September 30, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
Well, the weeks are moving along nicely now. Tomorrow we will be 17 weeks pregnant which means that we are about 37% of the way through!
I’m no longer feeling sick every day at 11am and 4pm. That’s now passed, thank goodness. I feel sick when I’m hungry but that can easily be resolved.
Flump has now moved up a good inch or so. I had a few days where I couldn’t find the heartbeat after a good 5 minutes searching so started jiggling up and down on the mad like a mad woman, trying to get him to move. It seemed to work. It’s worrying at first, especially after being able to find him first time almost every time but I’m now a bit wiser as to where on my belly I should be searching!
Talking of bellies, sometimes mine feels rock hard now. It’s quite exciting. I keep feeling little popping sensations too but I’m convinced it is gas at the moment rather than Flump kicking or moving. Who knows though! I should start to feel some kind of proper flutterings over the coming 3 weeks or so. I can’t wait for something definite!
The first Ante-Natal appointment is this week. I’m quite looking forward to that as she should measure the fundal height and have a listen to the heartbeat herself. I’m such a pro with the doppler now that if she has trouble finding it, I might just take it off her and show her how it’s done! Kidding, of course! 
I think that is all for now. Nothing more to report really. Everything appears to be well so I shall sign off for now 
September 21, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
Well, we’re back from our scan. It was a regular 2D scan just because we weren’t overly happy with our NHS one and wanted to see our baby properly. All I can say is…
IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I was scanned for a constant 15 minutes and the sonographer showed us everything she could. We saw little Flump kicking the placenta, slapping it, yawning, sucking his thumb, putting his hands to his ears… so many things. It was just incredible. We just both looked at the (huge) screen open mouthed and kept saying “amazing” and “wow.”
Flump is measuring at 15+4 so spot on, his head is measuring a bit bigger at 16+2 but it can be a bit off depending on position.
We got eleven – yes, ELEVEN scan piccies, all of different things. Some of them are a little hard to make out but that’s because they zoom in all the time before taking the picture so you can really see what’s what. We saw his little hands, legs, spine, ribs, eyes, fingers – the whole lot!
She did say that she could look at the gender for us if we wanted but we decliend. We really want to wait. 
We have our anomoly scan on 26th October but she has told us that everything looks perfect as far as she can see so we are both REALLY pleased and feeling really relaxed too! We will be going back again for a 4D scan at around 30 weeks but I can honestly see us going back again around 25 weeks for another little look since it was soooo good. Such a great experience.
Fab experience and I recommend it to anyone!! It’s called BabyBOND for a reason.. that’s for sure 
Crown To Rump:
Face To Camera:
Face To Scanner:
His Little Feet Crossed:
Femur Length:
Hand On Head:
Head Diameter:
His Long Fingers (She said “baby is going to be a pianist”):
Side View:
Another Side View:
And finally.. Sucking His Thumb:
The scan pics just don’t do the whole experience justice, it has to be said!
September 21, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
Not long now… only 10 hours and 20 minutes to go til our appointment! Am I excited – ooh, just a bit!
More later 
September 18, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
I have been patiently awaiting the mail this week. I know that the hospital said it will be around a week for a letter or phonecall but I’ve been going mad worrying about the result.
Everytime the phone has rung, my heart has skipped a beat and not wanted to answer it.
Finally, this morning, a letter arrived from Addenbrookes advising the following:
“You will be pleased to hear that your recent maternal serum screening blood sample has shown that your baby is not at high risk for Down’s Syndrome or Spina Bifida”
PHEW!
I think I actually got as far as “You will be pleased to hear…” then stopped reading as I knew it was good.
Relief washed over me. Matt somehow knew what the letter was… I think the fact that I opened it right at the front door may have given it away.. and when he got to me I was jumping up and down then burst into tears.
Straight on the phone to my sister and then my Dad.. Both extremely pleased with the news.
Today feels good
September 13, 2007
· Filed under Other
People keep asking if we are going to find out the sex of our baby.
Our answer.. not before he or she is born. We both want that surprise in the delivery room.
Another thing that people are picking up on is the fact that I keep referring to Flump as “he and him”. The reason for this is because I hate to have to say “it” and you can’t say Flump all the time. It doesn’t fit in to every conversation.
Therefore, Matt and I decided that I would refer to Flump as “him” and “he” and he would refer to Flump as “she” and “her” during conversation etc. That way it’s always 50/50 and it remains fair!
September 13, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
The dreaded blood tests were done at 9.00am this morning. They weren’t half as bad as I had let myself believe they would be. The midwife taking the blood was lovely too. Matt’s hand may be a little bit bruised later, but, if I have to go through pain in this pregnancy then believe me – he’s gonna too! Haha!
They take 5 tubes of blood and those bloods are tested for Downs Syndrome, HIV, Syphillis and all sorts. Quite scary really IF you let yourself think about it. I don’t think for one second that I have HIV or syphillis etc, but you can’t help but to let your mind wander just a little into the possibilities that the test will come back that your chances of having a baby with Downs is going to be high. Even if it was, it wouldn’t change anything. This is our child and our love for him is already unconditional.
We get the results in around a week. If the odds are low, then you receive a letter via the mail. If not, then you receive a phonecall.
I expect a letter.
September 9, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
I’ve been making myself feel a bit miserable this past week as I’d convinced myself for some insane reason that when we go to our next scan that there will be no heartbeat. I finally got around to mentioning it to Matt this morning and the tears came flooding. He told me he understands my fears but that there is no reason for them.. and I know that and I agreed wholeheartedly. Sometimes you just become very irrational and can’t get thoughts out of your head.After a chat with my sister on the phone, we decided to borrow her doppler that she had bought when she was pregnant with Callum as she felt she needed reassurance too. We collected it this morning on our way to Milton Keynes shopping centre and decided we *might* try it later on when we got it.
