Hi Everyone,
Today I wanted to make a post about the things that happen in Pregnancy that I didn't expect,
1. I didn't expect to have people comment on my bump, I knew that people would look at it and might mention the fact that I am pregnant but I never actually imagined that people would make comments about how I look. I always assumed that it was the same as when you're not pregnant and that commenting that someone looks "massive" tends to be frowned upon however apparently when you are pregnant people seem to lose the filter that they use in every day life.
2. You will compare yourself to every other pregnant person on the planet. If you see someone in the street you will look at her bump and wonder if she's more or less pregnant than you or if your bump looks as beautiful and perfectly round as hers does. Us mummy's are so paranoid about our little ones and just want to make sure that they are growing how they should be and sometimes I don't think we realise how much we worry.
3. I never expected the baby kicks to make me feel sick. The first few kicks and rolls that I felt were very difficult to describe and I expected it to be this wonderful, amazing feeling like a little fluttery feeling but for me it felt more like a heart palpitation but in my tummy rather than my heart but it still gave me that sicky feeling. Sorry baby mummy still loves you even if you moving does make her want to vomit and feels like some kind of weird alien!
4. I didn't expect to fall in love with the alien in my belly feeling but it's truly the best feeling in the whole world and having her reacting to things is absolutely amazing! She likes 80's music, she likes when I tap my belly, she likes to listen to her daddy, she likes when I go swimming, she likes when I recline on the bed and give her space to move, she reacts when I sing (i'm not sure she likes this one or if she's telling me to shut up!), she doesn't like scans, she doesn't like fizzy juice or anything really cold. she doesn't like when I cry and she gives these little reassuring kicks that instantly make everything better
5. I never expected to fall so deeply in love with someone that I have never met, she's the best thing that has ever happened and in a way even though being pregnant is so hard, i'm just not sure that I am ready to share her yet, shes like my little secret when she gives me little nudges and kicks and it just makes me smile to know that she's there.
6. I never expected to know her yet. I know this sounds silly but there are so many things that I know about her that other people don't, I know what she likes and I know her little routines. I know how active she is and at what times, it's an amazing feeling to have such a strong bond with her already.
These are just a few things that I didn't expect to experience in pregnancy, there are probably thousands more that sleep deprivation has made me forget but these are the main ones that I have actually managed to remember!!
Speak soon,
Leigh xoxo
Wednesday, 2 August 2017
Sunday, 30 July 2017
Labour and Delivery Story
Hey everyone,
Sorry it's been a while, things have been very hectic recently however I am here to announce that 6 weeks ago Hannah arrived into the world weighing 6lbs 7oz on the 17th of June at exactly 4pm, here is the story of how she got here! (please beware that this post is likely to be very graphic!)
Thursday 15th June - Sweep Number 2
Today was the day for another attempt at a sweep, I had already had a failed attempt at exactly 40 weeks and was now nearly 41 weeks (I was also booked in for the 21st for an induction just in case things didn't get moving). For anyone who doesn't know what a sweep entails I will explain as best as I can however my medical knowledge is very limited so I can only really describe from my experience, basically the midwife "sweeps" the membranes on the babies head to try and get things to move, this involves her inserting her finger into the opening of the cervix and firmly moving her finger around to encourage the membranes separate from the amniotic sac. I'm not going to lie, it's not the most pleasant thing in the world, for me this attempt was definitely not painful like the first attempt at 40 weeks was, maybe it was just too soon and my body was nowhere near ready. Anyway this time she did the sweep and it's (for me) very uncomfortable, I wouldn't say painful but definitely unpleasant. After doing the sweep she mentioned to me that my show was starting to come away and that I was to keep an eye on it but if I noticed any fresh blood to call Maternity Assessment. I spent the afternoon bouncing on the yoga ball as much as possible to move things on but when it got to 9pm I was sitting in bed ready to settle down for the night when I felt bleeding starting. I knew that something wasn't right and so went to the toilet to see fresh red blood which really scared me, I called Maternity Assessment and they asked me to come in to check where the bleeding was coming from and to see what the next plan of action was going to be. We went in and I was examined by the doctor however they weren't sure where the bleeding was coming from but they wanted to monitor me and told me that they were just going to start the induction process.
