*Boyfriend Footnote*

I have to say the 4D scans were amazing! We saw the little one open it’s eyes, grab its foot and rub its face with its little fingers. I’ve seen other couples pictures before and thought they look alien and weird but to see the moving images of your own child is a different matter altogether.

Having been blown away by the 4D scans it was back down to earth with NCT. 3 hours of middle class pregnancy nightmares. However, after just half an hour I found that I learnt an awful lot. I had no idea, for example, that after the birth of your child the mother then has to give birth to the placenta! What the hell?!?

Also, all the ridiculous yoga breathing techniques that Sarah has come home with like ‘Dragon’s Firey Breath’ and ‘stars’… (yes , no joke) actually works. Essentially what NCT has taken so far 6 hours to tell me, with another 6 to come, is that all the breathing exercises, drugs, electronic devises, water baths and gas and air are designed to do is to relax the mother so the baby can do it’s thing. Basically making sure Sarah is happy, releasing oxytocin and not adrenaline which impairs relaxation of muscles and uterus thus birth is what needs to be ensured during labour. (See, I have been listening!) It’s almost too easy! :-/

I finally feel that when the time to get our sprog out comes I can be of some use. All a birthing partner is there for is to relax the mother. Massage, talk soothingly, gently encourage and get ‘them in a bubble!’ (Look, I’m even writing like a Pre Natal Advisor!) It does give me some purpose and means I won’t just stand around like an idiot. I do however think that maybe the most relaxing thing for the mother could be for a father to exit stage right BUT I am determined to be the calming influence and ever ready to catch the little one.


I’m starting to panic! Two months is a short time!



Andy

Well, Hello In There!

I'll keep this post brief since I'm hoping that our fab 4D scan pics will speak for themselves!

We bimbled on down to the Baby Premier 4D Medical Ultrasound Clinic this morning to have a bloody good look at our unborn child. Before you all ask, the 4th dimension is the "real time" that you get to see when your baby is moving around inside you. We didn't get an awful lot of action out of Merry Jr but if its anything like Mummy and Daddy then mornings ain't its thang;)!  The little Tyke was sitting on one side of my womb all squished up. I told the sonographer that that was like having a massive sofa to chillax on and then CHOOSING to squash yourself right into one corner. I'm guessing maybe it likes feeling cosy, like its mama;). You can see from the photos that the result of this is that its feet and hands are right in front of its face! Bless the little thing....

It was such an amazing experience and one that Andy and I are really glad we did. If you think about it, in the UK, you get to see your baby twice in the first half of your pregnancy, then you don't get to check in, so to speak, until they're born! In the US, expectant mums are scanned every 2 weeks in the final trimester. So we feel like we checked up on the little thing. Its healthy, and growing well: rather too well for me! It's about 4lbs now she reckoned so a projected birth weight of 8 and 1/2lbs. Ouch;). Goodbye pelvic floor, nice knowing ya!

Anyway, I fell in love today. I can't stop staring at the photos even though really, to you lot, it probably looks like a weird, alien baby. (the view through amniotic fluid warps it a bit, non?). To me, it is The Greatest Love Of My Life. I am now so excited to meet Merry Jr that I'm secretly hoping it'll be a couple of weeks early: I'll never last til April 1st, I might combust with love!

Hello!

Look! I am BENDY!

And Quite Sleepy;)

Big Stretch

Sucking My Thumb Like Mummy

Stop Prodding Me!

I'm Feeling A Bit Camera Shy...

*Boyfriend Footnote*

This blog entry should be titled: Andy, you idiot.

So I was working with someone I'd not seen for months. She informed me that she was due on the day after we are due to have our little one. I was shocked. She was slender and sleek and I hadn't noticed a bump or anything. When I got home I told Sarah, whose carrying a BFG, this. I got the death stare! Andy, you idiot!

Before this event I told a lovely couple at a party our 'bastard child' was due on April fools. It's a couple of months out of wedlock... It's a bastard. Besides I'm an atheist so i don't have any negative emotion toward calling our sprog a bastard. They did! Death stares! Andy, you idiot!

Having just gone for a walk my little Ewok, Sarah (see my previous entry) was very out of breath - lungs squashed and all that. She was snuffling, grunting and breathing funny. I shouldn't have said 'come on you breathless pug!' I did. Death stare. Andy, you idiot!

