Spartacus has sent me a Friday message for you all.....

I do not have a face to see,
Or put inside a frame.
I do not have soft cheeks to kiss.
I don't yet have a name.

Not yet can you hold my tiny hands,
Nor whisper in my ear.
It's still too soon to sing a song,
Or cuddle me so near.

But all that will change come this May;
When they say I am due.
I am your newest Family
And I can't wait until I meet you!

All I ask between now and then 
Is your love for me to grow.
I promise I'll be worth the wait;
Just think of all the joy we'll know!

So as you're waiting patiently,
Please pray lots of prayers for me.
I cannot wait to be a part 
Of this wonderful family!

Love Spartacus

20 + 5

Half Way There!

Thursday 5th January
Sparty 20+4

I had a really great Christmas and New Year break, that was pretty uneventful in terms of things to worry about pregnancy wise (I had one night of quite painful and sharp RLP but that went the next day) I look quite a bit more pregnant - or so people keep saying, and I'm actually enjoying this now, its the most wonderful and strange feeling having Sparty move around inside me, for the last week or so, the movement is much more pronounced, little kicks, rolls and kind of odd movement feelings inside, a bit like when you're in a lift and it drops, I only really feel it when I'm sat down, or strangely when I'm lying on my right side (not as much movement when I'm on my left.. I wonder if that's to do with where it's positioned?)  Tom felt Sparty kick on Christmas Day - which was a really nice for me to see him feel it.  He's felt a few kicks again since and I'm sure it will get more and more easy for him to feel it as the weeks progress.

My ring finger is slightly swollen today, I've had to take my rings off, which I'm quite sad about.  I don't think it's anything to worry about (another question on my list for the midwife) as I've not got any swelling anywhere else.  I imagine its probably slight water retention, or where I've just put on weight!

I'm beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable now at night time, not really enough to use my pregnancy pillow, which, at the moment makes me feel a bit claustrophobic, but enough to need a pillow between my legs and kind of under the bump a bit.  Its nothing huge and manageable at the moment.  I don't' think I'm sleeping as well but that might just be because its the first week back at work and I'm really busy.

I've virtually begun the countdown to Maternity Leave already really - its about 13.5 weeks of work to go (I've got two weeks holiday to take so it's less) Its going to be the strangest thing ever not 'working' I can't imagine it at the moment - that complete change to my life, I do know that its going to be amazing though!

I have my 20 week scan on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it.  Yes, I'm apprehensive and beginning to get a little nervous, but as I know Sparty is in there and alive, its more nerves than sheer terror like it was at 12 weeks.  I will update with pictures asap!

I think that's all to report

Helen and Spartacus xx

Hospital

Wednesday 21st December
Sparty: 18+3

Today is my last day at work in 2011 and what an amazing year it has been!  I've worked out that I have only about 15 working weeks left until I'll finish for my maternity leave, that doesn't seem like a huge amount.

Hospital
We had to have a quick visit to the hospital on Saturday as I got a little bit of pink spotting again, hardly anything but I'm not taking any chances so the Midwife at St Peter's said to pop in.  I thought we might have to be waiting for ages, like I'd done in early pregnancy but the midwife in triage called us straight in and she checked for a heartbeat and Sparty's heart was beating away, just like I'd heard the previous Tuesday.  Its the most amazing sound and I'm so pleased that Tom heard it for the first time too!  He thought it sounded like a lasso or some kind of space ship?  I just thought it sounded like the best sound i'd ever heard.  A strong, fast, rhythmic beat, letting us know that everything was OK.  I really really hope that I don't get this spotting again; there has been none since, fingers crossed.

Movement
In the last couple of days I'm feeling a bit more movement, its mostly just to the right of my belly button, or about one inch directly below and they feel like tiny little kicks, not flutters anymore and not strong enough to hurt but I'm pretty sure the feelings are the baby (still not 100% though!) I'm LOVING the feelings though, now that I'm getting used to it, its not freaky or strange anymore, just really reassuring.  I'm hoping that Tom might get to feel the movement over the Christmas holidays.

So onto Christmas and I really cannot wait this year!

Helen and Spartacus
xx

The Tale of the Underwhelming Midwife

Wednesday 14th December
Spartacus 17+3

Firstly, little Sparty's heartbeat was heard (albeit briefly) and all blood tests and blood pressure came back fine so that's the main conclusion to draw from my tale, however I did leave the appointment yesterday feeling altogether underwhelmed.

My appointment was 20 minutes late, having been made to wait outside in the cold until the Midwife was ready for me, as the main reception was closed.

My midwife was not there and so I had another one, she told me that Helen (my community midwife) was swapping areas with Caroline from January, so this lady (don't even know her name) was covering until then.

She wasn't rude or horrid, simply indifferent, she went through the motions and I was in and out in less than 15 minutes, that in itself I wouldn't have minded, but I just felt a bit like a number and she was going through the motions.  I had to push to even get her to listen for the heartbeat as 'they don't normally do that at 16 weeks,' despite me being told that they would... I think it highlighted for me just how the NHS operates, it's very random, and all staff are most likely underpaid and overworked.  Just a little bit of friendliness and treating me like a person would have been nice.  I only had two questions but forgot to ask them as I was rushed in and out.  But never mind - the main thing was that all was good.

