Are baby clothes really that cute??

Over the past few weeks, I have started buying bits & pieces for BabyTays, including the recommended list of baby clothes for your hospital bag - babygrows, vests, socks etc. Although I have to say if you are clueless to the sex of your baby there is limited stock for you to chose from, as all baby shops have very little which isn’t pink or blue and there is only so much white you can buy!

Buying baby clothes for your hospital bag does come with a tricky question though, which size should I buy? Newborn baby clothes come in a number of sizes from Up to 6lbs - Up to 10lbs.

It is a game of guess your babies weight before he/she is born. To be on the safe side I have so far only opted for the larger of the three sizes (although I hope its not a 9lb er, ouch!) so at least we know BabyTays will grow into them and if it arrives as a 6/7lb baby Mr T will need to go on an emergency shopping trip.

Anyway, on purchasing my first few items I kept them hung up in our spare room and Mr T would chuckle as I would go and take a look every couple of days (or hours!), still excited at the fact were having a baby.

This came to sudden end, as one day it dawned on me... “OMG, I’ve got to push that out!” and now every time I look at these “cute” little baby grows and vest and I just keep thinking… "that’s going to bloody hurt!!!"

But as I keep being told, it will be worth it in the end!

Finally Blooming..

Two days away from the 23rd week mark and I woke up this morning bright and early, and realised “I’m finally blooming”

I’ve been told since the announcement of my pregnancy that I would be blooming soon and I can honest say I felt like that day would never come and it was just a myth to give pregnant ladies some hope!

Well I take it all back.

So, why am I blooming..

1. My skin is finally starting to look less like a teenagers spotty skin and has almost cleared up, with a nice glow appearing.

2. Thanks to another doze of sickness pills from the doctors this week, I’ve not been or even felt sick (to the usual extend) for 4 days and have high hopes that it will now come to an end.

3. For 4 nights I have now slept all thought the night…yippee!! Hence I’m up early on a Saturday morning not feeling hanging and with plenty of energy to go on a morning walk with Marley.

4. Babytays is really moving around, kicking and nudging which is a brilliant feeling.

5. The sun is beginning to shine!!

6. I now look like a proper pregnant lady with a belly measuring 41in!!

7. Good old hubby is doing most of the housework these days, added bonus!

8. I can finally wear my wedding ring on the correct finger, thanks to the discovery of Spray Plaster! Since I’ve been 6 weeks pregnant I have strangely developed a rash on my wedding ring finger, but can wear it on the other hand no problems. Very strange! I am so pleased about this as I’ve only had chance to actually wear my ring properly for about 2 months. So I now look like a married pregnant lady again.

9. Today is baby shopping day for Moses basket, pram research and looking at nursery ideas.

And finally

10. My family are all well and at home, which is a huge relief!

A kick in the ribs!

Ok, so this blog is a bit late on the update side of things, as I’m pretty sure Babytays first started (or at least I felt it moving) at around 15 week but you read that it is more common to feel it after 17 weeks with your first so I wasn’t quite sure.

Well anyway, now there is no doubt it is moving around in there and it appears to love Eastenders (ha-ha Mr T will be pleased, that’s two against one!), that or it’s the first time in the day when I get to sit down quietly and actually notice it’s awake and wiggling around.

What does it feel like? Well at first I would describe it as that feeling you get on a rollercoaster but on a smaller scale in the bottom of your belly, a nice fluttering feeling which I’m guessing is Babytays turning around.

But now at 21 weeks it feels like Babytays has taken a lesson or two in Martial arts! As it’s no longer just a nice feeling I get at the bottom of my belly, Babytays is now on the move! One minute I can feel it under my ribs, the next its seems to be stuck in my pelvis with the nice fluttering feeling reappearing in-between.

The midwife said that from 20 week you should be able to feel about 10 movements a day, well this ikle one does more than that during an episode of Eastenders and especially likes to make me aware of its presence right on bed time.

According to my weekly updates Babytays should now measure approx 27cm from crown to foot, so I’m guessing that explains the kicks & nudges.

I wonder if this is a sign as to how active Babytays will be once born, looks like we’re going to be kept very busy!!

The full story…first pics on snow day!!

Well my scan day excitement turned into more of a panic as I woke up and peered out of my window to discover a sheet of white covering my car, drive and extending my garden so it looked like it joined the house across the road.

This was Bristol’s first really Snow Day in 27 years! (or so we thought until the next morning!)

I quickly rang hubby in a panic about how were were going to manage to make the appointment if the sun didn’t melt the snow in the next 5 hours! He promised me that we would make it to the ball.. Of course, I do trust my hubby fully, but as a back up plan I prepped a man who can with a 4x4 that I may be requesting a favour!