This week I will be mostly choosing my words more carefully!... Especially as we have another NCT class. There is a lot of opportunity for faux pas' when you're surrounded by eager-to-learn, paranoid new mums! (More on that soon!)


Yours,

Idiot Andy!

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye!

Willowy Lauren Laverne.

Morning all! I hope this grey Monday is treating you all well. All is good in manual land: I am now 30 weeks and 1 day knocked up, so only 10 (!!!!!) weeks to go. This feels both like NOT LONG ENOUGH to get everything ready, and also a REALLY LONG TIME to carry on lugging the Big Bump around. Being on the petite side (height-wise) has always had its drawbacks: getting kicked out of pubs when I was under age and looked much younger than I actually was, not being able to see at gigs, spending a fortune getting pretty much every item of clothing taken up as soon as I'd purchased it....but I'd never really thought about the implications of growing a human in relation to my diminutive stature. Well, I am barrel shaped now! My bra size has gone from a 32C to a 38D! So my ribcage has expanded by 6 inches!! And any man will tell you that 6 inches is ALOT;). Now my boobs sit neatly on the Big Bump because I am carrying the Not So Tiny Guest Anymore quite high up. My legs and bum still seem to be relatively Sarah Sized so you can imagine the overall look: I'll get Andy to take a photo this week and show you. It's definitely "barrel";). Oh to be a tall, willowy pregnant bird like Lauren Laverne, or just teeny tiny all over like Konnie Huq. I saw Konnie just before Christmas at a "do": her baby is due the day after mine and I swear, you couldn't even tell she was preggers! And I was rolling all over the joint like Wicket/Weebl girl! I could not have felt less delicate if I tried. Oh how things have changed: once I was a lithe, graceful ballerina...*sighs at the distant memory*;).

So now it is time to say goodbye to certain things: it's definitely a fond farewell to underwires. I honestly thought I'd be able to take them with me all the way but discomfort levels have seen me sprinting to the nearest Mamas & Papas store for some comfortable and still relatively attractive underwear and I have succumbed to some MASSIVE "over bump" knickers too. I am H.O.T.(http://www.mamasandpapas.com/range/view-all/6091/)

Time also to say goodbye to my feet. I check up on them once a day when I'm in the bath and they seem to be OK and not too minging yet but I think I'll be cashing in that pedi that Andy bought me for Xmas sooner rather than later before they turn into hooves.

A fond farewell also to the inside of my belly button. Who knew what was lurking in there all these years?! A couple of skin tags and some unusual folds by all accounts. Delightful. Sometimes the inside of things are inside for a reason. This is clearly the case with navals.

Time also for Andy to say goodbye to smooth, freshly shaven legs. I simply cannot get to them to give them a good wet shave in the bath anymore so if he wants 'em smooth, then he's gonna have to do 'em himself....;)

"So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye!!" at least for another coupla months....

So, there's another thing happening in Cawood's preggy world that I'd be interested to hear whether anyone else in the same position is suffering with: the top of my Big Bump is REALLY sore, it feels like its been sunburnt or summat. According to the God Of Google, it's my skin stretching but it's sore to touch, and if I cough or sneeze it kills too. Most odd. No stretch marks yet but it's a bit of a mystery to me so let me know if you've got the same thing going on.

Right, so that's where I'm at with Big Bump type things. In other news, I have made some AWESOME comfort discoveries. Ladies who can't get comfy on the sofa at night I give you: The Widgey!(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Widgey-Nursing-Pillow-Animal-Jersey/dp/B006YG48GG/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1327322680&sr=8-15) It's a multi tasking genius: preggy pillow, nursing pillow and eventual baby nest. I just sort of nestle into it when I'm watching telly and it's so much more comfortable than using the fancy scatter cushions that usually populate my couch.

Another preggy comfort must have for preggy's with congestion (as I have had this week with a bit of a cold) is a nose spray called Sterimar(http://www.sterimar.com/en/nasal-hygiene-why.php). It's basically a salt water nasal spray that's safe to use as a decongestant in pregnancy. I thought I'd never be able to survive the sniffles without my trusty sudafed but this stuff does an admiral job without all the pharmaceuticals.