Friday 16th June - Why Are We Waiting? :(
I am now going to struggle to give you specific times because this process was very slow going, basically the first pessary was inserted in the early hours of the morning on the 16th, again this wasn't the most pleasant experience but i knew it was necessary and was just concentrating on meeting my little girl. The midwives then leave you for 6 hours for the pessary to work and then come back and check you again before deciding whether to break your waters or try another pessary. The night was a long one, i'm not a massive fan of hospitals at all and I just wanted to go home and so it was difficult, David went home and was coming back at 9am. The next day David came back by which time I had already had another pessary as when they checked I was still only 1cm dilated. I was having cramps like you would get on a period which i would have usually taken Ibuprofen for if it had been any other time and not the start of labour. I timed some of these and they seemed to be consistent every 4-5 minutes however they stopped for longer periods if i wasn't watching for them. I absolutely hated the waiting around and I just wanted things to get moving however as I was being monitored every few hours I couldn't really do much. David went home that night and I had yet another pessary and was left again for another 6 hours, every time they checked I was 1cm and it just made me more and more drained and upset at the fact that my body wasn't progressing, the worst part was hearing girls coming in and progressing faster than me before heading down to deliver their babies, I couldn't help but feel like it was so unfair and when would it be my turn! The midwives kept asking if I was having contractions and I told them about the cramping which to me was quite sore only to be told that they weren't real contractions because I could still talk through them (in hindsight these were NOT contractions!!!). At 11pm one of the doctors came in to check one last time and then make the decision of whether to insert a 4th pessary, insert a catheter or send me down to have my waters broken. She checked me one last time and with fingers crossed after on and off tears all day it came down to this, how dilated would I be? When she told me that I was 1-2cm I wanted to scream, my body was fighting to keep this little cherub inside for just a little longer and all of the pains that I was having was all for nothing. She made the decision that we would break my waters even though it would be difficult as my cervix was still quite high, I got so excited and couldn't wait to tell David that he should be on standby as I would be phoning him at some point to get him to come back in and it could have been through the night. I had a nice relaxing bath to ease contractions however I don't think it did much at all really and then went back to bed to sleep for a few hours to wait to be called down to have this baby.
Saturday 17th June - Push! Push! Push!
The night was a rough one, it was noisy and I was exhausted! It had been so long and I was still only cramping every so often with no real progress but at least now I had a goal! The end was in sight finally and I managed to get a few hours sleep. That night was crazy in the ward and I could tell that the hospital were full to the brim with women coming in to have their babies and here was me patiently waiting for my turn to be called down to the labour ward. The next morning David came back and we were still waiting, the contractions were still happening but a little more painful now so I started to walk. We walked and walked and walked the hospital grounds if anything just to get out of that room. Lets just say that some people on the ward had partners that should have been thrown out! It got to a stage where I had to either leave the room and walk or this particular partner was going to find himself thrown out of the 6th floor window! By around lunchtime my midwife told me not to stray too far as the labour ward had called to let me know that they hadn't forgotten about me and that I was next in the queue. We walked back and forward through wards for what felt like hours until at 3pm my midwife came to get me to take me down the stairs, I couldn't believe that it was finally time! I went down the stairs, with a few stops for contractions on the way to Labour Room 8. The overwhelming feeling when I walked in was terrifying, all of the equipment and everything was very daunting and I actually sat on a chair for a moment to sort myself out, texted my family and settled down for another long night as the midwife told me to expect another 10-12 hours after having my waters broken before baby would be here. I got myself onto the bed and my midwife (who was absolutely amazing) hooked me up to a monitor for baby and broke my waters. When she checked me I was amazed when she told me that I was now 3cm dilated and very "stretchy", after she broke my waters and put in the drip (which I think was Oxytocin) the contractions got stronger and she gave me Gas and Air, I didn't like it very much because it made me feel super drunk and dizzy but that's also because I was inhaling it like Darth Vadar! My midwife then went for her break and by the time she came back 15 minutes later I was screaming. The pressure was crazy and