I only got to hear Sparty's heartbeat for a few seconds but it was a lovely thing to hear!  It sounded like a chugging train.  Tom thinks that Sparty is a stealth baby as he/she moves away from the machine as soon as it goes on my tummy - doing exactly the same thing with the scan!  I'm so pleased that Baby E is still doing well in there (in the crudest terms - still alive) and we've not got very long to wait now until the 21 week scan just after Christmas.

Other News
My sickness has now virtually disappeared, i'll still have the odd queasy moment and my food tastes and aversions are still not back to normal, but its just delightful to be feeling normal (if that makes sense)

We bought a pregnancy pillow last weekend, which I'm getting used to, I can see how this will be useful for me as I get bigger - although today in particular I'm feeling massive already and have such a long way to go yet.  We also bought a couple more clothing items for Sparty - mainly because they were on offer; i'm reluctant to buy anything more substantial as I want to get past 24 weeks.

I've been having quite a few aches and pains in the last few days, in my hips and tummy, I've been assured this is normal as my uterus continues to grow and stretch to make room, its quite uncomfortable already, especially after eating.  I'm beginning to get an idea of just how difficult and uncomfy this might become :-(

Despite this though, I'm actually beginning to enjoy little bits now.  My bump is growing and its obvious that I'm pregnant (not just a bit podgy) now.  I'm able to look forward a bit more and the reality that we are having a baby -that we take home and is real, is starting to dawn on both me and Tom now.  I think that I'm feeling movement a bit more than before, its still hard to tell but its still relatively early days really.

I'm really looking forward to Christmas now that I've heard Sparty's heartbeat and roll on 2012 for another year of crazy madness - this time last year I was busily preparing to become a MRS and now i'm doing the same to become a MUMMY - wow!

Helen and Sparty
xx

Midwife Nerves

Midwife App today at 3pm - very nervous, I don't think this worrying is going to ever end, maybe when Spartacus is 30 years old or something like that!!

xx

Pregnancy Yoga

Wednesday 7th December

Spartacus: 16+3

I love pregnancy yoga!  I had my first class on Saturday and it was such a lovely hour.  The teacher is very 'Earth Mother' and very spiritual (which usually is not my thing when taken too far, but an hour gives you the perfect balance I think.) There were just six of us in the class, four of whom are at 32 weeks or more.  One other girl joined the same day as me and she is 19 weeks so not that further ahead.  It was strange to be around other pregnant people but in a really nice way, like I was part of their club.

 

We started by doing some initial breathing exercises to relax us; she told us to put our hands on our babies, which I found quite strange to hear, talking about 'my baby'.  We then progressed to do lots of different stretches, positions that will be good for various stages in pregnancy like indigestion, heartburn, when you feel uncomfortable etc..  and moved even further into positions and stretches that would be useful in labour to 'breath your baby out'!

 

We also did lots of meditation-type exercises and movements, concentrating on feeling relaxed and passing that feeling on to our baby, we did the pelvic floor moves (which I need to continue to keep doing) and some moves that concentrate on strengthening your core strength. There were also some moves that we did for the baby, to get it used to hearing noises and spiralling -which is what happens during labour.  I found that quite amazing!

 

There were lots of different things for me to take in, learn from and hopefully improve upon.  Above all the class just made me feel relaxed, excited and at ease with being pregnant.  Now that the horrid sickness is disappearing, hopefully I can begin to enjoy this journey and I think that if I can continue my yoga then this will be beneficial to me. 

http://www.nickieb.co.uk

Helen and Sparty 

xx

ummmm...

Monday 28th November
Spartacus: 15+1

So far my 14th and 15th week have been fairly quiet.  I've been having some good hours/half days/days even amongst the sick days so I'm really hoping that this means that the sickness is on its way out - please God!

I'm also feeling very tiny flutterings in my lower tummy but I'm not really too sure if this is the baby moving or if it's just in my imagination - its hard because if you focus on one area for long enough, I think you can make yourself believe something is happening.... does that make sense?  Its still pretty early to be feeling anything so I'm not worried, just intrigued!

Claire came over this weekend and lent me lots of her maternity clothes - yay!  And we had a nice evening at Tom and Laura's.  I still felt quite sick in the evening but it was just really have a normal night out and stay up past 9pm for once.  It was also really interesting to get stories, advise, tips, comments from both Laura and Claire, they weren't trying to ram anything down our throats or state that the way that they did things was right.  So it was nice just to listen and get their opinion on things.  I started, for the first time I think, to actually think about having an actual baby.

I got fitted for a new bra on Sunday.  It was getting a little ridiculous in my 32B's.  My size is now - wait for it - 36D - crazy!  But my new bra is very comfy and I guess that's part and parcel of it all.

Helen (and Spartacus)
xx