Blimey, I'm 780 words in and I haven't even talked about the Natal Hypnotherapy books and CDs that I'm getting acquainted with or our first ante natal class last Thursday! I will save those titbits for later this week.

2 things I do want to mention this week are the safe arrivals of 2 of my friend's babies:

Welcome Elijah Joseph Underwood!  A Bouncing Baby Boy for Michael Underwood and Angellica Bell who arrived with very little drama, on Boxing Day. Now there's a labour and delivery I'll take: Gelli was in active labour for only about 4 hours and seemed to take the whole thing in her stride. I guess we all saw some of that pragmatism and determination in her on 71 degrees North. I met little Elijah last week and he's just ADORABLE! He fell asleep in my arms then slept all the way through our lunch too so we could all get on with the serious business of catching up with each other. And he looks EXACTLY like his Daddy!

Also welcome Faith Michelle Hanley! A Beautiful Baby Girl for Michelle Heaton and Hugh Hanley! Who arrived in a rather more dramatic style on the 11th January 2 weeks early.

I am going to visit Faith and Michelle sometime this week so will get the scoop on her delivery deets then as they're quite sketchy at present. Ain't it typical that it's the little lady who needs to arrive in a somewhat dramatic fashion?? We are all drama queens at heart, clearly;).

So, finally, but by no means least, who wants to come to The Baby Show (http://www.thebabyshow.co.uk/) at ExCel London between the 24th-26th February? My lovely friends at Azaria Pr have given me 2 pairs of tickets to give away:-). I'm waddling down there with Mama Cawood on the 24th to have a look at all things Tiny Child so if you'd like to come down too, then Andy and I have a challenge for you: send us your most off the wall baby name suggestions (bearing in mind the Big Bump's surname will be Merry) and we'll give tickets to the ones that make us laugh the most. (now where are my Tena Lady Lights?!!). Have fun with that one kidz;)

Right, enough of my ramblings! On the next instalment: pelvic pain, hypnotherapy and terrified and embarrassed couples in NCT classes. I am a middle class CLICHE!

Have a wonderful day y'all

*Boyfriend Footnote*

This pregnancy has made ‘Things go bump in the night’: Namely, Sarah’s elbow into my face. It appears in preparation to a screaming child going mental at night we are unable to sleep. Sarah is restless and flaying limbs are not a rare sight. It must be hard to get comfortable when you have a growth the size of a baby elephant wriggle about inside your own body. Sarah is also finding it hard to get out of bed to get to the loo, of which there are many visits in the night time, so has developed a technique where she pushes sharply and quickly on my shoulder to ease herself up, whilst I’m asleep. Shock is an understatement.

I’ve rushed online to buy her a wedge type pillow that slips under the bump, which I hope will ease issue One; discomfort at night time. It was the pillow or an American Football helmet!

For issue Two, the use of boyfriend to get out of bed at 3am, Sarah has been asked to refrain and she has now developed a rolling type technique which I hope will continue to make progress.

On a more amusing point (For me) - Sarah is now waddling like an Ewok . You know; shoulders and upper body sway almost to toppling over point! I think the pregnancy waddle is cute but with 3 months of pregnancy to go it may get silly and reach toppling over point. However, at the moment I like to take a step back and watch her from a distance walk down the road like Wicket walking off to the Forest Moon of Endor’s horizon.

Wicket and I are off to swim! (The water supporting bump apparently means a gentle and nice work out for her.)

All the best

Andy 

Shiny,Sparkly New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

27 and 1/2 weeks!

Us preggers types must be the only ones not embarking on a New Year detox, mainly because we didn't get the chance to retox in the first place but also because I am not giving up the eating of whatever the hell I fancy until the Tiny Guest is here. Then I have to get in shape and get in shape FAST as I'll have a bleedin' wedding dress to get into. I do love to set myself a challenge don't I? Why spread out all of the wonderful life experiences that happen once in a lifetime when you can squeeze them all into ONE YEAR??!!!! Go Cawood;).....