I kept saying that I needed to poo because that's what it felt like even though it turns out it was a baby and not a poo! Who knew!! By then I was asking for Diamorphine and sucking on Gas and Air like it was going out of fashion! But I never got my diamorphine! I never expected to just know what to do and to trust my body to do what it needed to without me telling it, I was checked again because the urge to push was overwhelming and I was 9cm dilated! I was so relived to be able to relive the pressure and the pain of contractions by pushing down on them. (and i'm not scared to admit that I was the girl who screamed her way through every push! Although at that time I could just hear someone screaming in this deep and unfamiliar voice only to realise later that it was me!) David described it as something demonic which pretty much describes it perfectly! I don't remember much about pushing apart from that it felt so good to push against the contractions that had been hurting me through the day. Before I knew it the midwife was telling David to look and see the baby's head and he says it was the most amazing thing to see me and how strong I was. I don't remember the machines screaming as her heartrate dropped but I just knew that I had to keep pushing while holding Davids hands and squeezing as hard as I could. Then I got to feel the most amazing feeling in the world as Hannah came out, it's incredible and even through the pain it was hands down the most amazing experience of my life and I cannot describe the high that you feel bringing that little life into the world and the relief as the pressure is instantly released. I remember her being lifted up to me and thinking that she was so tiny! By then I was in tears and overwhelmed by the love I had for this tiny person and couldn't get over the fact that I had just pushed her out of my body, I just kept saying how perfect she was and the tears were just flowing even looking at her perfect little body, I remember noticing that she was definitely a girl and laughing to myself because I was worried that we had a lot of pink if the doctors had made a mistake! David and I just kept staring at her and after he cut the cord just taking her all in. I had a second degree tear and was stitched up and to be quite honest it was the most uncomfortable bit in hindsight because it lasted so long. Hannah was then weighed and measured and handed back to me before a girl came in with toast and diluting juice for us which was the bloody best toast I have ever tasted!
It was honestly the most incredible experience of my life and I would do it all again in a heartbeat because the end result is so worth it! Hannah is the most perfect little girl and even though we have our tough nights she's a pretty good baby! It makes me laugh that the whole thing lasted so long yet active labour lasted around 15 minutes and I think my family were just amazed that it felt like one minute I was texting to say that my waters were being broken to the next minute phoning them to tell them that she was here.
I hope you all enjoyed my story and it wasn't too graphic or terrifying!
Speak soon,
Leigh xoxo
Sorry it's been a while, things have been very hectic recently however I am here to announce that 6 weeks ago Hannah arrived into the world weighing 6lbs 7oz on the 17th of June at exactly 4pm, here is the story of how she got here! (please beware that this post is likely to be very graphic!)
Thursday 15th June - Sweep Number 2
Today was the day for another attempt at a sweep, I had already had a failed attempt at exactly 40 weeks and was now nearly 41 weeks (I was also booked in for the 21st for an induction just in case things didn't get moving). For anyone who doesn't know what a sweep entails I will explain as best as I can however my medical knowledge is very limited so I can only really describe from my experience, basically the midwife "sweeps" the membranes on the babies head to try and get things to move, this involves her inserting her finger into the opening of the cervix and firmly moving her finger around to encourage the membranes separate from the amniotic sac. I'm not going to lie, it's not the most pleasant thing in the world, for me this attempt was definitely not painful like the first attempt at 40 weeks was, maybe it was just too soon and my body was nowhere near ready. Anyway this time she did the sweep and it's (for me) very uncomfortable, I wouldn't say painful but definitely unpleasant. After doing the sweep she mentioned to me that my show was starting to come away and that I was to keep an eye on it but if I noticed any fresh blood to call Maternity Assessment. I spent the afternoon bouncing on the yoga ball as much as possible to move things on but when it got to 9pm I was sitting in bed ready to settle down for the night when I felt bleeding starting. I knew that something wasn't right and so went to the toilet to see fresh red blood which really scared me, I called Maternity Assessment and they asked me to come in to check where the bleeding was coming from and to see what the next plan of action was going to be. We went in and I was examined by the doctor however they weren't sure where the bleeding was coming from but they wanted to monitor me and told me that they were just going to start the induction process.
