38 weeks 5 days ultrasound

I had my second appointment with a midwife at Nepean on Tuesday. I found her to be a little abrupt for my liking but she wasn't rude. I suppose that's the luck of the draw when using the public system and they deal with so many women every day you become a bit of a number. She took my blood pressure which was a little elevated again as it has been for the past 4-5wks and then got me to hop up on the bed to have a listen to bubs heart & check positioning & fundal measurement. She took the fundal measurement and said "your 34. You have to go for an ultrasound". That's what kind of put me off, just not used to that kind of abrupt manner I would rather be informed & the reason explained not just instructed like I have no choice. Bubs heart rate was perfect at 130.

So I was a excited and a little anxious about the scan today, i think that's normal though to worry they'll find something wrong. But everything was great and Bub is very healthy and a good size so no small baby here... hmm there goes my hopes for a neat little 6lb as the estimated size for bub is 7lb 6oz! Not sure how close to accurate those estimates are?

So we are both pretty happy with the results and just back to waiting now...Not long to go!
We parked a few blocks away from the hospital to avoid paying for parking & on the way back to the car walking through the hospital grounds I cut my foot when I collected a sharp stick between my thong and my foot. That hurt, when I looked down there was a big scratch. I kept walking but it was kind of worse than I thought and I had blood running down the side of my foot. So I walked as far as I could and just told Paul to get the car & come pick me up before I tripped over and really hurt myself. I felt a bit annoyed at his insensitivity, I just can't keep up his pace at 39 weeks pregnant! maybe now he will realise that's because I have an added 3.4 kilo baby pulling on my back as you wouldn't think so to look at me. I wonder myself? must be pretty squashed up in there.

Ooh and Yes it is still a surprise!

Amy's Birth preferences

I would like:

· Lights be kept dim & Noise kept to a minimum

· I wish to be able to move freely during labour & not tied to a monitor unless it is necessary for the condition of the baby

· To be able to eat & drink if I desire

· For the waterproof dopler to be used if I am in the bath or shower

I would prefer not:

· To have drugs offered to me during labour but would like it available on request

· I would prefer not to undergo vaginal exams unnecessarily.

Pain Relief:

· Water – use of the shower & bath

· Massage & positioning

·I would prefer:

·To try a physiological third stage and not to have or to delay the routine injection of syntocinon to allow me to deliver the placenta naturally

· I would prefer the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it is clamped & cut

· For baby to be placed on my chest immediately after delivery

· For Paul to cut the cord

· I would like to bond with and breastfeed my baby, please delay weighing and measuring until I am ready

Post-Natal:

· To Breastfeed my baby, No Formula or other fluids to be given unless in a genuine emergency.

· I would like time for my Paul & I to bond with our baby, no visitors till we feel ready

a shandi & star of India

Yesterday was Paul's only day off & he has been working alot lately, so it was nice to have a just Us day. After a nice sleep in we headed to Penrith to do groceries & start the Christmas organising. A must for any attempt at Westfield's is to first to have a really big cup of coffee at one of our favourite cafe's. It has been ages since we last hired a dvd let alone seen a movie, so we joined up at our new local video store & hired out Romulus My Father & Tales From Earthsea and then picked up some yummy Star of India on the way home & a turkish delight of course (my latest craving). It was pouring down with rain all evening - perfect stay in & watch a dvd weather, so I set up the spread on the coffee table, pulled out the mattress & cushions & we watched Romulus My Father & Ate till we were both very full, we started watching Tales from Earthsea but we were both too tired and starting to doze off so we decided to finish watching it later and go to bed.

I had a prenatal appointment with my GP this morning, after nearly an hour wait I got in to see her. She did the usual checks and was happy with my blood pressure & Bubs heart rate was good too. Bub is not engaged yet she said and is slightly more mobile 5/5ths head down which she suggested could indicate I still have a few weeks to go as first babys sometimes engage a few weeks ahead of the birth unlike subsequent births when baby becomes engaged labour follows shortly afterwards. She also said that me having no stretch marks makes me less susceptible to having an episiotomy - Well That's good news! so fingers crossed that one turns out to be true. I'm not over being pregnant as I feel good but Its just the wait & see part now, I don't think I will go early but hoping not too far over my dd as I'd like to avoid an induction. I'm just wondering now When.. & calling Paul to come home from work to take me to hospital could be interesting, I just have no idea how it will feel & hope I won't be doing it alone for long. I don't need the world to know I am in labour either, we will let everyone know when we are ready to. One of my biggest fears is people turning up at the hospital while I am still in labour waiting for show & tell.

This will be Our special day & I hope it comes very soon, I am ready to meet this little person.

36.5 weeks

nursery in progress

Wednesday

video reflection of Jo & I part of 'Brahma ’ s Eco ' - Firstdraft gallery

Paul & I organised to catch up with Jo over lunch & then all head into the city to check out his latest exhibition. So seeing as how close Ikea is to Parramatta, we headed there before meeting up with Jo. I have been wanting to go for ages & wanted some small storage for bubs room, I was pretty excited about the prospect of all those practical Swedish homewares! but turned out the idea was far more exciting than the doing as Ikea is a bit of a crazy labyrinth with parents letting there kids go nuts road testing all the furniture. But in the end we came out with what we wanted so it was all good. Then we drove to Jo's place at Parramatta, left our car there and headed down to Church St to have lunch at Criniti's - antipasto platter and a godfather woodfired pizza. The food is just soo good there yum yum its my favourite Italian restaurant. After lunch we all headed off to the city by train & walked up to First Draft gallery from Central station to see Paul's work which looked really great in the space. Then headed back to Parramatta, had a hot apple cider at Mars Hill Cafe & then dinner at Jo & Troys place. I hope our baby is as calm a baby as Jo & Troys little boy Tate, he is such a cutie and hardly fusses just all smiles. Its nice to see that its still possible to get out and about and be social when you have a little one.

strawberry milk & chocolate

almost 35 weeks & New hair

Mum & Dad visited for the day today, really nice of them to drive the 2hrs each way to see me
We had coffee & the muffins I made yesterday and then later on we had lunch, I showed them the nursery and mum brought me some more eco sposies and chlorine free baby wipes. Mum has lent me her sewing machine & over locker so I will have a go at making some bibs in the next few weeks if I can get a hang of the machine.
None of my clothes fit any more its all down to belly bands and elastic waists now...
Cravings for ice cold strawberry milk and chocolate, so I took Rufus for a walk to the shops and back to buy some. Feeling tired and a bit run down today, I don't sleep well at night now as it's hard to get comfortable and I had to go and sleep in the bub's room to get away from Pauls snoring last night! (like sleeping next to a bus) I woke up at 4am with a sore itchy throat which is still hanging around a bit, hope it's not a sign I'm getting sick, I've managed to avoid it for so long.