Amazing weight gain

We weighed our little girl on Sunday and she has gained 15oz in one week! We were both amazed that she gained so much. I would have been happy if she'd have gained 6oz but 15 is amazing! I guess that means I have good milk :)

We had a trip to Ikea yesterday and she was as good as gold. We put her in her front baby carrier and she slept the whole way round the store. She was so exhausted last night bless her and slept for 5 hours straight overnight.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary. Plans are to go out for "romantic" dinner this evening with Isabella. Not quite sure how romantic it will be, but looking forward to it anyway. Just hope I can stay awake that long! I'm planning on getting Isabella dressed up as her clothes are actually starting to fit her now. She's wearing them rather than the other way round. Also we need to go and get her weighed today. Looking forward to seeing how much she's gained this week. She's almost outgrown her newborn sleep suits so I'm guessing quite a bit.

Feeling Bleugh :(

Well, I didn't escape the cold/flu thing. Yesterday was horrendous. It really knocked me for six and I spent most of the day in bed. The grandparents came over to fix me food, drink and change the baby and pacify her when needed. I just seemed to spend my day sleeping, feeding Isa and blowing my nose. I feel a little better today but it's really turned into a bad head cold and sore throat. Everything aches in my head and sinuses and the only thing I can take is paracetamol due to breast feeding. Everybody else who has it is knocking back the whiskey and the Nyquil, but I guess I just have to soldier on!

Merry Christmas!

A very merry christmas to you all! We've had a lovely relaxing family day with the grandparents. Everybody pitched in to make dinner and the wine flowed, well, for everybody except me! I did have a small glass of champagne though. Our daughter has been an absolute angel all day and has been thoroughly spoiled. She spent the day wearing her very cute Santas Little Baby dress and is the most adorable little girl I've seen - although I am extremely biased of course! We all seem to have a dose of the flu at the moment, thanks to John and Colette bringing over the American germs. I'm feeling a little worse for wear at the moment and hope I'll be better tomorrow.

Growing up fast!

My little girl seems to change by the day! She's growing up so fast already. The changes are amazing from one day to the next. Today she is so alert and curious. She's sitting propped up with Grandma Biele and looking all round the room at every little thing, turning her head when somebody talks, looking towards the light etc.

We managed another trip out today to sort out our payments with the social security office. We went for coffee in a bar and she was so good, laying in her pram until we got home. It must have tired her out as she fed non-stop for about an hour and a half! I got caught out by a couple of wees today during diaper change time and some how ended up with it all over me too. Thank god for baths!

The big weigh-in

We took Isabella to be weighed today at the pharmacy as I needed to get my blood pressure checked. I'm so happy that she now weighs over her birth weight! Last Monday when the midwife came to check her at a week old, she'd dropped 7% of her weight, and was down to 3.250kg (a loss of 8 ounces). Today she's weighing in at 3.510kg, an increase of 9 ounces in 6 days. I'm so happy as now we're breast feeding her exclusively it's hard to know if she's getting enough food as you can't see exactly what she's taking. I know she has plenty of dirty and wet diapers each day and seems content after a feed, but I was still worried. So, a very relieved mommy! I weighed myself while I was there and I have already dropped 9kgs, which is about 20lbs. I'm only about 4kgs more than my pre-pregnancy weight but I think that is being stored in my boobies! My tummy has totally shrunk back to normal and you'd never know I had a baby only 12 days ago, well, apart from the bags under my eyes and pale skin, as the picture below shows!

Got Milk...?!

Finally my milk has come in! All the perseverance and soreness of engorgement and a baby constantly nursing for 48 hours non-stop has paid off. This morning when I woke up there was milk a plenty. In fact it was running out of me like a dripping tap! It is so comfortable to feed her now and really is one of lifes greatest pleasures. I'm finding myself looking forward to the next feed as it is such a lovely bond that we're sharing. It sure as hell beats washing and sterilising bottles too!

Some new photos...

As we're starting to find our feet we're gradually getting round to uploading photos of our princess. So, here are a few of her, now 9 days old! Time certainly flies in a mix of crying, feeding and laundry, but I wouldn't want it any other way!

Our first trip out!

Today we finally left the house! It took a bit of organising as we're still re-establishing breast feeding so although we actually got up at 7am we weren't ready to go until midday as little missy was snacking on the boobies on and off all morning. She finally dropped off to sleep so we got her into her car seat and went out to register her birth. She was so good and slept the whole time we were out, admittedly it was only 2 hours but made the journey very calm and passive. We even managed to stop for coffee and a bite to eat and a quick visit with the grandparents. We're back home now and I'm doing a one handed post here while she snacks and sleeps. Finally, I'm also getting stuck into a rare steak sandwhich - god how I've missed those!

Inundated with parents!

So all the family have arrived to check out the newest addition to the clan. Chris' parents flew in from the States today and are totally besotted with their new granddaughter. I think his mum is thinking of ways to smuggle her out in her suitcase! My parents turned up on Sunday and I have already put my dad to work painting Isabellas nursery in our new apartment. I haven't seen it yet but apparently it's luciously pink so I'm sure perfect for our princess. I'll post some photos once it's all finished. I have to say that it is fab having Chris' mum here as she really is a baby expert. I was all ready to quit the breast feeding after a difficult day yesterday but she has us back on track with some great tecnhiques and reassurance. I will persevere and do this! By 8pm I was all parented out though and Chris had to assume doorman duty and escort them all off the premises before they stayed all night!

