lovely afternoon and I felt that having the baby shower brought us closer to all outer friends - they could feel a part of our journey and know that our baby would benefit from all their gifts. We did have to play some very embarrassing games however it was a small price to pay for how lovely the baby shower was. Thank you to everyone!!!
One thing I forgot to mention was the third scan that we see. At our local hospital (because it's a research facility) they offer a third scan at 32 weeks. It was fantastic to have this opportunity to see baby again however that policy is not to offer scan photos at this stage to which I was a little sad about!
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SO! Here at ten weeks. Finally got my forms from the midwives centre and hospital with the scan and booking appointment and about half a tree's worth of leaflets, forms and information and suddenly it seems SO REAL!
To be honest with you over the last couple of days my symptoms have really subisded. So what do I do? Cheer and eat all the food that I have been wanting to eat and haven't been able to? Go out with friends as I suddenly have my old energy levels back? No i do something much more emotionally healthy - I furiously being checking Google as to why my symptoms have disappeared!!
Yes I have fallen headlong into the Googling trap! Turns out that it may just be a hormone plateau or that the placenta has begun to take over the production of hormone rather than the ovaries which means less hormones flooding my blood stream.
I can't help feeling that something's wrong - so I have just 'peed on a stick' (oh this delightful pregnancy jargon) and of course a dark line showed up straight away. But can you blame me? 10 weeks - that's so early that apart from the symptoms there is no other way to tell that I am pregnant. I have even lost weight over the last weeks steadily due to my lessened and limited diet. So of course I thought that buying a HPT would help. It has momentarily - i felt elated when that line darkened! And then I remembered.
My best friend who had pregnancy hormones racing round her body when unbeknownst to her the baby had died some weeks previously.
I know I have to snap out of this and begin enjoying this pregnancy but until we go to the scan (scheduled for 12 weeks and 5 days) and see that little baby wriggling and hear that hb, I don't think I can..
Week 10 photo
Symptoms - Still had a gnawing hunger on awakening and sore boobs but appetite has mostly returned and skin is beginning to clear up.
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The irony has not escaped me. Only last week, I was trawling through websites trying to figure out if no morning sickness was a good thing or a bad sign and hoping, wishing for some sort of nausea.
Well you'll be pleased to know that I not only had morning sickness, but I had afternoon, evening and waking up in the night nausea.
It hit me with such force on Sunday night, that I was spitting up blood - which kicked off a new frantic search on the internets. However, it seems my aggressive throwing up was enough to hurt my throat and it was nothing more to worry about.
Since then, it's been eating crackers upon waking and keeping my handbag stocked with muesli bars. Annoyingly the only things that I can eat seem to be simple carbs and fats like cheese and crackers, small portions of creamy rice or pasta and bread. Vegetables are bloating and anything with an ounce of taste wants to come back up!!
The other half has been amazing, waking up earlier than me to get me a cracker or biscuit and making me teas on the weekend. He even did all the housework yesterday - I might have to get him an apron!
This weekend I did manage to have a little lunch party with some close friends and told them about the pregnancy - they were overjoyed, especially as one is mum to a 7 month old and can't wait until we can keep each other company. Being a mother can be a lonely profession at times it seems and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face!!
I had a dream about telling all my other friends, just need to get to the end of the 12 weeks and hopefully a successful scan. Meanwhile, it's back to the bathroom.
Symptoms : Feeling all day/night sick, painful breasts which come and go. Skin is clearing up however, Still very tired but sleep quality a bit better.
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I haven't posted for ages!!! Where to begin...
Well in the last week we have moved to a completely different part of the city and am now 7 weeks pregnant. A lot has happened this week both positive and negative. Moving was both necessary and wanted but it has been not without it's moments.
Although I was helping out as much as possible both of us were mindful of 'my condition' - that always makes pregnant people sound like invalids!! However I was able to rope in some friends at the other end (although there was some grumbling from the friend who I haven't told yet)
Deciding who to tell about the baby news was pretty tricky. I guess you have to be sure that those you tell early are the same people that would be there for you in case everything goes to pot. So after parents and siblings, I have told my very best friends as I know I would need their support if anything happens.
Obviously everyone was very happy and delighted for us, but I was very apprehensive about telling my best friend who had a miscarriage othe day of her first ultrasound. I don't know why I was so worried about telling her - It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to have a baby first and then I would and everything was going to be rainbows and bubbles. Alas, nature had other ideas. Her miscarriage has also made me extremely worried about my own pregnancy - It's almost like I'm convinced that something will happen to me because it happened to her. She is sometimes an extension of myself it seems that's how close we are. In the end I shouldn't have worried she was amazing and supportive and happy and that's why I love her.
Now I am 7 weeks and settled in a new area and trying to be positive about the pregnancy (the
Hubby is being amazing and really wants to be involved). I have registered at a new GP surgery and waiting for antenatal care to begin. Meanwhile I am going to begin taking photos of the belly!
I am carrying some extra weight so I am going to be extremely careful about putting weight on.
I have also decided to begin a symptoms counter to see how my feelings and symptoms change throughout the pregnancy.
Week 7 Photo
Symptoms : Definitely feeling more nausea, extremely tired and sudden outbreak of spots. (great!)
Next - I have my first appointment with the doctor on Monday. I have to confess I peed on my last clearblue digital yesterday - I had a sudden fear whilst watching One Born Every Minute and needed some sort of digital reassurance that everything was ok. It said... "Pregnant" (rather unsurprisingly!)