I have always been very sceptical about using a doppler as I think that sometimes they can do more harm that good in the sense that if you don’t find a heartbeat, you’re going to drive yourself crazy. That was my biggest reservation.
I’d decided today though, that I was already driving myself crazy so it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go. I’d convinced myself we wouldn’t find it – not because there is anything wrong, but because at 14 weeks it can still be too early as the baby is still so low down in your pelvis.
We got home and as I had a full bladder, (which they recommend in earlier pregnancy when using a doppler), we decided to give it a go. Amazingly, we found Flump’s heartbeat within no more than 10 seconds and needless to say, a huge smile appeared on both of our faces. We called Jacqueline up and let her and Matthew and the kids listen to the heartbeat “live” as it was happening. It was just so amazing! We recorded it onto Matt’s mobile phone and have uploaded it too. I cried – no, I SOBBED, for literally 10 minutes afterwards. Matt said I’d never looked more attractive with sonograph gel all over my top and tears and snot running down my face! I was just SO happy!
I honestly don’t think, at this point in time, that there is anything more amazing than seeing and hearing your baby. It makes for a very emotional time. The only thing, I’m sure, that can beat that is actually holding your baby in your arms for the first time.
We’re both very, very happy and have let all family members listen to our recording. It’s nice to be able to share something so wonderful.
Here is Flump’s heartbeat recording.
September 7, 2007
· Filed under Other
Not only do I have a great family and a few great friends who are always very supportive – especially my sister who is my BEST friend (well her and Matt)! I also have Matt.. the kindest and most thoughtful man a woman could ask for in a partner.
He’s always there for me no matter what. His love is entirely unconditional. I know that he is going to be a great Daddy to our little Flump because, as I have mentioned before, he is already a great uncle to Ryan, Kaden and Callum and he is also a great Daddy to Barney! I know that sounds mad but it’s true. Barney dotes on him like a child would.
He’s put up with so much over the past few weeks. Every time something has gone ‘wrong’, he has always put his own feelings aside and dealt with mine. That has to be hard. In fact, I KNOW it was hard for him. He’s supported me through every little stretching pain and twinge I have worried about and darted for the pregnancy books when we were unsure about something.
He’s taken over the house more or less. When I bled I was scared to do anything other than sit down and do nothing. I wasn’t allowed to do anything anyway (his rule), but that then made me feel useless and when I cried over it, he told me it was fine and once again, consoled me and washed away my worries.
I honestly couldn’t ask for more. Then, today, he has a beautiful rose bouquet sent to me, along with some yummy looking heart shaped chocolates (which I “may” share with him – lol). So.. I’ll answer my own question.
I AM VERY, VERY, VERY lucky!
September 7, 2007
· Filed under Other
I read the forums that I visit and I see many of the girls/women on there in the same state I was a few weeks ago and it just breaks my heart.
I know how worried and awful I felt and I really hope that by telling them my stories that it’s giving them some form of comfort.
Some are suffering from bleeding and brown discharge, some are worrying about the loss of pregnancy symptoms. I reply to them telling them that I had 4 bleeds, 3 of which were red, 2 of which seemed really bad and that I had the brown discharge for a few days in a row too. Look at me – it’s all turned out to be okay after those!
As for symptoms, I think I lost most of mine around week 7/8, which also worried me at the time, but then I found out that it is normal and it’s all to do with your body getting used to the level of hormone. Mine started again a couple of weeks ago and now I feel sick almost all of the time. I’m pretty sure that is to do with the new hormone level again since the placenta is now taking over.
I hope that anyone reading my blog can take some comfort in the posts that I have made here and see that even when it feels like your world is closing in around you and that it’s the end for your little bean.. it isn’t.
None of us are naive. We all know that things can go wrong and sometimes a bleed can mean the worst thing possible in pregnancy, BUT, you have to remember that it doesn’t always mean that. It can just be your body getting rid of old blood or something like cervical erosion.
September 6, 2007
· Filed under 2nd Trimester
Sleep. What is that? I never sleep anymore. It’s no wonder I can barely focus during the day and that I’m falling asleep at my desk by 2pm and generally feeling like crap!
My nights are spent constantly walking back and forth from the bedroom to the bathroom. I make sure that I don’t drink too much before bedtime (I’m actually going to give myself a drinks curfew now!) and the moment before I go to sleep I make sure I try just one last time.
No matter what.. I wake up no more than an hour later needing another wee. Another 90 minutes after that, another wee and then another 90 minutes after that… yes, you guessed it – ANOTHER WEE!!
This means that I never get any more than an hours sleep at a time. You may be thinking ‘how come if she is only weeing every 90 minutes that she never gets more than an hours sleep?’ Well, that’s because I am probably the worlds worst sleeper anyway and getting to sleep can take me anything up to about 3 hours!
I’m hoping that as Flump moves up that the pressure will be taken off my bladder and that I can start sleeping again. Unfortunately, I’m not one of these people that can sleep during the day (unless I’m really unwell), so the most I can manage is laying on the bed for about half an hour before I get bored. Useless… yes, that’s me!
So, with the constant need to wee, the sickness kicking in at around 11am every morning and then returning with a vengeance every afternoon between 4pm and 5pm, I’m not much good to anyone. All I can do around that time of day is mope. I rarely eat a proper dinner. (I live on sandwiches these days. Yum.. not!) and all I want to do is sleep, even though I can’t.
Oh well, it’s all worth it for little Flump