Friday 16th June - Why Are We Waiting? :(
I am now going to struggle to give you specific times because this process was very slow going, basically the first pessary was inserted in the early hours of the morning on the 16th, again this wasn't the most pleasant experience but i knew it was necessary and was just concentrating on meeting my little girl. The midwives then leave you for 6 hours for the pessary to work and then come back and check you again before deciding whether to break your waters or try another pessary. The night was a long one, i'm not a massive fan of hospitals at all and I just wanted to go home and so it was difficult, David went home and was coming back at 9am. The next day David came back by which time I had already had another pessary as when they checked I was still only 1cm dilated. I was having cramps like you would get on a period which i would have usually taken Ibuprofen for if it had been any other time and not the start of labour. I timed some of these and they seemed to be consistent every 4-5 minutes however they stopped for longer periods if i wasn't watching for them. I absolutely hated the waiting around and I just wanted things to get moving however as I was being monitored every few hours I couldn't really do much. David went home that night and I had yet another pessary and was left again for another 6 hours, every time they checked I was 1cm and it just made me more and more drained and upset at the fact that my body wasn't progressing, the worst part was hearing girls coming in and progressing faster than me before heading down to deliver their babies, I couldn't help but feel like it was so unfair and when would it be my turn! The midwives kept asking if I was having contractions and I told them about the cramping which to me was quite sore only to be told that they weren't real contractions because I could still talk through them (in hindsight these were NOT contractions!!!). At 11pm one of the doctors came in to check one last time and then make the decision of whether to insert a 4th pessary, insert a catheter or send me down to have my waters broken. She checked me one last time and with fingers crossed after on and off tears all day it came down to this, how dilated would I be? When she told me that I was 1-2cm I wanted to scream, my body was fighting to keep this little cherub inside for just a little longer and all of the pains that I was having was all for nothing. She made the decision that we would break my waters even though it would be difficult as my cervix was still quite high, I got so excited and couldn't wait to tell David that he should be on standby as I would be phoning him at some point to get him to come back in and it could have been through the night. I had a nice relaxing bath to ease contractions however I don't think it did much at all really and then went back to bed to sleep for a few hours to wait to be called down to have this baby.
Saturday 17th June - Push! Push! Push!
The night was a rough one, it was noisy and I was exhausted! It had been so long and I was still only cramping every so often with no real progress but at least now I had a goal! The end was in sight finally and I managed to get a few hours sleep. That night was crazy in the ward and I could tell that the hospital were full to the brim with women coming in to have their babies and here was me patiently waiting for my turn to be called down to the labour ward. The next morning David came back and we were still waiting, the contractions were still happening but a little more painful now so I started to walk. We walked and walked and walked the hospital grounds if anything just to get out of that room. Lets just say that some people on the ward had partners that should have been thrown out! It got to a stage where I had to either leave the room and walk or this particular partner was going to find himself thrown out of the 6th floor window! By around lunchtime my midwife told me not to stray too far as the labour ward had called to let me know that they hadn't forgotten about me and that I was next in the queue. We walked back and forward through wards for what felt like hours until at 3pm my midwife came to get me to take me down the stairs, I couldn't believe that it was finally time! I went down the stairs, with a few stops for contractions on the way to Labour Room 8. The overwhelming feeling when I walked in was terrifying, all of the equipment and everything was very daunting and I actually sat on a chair for a moment to sort myself out, texted my family and settled down for another long night as the midwife told me to expect another 10-12 hours after having my waters broken before baby would be here. I got myself onto the bed and my midwife (who was absolutely amazing) hooked me up to a monitor for baby and broke my waters. When she checked me I was amazed when she told me that I was now 3cm dilated and very "stretchy", after