Mr T arrived at home, at 14.15 and set away clearing the drive way and uncovering the car and off we set at 14.30 leaving plenty of time to make the appointment. During all this Snow Day excitement, I started to down the pints of water required to enable the scan to be clear. Drinking water and holding it in when you have become a regular toilet visitor is a challenge in itself!

We arrived at the hospitals 15 mins later, the different in snow levels in the centre and suburbs is surprising! We checked ourselves in at reception and I enquired as to whether there were any delays and if it was possible to take a quick pee and top myself back up?!? I was advised I could take a 10 sec wee, as long as I drunk a bottle of water after.

At 15.35pm we were called.

The scan lady entered the room and informed us that she would be looking at the baby development and asked us whether we wanted to be informed of any abnormity, to which we replied yes, this question made the worry set in.

She started off by measuring BabyTays heart, body & legs and told us that the baby was tucked away low so she couldn’t get to the facial details and its second arm/hand. This innocent comment made Mr T panic that the baby only had one arm, bless him!

The solution to this was to tilt the bed so I was practically upside down, this made BabyTays come down from its snuggly position and enable us to see its ikle face. The scan lady also pointed out that I was having Braxton Hick contractions, which can be seen in the photo’s. Braxton Hicks are pre labour contractors, which are preparing your womb for the dreaded L word. She then finished up by measuring its spine and told us everything was good, at which point Mr T started to breath again...

When we had finished she asked us both if there was anything else about Babytays we would like to know? To which we both replied NO!

And no.. on the picture, it is in fact the leg you can see.

So the sex of the baby will remain a secret, until IT decides to enter the world.

Facts & Figures

BabyTays measurements are:
Bi-parietal Diameter 45mm 19 weeks & 4 days

Head Circumference 164mm 19 weeks & 3 days

Abdominal Circumference 148mm 20 weeks & 1 day

Femur Length 32 mm 20 weeks & 0 days

How did it feel to actually see BabyTays for the first time?
Absolutely amazing! We started off a bit on edge, until we heard that everything was OK and then the relief kicked in. The pictures we were given are so clear it’s unbelievable, you can see its facial features really clearly.

Relief also kicked in when I ran out to the toilet, someone pressing down on your belly for 15 mins had not helped in the slightest.

The next count down is to the big L and arrival of Babytays. In the meantime, I will pass the time by going on a major shopping mission preparing for the new arrival.

BabyTays first pictures, taken on snow day!!

For those of you who have been waiting for BabyTays first pictures, wait no longer....

I'll provide full details of our 20 week scan experience when I have a bit more energy (completely knackered from weekend) but to keep you going let me intoduce you...

P.S No sickness all weekend, thats a first!!! fingers crossed...

1 more sleep to go....

and were going to see BabyTays & finally get pictures!!!

Sooo exciting!!!!

Pregnancy Yoga, it’s a must!

Well, I should currently be at my pregnancy yoga class but I’m having another sick day and to be honest I’ve had enough of sticking my head down a public loo, so decided to stay home. You just can’t beat your own toilet, it’s luxury!

But for all those pregnant ladies out there I can highly recommend finding your local Yoga for Pregnant Ladies Classes. I found details of our local class through my midwife. Be warned they do have a bit of a waiting list so get your name down sooner than later, you also need to be over 12 weeks to attend.

Now every Wednesday evening myself & fellow fat friend with twins, Becky join the rest of the gang for a hour of chat, relaxing and learning to breath…there is a skill to it honest!

Week one I must say was a bit of an eye opener. As the newbie’s, we were quite shocked about the detail some pregnant ladies go into, in fact we were like kids giggling at the back when one lady informed us she was booked for a C section but was hoping for a vaginal birth! Surely the correct description would be “natural birth” and I did have to stop myself from asking where else it would come out from? This was just the start, and the only example I can give incase kids are reading!

Well, after we got over the graphic details these guys go into we tried our hardest to conker the whole breathing thing.. Now these ladies are experts in this field, and many of them have gone through labour just using the breathing technique, how the hell!! I can ensure you I will be sticking to the gas & air. But when we stopped trying to catch up with everyone elses breathing and relaxed it did start to come easier.

The whole point of these classes is to move your body to allow more room for the baby to grow and to help make you both more comfortable, which, I can see will be of huge benefit as BabyTays gets bigger! Also, to learn how breathing can help in labour, if you’re stressed, can’t sleep and more importantly to help you control sickness! By the second week I can honest say I enjoyed it a lot more and started to see the benefits.

I also enjoy the fact that everyone sits around and talks about their pregnancy at the start, all these ladies are 30 weeks+ so its great to hear their stories, advice & even learn a bit about the dreaded L word, which up until these classes I’ve tried to avoid.

So yes this is differently something I would recommend to all your pregnant ladies! & of course popping to the pub after for an appletiser & chat finishes off the evening lovely.