So, here we are, at the start of a bright, shiny new start. It's funny but this year Christmas really did feel just like a bit of a precursor to the much bigger, more fabulous event happening in April in our little world, as Andy said. So this is the first January in years that I have no January blues, just a "To Do" list that's a little daunting when you're carrying around an extra stone and a half as I am now;(. It may well be more but the batteries in our scales have gone so I've no idea how much I weigh. I reckon I'm probably headed for about 10 stone. I don't think my weight gain will be of Ellison proportions (see left) but I think it'll still be a fair old whack: probably about 2 and 1/2 stone:-/. I'm about to enter my third trimester and this is when the weight really gets packed on, right? I'm definitely on course for the Weeble status I mentioned some weeks back and Andy noted today when we were having a gentle bimble round the shops that I'm now absolutely doing the Preg Waddle. (I think they should add it to the dances they do on Strictly: The Rumba, The Waltz......The Preg Waddle... Russell Grant would have had that one nailed;))

So it's all systems GO! in the Merry/Cawood household. The cot arrived yesterday. We've chosen our colour scheme for the nursery/office/spare room and the drawers are filling up with things the Tiny Guest will need when it is here with us. I have started reading about what to expect from my delivery experience (pain seems to be the overriding theme...) and I've started reading about how to care for a tiny newborn since I honestly don't actually have the first clue. So far, I've gleaned that they sleep a lot at first and that breast feeling is actually a lot more difficult and complicated than it looks. It's not, as I naively thought, just a matter of leading a horse to water to drink, so to speak. Oh no! It's far more complicated than that what with "latching on", "feeding positions" etc etc. I have got the mother of all breast pumps at the ready: it's a Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lansinoh-Affinity-Double-Electric-Breast/dp/B0052578AS/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1325791981&sr=1-1) so once I've nailed getting the little one to drink from me and we're in some semblance of routine, I can express and then have a few hours away if I want and maybe even squeeze in some work (since I don't want Andy to feel the huge burden of having to support all 3 of us on his own) and get someone else to help out on meal duty. It would be nice for Andy to be able to feed his baby at some point.

Anyway, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself really cos I've got 3 LONG months to go yet:(.

And I'm not going to lie; it's definitely getting harder every day. I'm a little girl with a big bump and it's taking it's toll on my back which hurts pretty much all day now. I've got some PosturePlast sticky thingumajigs which are preg safe and designed by an osteopath to ease back pain.(http://www.postureplast.co.uk/) They're like a massive sticker with a plastic rod through it that you stick on your lower back which encourages you to keep the correct posture. I can FEEL that I'm sitting into my back in a bad way so hopefully they will help. I also got a lavender heaty up thingie for Xmas from Suzie Upstairs that I'm using pretty much every day! GOOD GIFTING SOOOOZE. I'll try anything really!!

And now that I'm getting big, my tummy has started really stretching and itching so I'm using a positive cornucopia of various stretch mark oils and lotions and potions: Camelia Oil by Elemis (that's a splurgy one;)), some Super Stretchy Miracle Oil by Boo Boo, Jason Vitamin E oil (extra strength? Yes pleeeeeze!) and Asili 100% Pure Organic Shea Butter. I'm hoping if I throw enough products at the potential problem, those little silver buggers will never dare darken my midriff...... Of course, if I never get any stretch marks I'll never know which brilliant emollient was the culprit since I'm using so many, or whether in fact, it was just down to good old fashioned genetics.

So along with the backache, I'm still suffering really badly with heartburn and acid reflux: my little friends are with me pretty much all day and like to really have a play at night time when I'm trying to get some sleep. It's so bad that I've actually made a doctors appt because all the gaviscon in the world ain't helping and I'm OVERIT.....

Apart from ALL of that, I'm dandy;)!!!  I'm sorry if this entry sounds like one big long whinge. Of course all the discomfort is a small price to pay for the end result but a friend of mine recently said "it's not as easy as it looks, is it?" and I thought, "how true!" We see women growing humans everywhere but I think you have to actually be one of them to really appreciate how hard it sometimes is.

Anyway, I must away: I have a 4.30am wake up call for Sky Sunrise tomorrow morning and there's every chance I may not have slept very much so I'd better get my head down ASAP;). I just keep telling myself it's ALL GOOD PRACTICE!

Laters y'all, mwah!

Sxxxxx