she broke my waters and put in the drip (which I think was Oxytocin) the contractions got stronger and she gave me Gas and Air, I didn't like it very much because it made me feel super drunk and dizzy but that's also because I was inhaling it like Darth Vadar! My midwife then went for her break and by the time she came back 15 minutes later I was screaming. The pressure was crazy and I kept saying that I needed to poo because that's what it felt like even though it turns out it was a baby and not a poo! Who knew!! By then I was asking for Diamorphine and sucking on Gas and Air like it was going out of fashion! But I never got my diamorphine! I never expected to just know what to do and to trust my body to do what it needed to without me telling it, I was checked again because the urge to push was overwhelming and I was 9cm dilated! I was so relived to be able to relive the pressure and the pain of contractions by pushing down on them. (and i'm not scared to admit that I was the girl who screamed her way through every push! Although at that time I could just hear someone screaming in this deep and unfamiliar voice only to realise later that it was me!) David described it as something demonic which pretty much describes it perfectly! I don't remember much about pushing apart from that it felt so good to push against the contractions that had been hurting me through the day. Before I knew it the midwife was telling David to look and see the baby's head and he says it was the most amazing thing to see me and how strong I was. I don't remember the machines screaming as her heartrate dropped but I just knew that I had to keep pushing while holding Davids hands and squeezing as hard as I could. Then I got to feel the most amazing feeling in the world as Hannah came out, it's incredible and even through the pain it was hands down the most amazing experience of my life and I cannot describe the high that you feel bringing that little life into the world and the relief as the pressure is instantly released. I remember her being lifted up to me and thinking that she was so tiny! By then I was in tears and overwhelmed by the love I had for this tiny person and couldn't get over the fact that I had just pushed her out of my body, I just kept saying how perfect she was and the tears were just flowing even looking at her perfect little body, I remember noticing that she was definitely a girl and laughing to myself because I was worried that we had a lot of pink if the doctors had made a mistake! David and I just kept staring at her and after he cut the cord just taking her all in. I had a second degree tear and was stitched up and to be quite honest it was the most uncomfortable bit in hindsight because it lasted so long. Hannah was then weighed and measured and handed back to me before a girl came in with toast and diluting juice for us which was the bloody best toast I have ever tasted!
It was honestly the most incredible experience of my life and I would do it all again in a heartbeat because the end result is so worth it! Hannah is the most perfect little girl and even though we have our tough nights she's a pretty good baby! It makes me laugh that the whole thing lasted so long yet active labour lasted around 15 minutes and I think my family were just amazed that it felt like one minute I was texting to say that my waters were being broken to the next minute phoning them to tell them that she was here.
I hope you all enjoyed my story and it wasn't too graphic or terrifying!
Speak soon,
Leigh xoxo
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Week 14 - Bump Update
Hey
This was the week where we discovered some new symptoms!
This week was the first week that I really discovered Round Ligament Pain, I have been having these pains from quite early on when I sneezed however now it seems to be getting stronger and happens more frequently, Round ligament pain is a pain when you cough or sneeze right around the bottom of the tummy almost like if you have pulled a muscle and sneeze. It is painful but just reminds me that there is a little human growing in there and this is my body's way of protecting it. This week we also had the Flu Jab and so I am expecting to feel a little bit rough over the next few days. We had bloods done too on Monday but that's getting easier too. Another new symptom is shooting pains in my boobs, this only happened once or twice but was still noticeable.
SIZE OF BABY
This week baby is the size of a Nectarine!
DEVELOPMENT
Baby's arms are now in proportion to the rest of the body although legs still have a lot of growing to do to catch up, baby is also developing hair and eyebrows this week as well as fingerprints, baby can also use their hands and may begin to suck their thumb. They can also make lots of faces this week, frowning, grimacing and switching expressions.
RANDOM FACT
This week baby's limbs are now coordinated enough for lots of complicated motions!
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| image from http://center.babygaga.com/calendar/pregnancy/week-14 |
Leigh x
Monday, 16 January 2017
Week 13 - Bump Update
Hey
This was the week where we went for our first scan!
This week the symptoms have stayed more or less the same however sickness seems to be easing at the minute, this was the week that I went for our first scan and after that I had a bit of bruising as well as pain for a few days because baby was very sleepy at the scan and the sonographer had to lean pretty hard and be quite rough to get her to wake up. The Sonographer also advised us not to use the doppler anymore so we have stopped using this too.
SIZE OF BABY
This week baby is the size of a Tangerine!
DEVELOPMENT
This week baby's bones are starting to develop as well as all of the organs and in this week baby will take their first breaths using their newly developed lungs! Baby's kidneys are also fully developed and any fluid that baby takes in will also wee out!
RANDOM FACT
Baby's sense of taste and smell have developed!
 |
| image from http://center.babygaga.com/calendar/pregnancy/week-13 |
Leigh x
Saturday, 14 January 2017
Pregnancy is... (First Trimester Edition)
Pregnancy is...
- really vivid dreams about places you've not been in years
- feeling a love so strong for a little person that you've never even met
- making something for dinner which sounds amazing until you put it on a plate and it looks revolting
- smiling while you vomit up your breakfast because you know that no matter how lousy you feel it will never compare to the feeling of that tiny baby in your arms
- feeling tired, all the time
- planning 2 breakfasts because 9 times out of 10 you'll lose the first one
- the most exciting time of your life
- downloading every baby app available
- tracking the size of your baby in fruit
- googling really weird things and finding out that you're not alone
- looking into your partners eyes when he puts his hand on your tummy and knowing that you created something so special
- smiling away to yourself when a wave of nausea hits
- breathing through nausea while you are on the bus
- never feeling like you are alone
Friday, 13 January 2017
Bump Update - Week 12
Hey everyone,
This is the week that we started to have a few more symptoms,
New symptom this week seems to be IBS, I used to get this a lot when I was younger, agonising stomach pains for hours with little or no movement and then diarrhoea at the end but as of recent years I haven't had any symptoms of it. I had noticed a few weeks ago that it might be coming back and now it definitely has, all the same symptoms but I feel like the pain is worse now. Even before this started I had started to notice that if I move too quickly in bed I would get this sharp pain along my tummy kind of like pulling a muscle I guess so not sure if it's just the body's way of keeping baby safe. I think that might be what's causing the ibs pains to be worse either that or I just have a short memory! Other symptoms are much the same with vomiting in the morning and extreme fatigue but I am getting so used to these now that they just fit in with my normal routine.
SIZE OF BABY
This week baby is the size of Lime!
DEVELOPMENT
This is the final week of the first trimester!! Baby is now only 6cm in length but is fully formed! Baby is also continuing to move around and the skeleton which currently made of cartilage will soon harden to become bone,
RANDOM FACT
Baby is practising breathing.
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Bump Update - Week 11
Hey everyone
This week was an exciting one for us because this week we heard baby's heartbeat! I had bought a doppler on amazon for later on in pregnancy but decided to try it out to see what we could find and as it happens one night david found our little nuggets heartbeat! It was so surreal to finally hear after knowing for so long that there was a baby in there but never quite believing it!
This week again was just more sickness and fatigue which seems to have just become part of my routine now! I'm waiting for some more symptoms to start appearing but still can't manage much food, i'm looking forward to being able to eat full meals again.
SIZE OF BABY
This week baby is the size of a Fig.
DEVELOPMENT
Baby now has fingernails and can open and close fingers, baby also starts to develop ovaries or testicles this week however it will be a few more weeks before you will be able to tell on an ultrasound, baby's body is starting to even out although it's head will still be really big in comparison to it's body.
RANDOM FACT
Baby is moving around a lot even though you wont be able to feel it yet
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| Image from http://center.babygaga.com/calendar/pregnancy/week-11 |
Leigh x
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