Napping with Grandma Colette

First meeting with grandpa John

With Nanny Carol


and Granddad Ted

The heel prick test

We had a visit from the midwife today to check Isa over and to do the heel prick test. She has plasters on both heels now which are almost as big as her tiny feet! She cried and cried bless her. The midwife was very happy with her progress and said it looks as though the jaundice is well on the way out. Her weight had dropped to 3.25kg from 3.49kg birth weight. I've decided to try and re-establish breast feeding again now she is stronger and more alert. I think it's going to be a long and tiring week but hopefully we'll get there in the end. If not I'm going to make the decision to switch over to formula feeding but at least I'll know that I've tried once more. Her umbilical cord dropped off on day 4 and the remainder of the cord came away today so we're all set for the first bath this evening!

Waking for feeds!

I'm so happy that as the night went on yesterday Isa was getting more and more alert and although I was sticking to the every 3 hour feed schedule she woke me for food! I was so happy as it had only been two and a half hours and she wanted more. She was and still is today very bright and curious. Her eyes are wide open and she's looking all around trying to focus on things. She's feeding like a little trooper too and making tonnes of dirty diapers for us. Chris is learning that once the dirty diaper comes off you need to get her cleaned quickly and a new one in place under her, as he's been caught out twice already with her diaper off and she's wee'd everywhere! All part of the fun of learning. I have her in her little crib by the window to try and get the rest of the jaundice out and she's starting to look a really healthy colour again. My parents are arriving today and staying with us overnight so Chris and I can try and get a good block of sleep in as we're obviously running on empty at the moment. They're going to do the nightime feeds with some expressed milk and hopefully the washing up and clean the apartment too!

A trip to the hospital

We had our first major panic today, well it started last night really. Isa was getting more and more sleepy and difficult to arouse and was not really feeding. The midwife came to see us at 12pm and confirmed she is a touch jaundiced. She was concerned by her jittery movements too so advised us to go to the hospital to get her checked over although she didn't think it was too bad a case. She managed to get her to take 40ml of formula food before we went and we managed to get her to take a further 40ml while at the hospital. She had her bilirubin levels checked and her blood sugar levels. My poor little girl had to have several horrible needles. I'm so thankful to say that her sugar levels are fine and the bilirubin level, while it was high, it was still within the normal levels so no treatment necessary. We've been advised to feed her every 3 hours and get as much sunlight on her as possible. Since we've been home she's managed to take a further 60ml of formula food in one feed and then another 20ml of expressed breast milk and 25ml of formula in the next feed. She seems so much more alert already so hoping we will see a big change soon.

Meet Isabella Daisy Biele!

Born on 9/12/08, weighing 7lb 11oz at 11.15pm - absolutely perfect!

A very new newborn!

Back home yesterday

Her first day of life!

With her very very proud daddy! Really similar hair!

I'm happy to say that we arrived home yesterday afternoon and my feet haven't touched the ground since! My every waking moment is filled with our little princess who is truly the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen and I still can't believe what we made!

As new parents Chris and I are still finding our way around as it's all a very new and huge experience. I'm trying to establish breastfeeding which is no easy task I have to say. It is not something which just comes naturally and both Isabella and I are having to work at it. I'm at the point of thinking of switching to formula food. I have the midwife coming tomorrow and will have a chat with her about it then. We were concerned by Isabellas lack of interest in feeding today and that she just seems to want to sleep all the time. The midwife has said it may be a touch of jaundice which is quite normal but will check her over tomorrow and then I'll make a decision then. We did supplement with a formula feed this evening just to get some food into her. Today has been a particularly emotional day with hormones flying all over the place plus the worry over her not feeding and being so sleepy. I'll let you know how the check up goes tomorrow. She's also having her heel prick test which I'm not looking forward to :(

Welcome Isabella!

OK, I'm gonna keep this short because it's 5 am and I've been up for way too long. I just wanted to say that Ellie is currently in the hospital with our new baby Isabella Daisy Biele. I'll leave all the details for Ellie to fill you in, but I just thought you should all know that she's healthy and the most beautiful thing ever. Please check back for Ellie's next post, she has a lot to tell you.

-Chris

Monday, December 8 - UPDATE

Hey everyone, this is Chris, Ellie's better half *JK*. All day yesterday Ellie was hit with a headache and loss of appetite. At around 1 in the morning we finally decided to head off to "Urgencias" for some monitoring. To make a long story short, her blood pressure was through the roof so she was admitted for induction :( She's not too happy about the whole thing, but none the less, she is still sitting at the Hospital Costa del Sol with a Russian roomate, bad food and no Wi-Fi, which is why I'm keeping you all posted. If things start to get a move on we'll have ANOTHER Dec 08 baby, along with myself and Ellie's dad, but I think this little girl has plans of her own and probably won't be meeting us until tomorrow. If it doesn't happen tomorrow they might have to resort to the C word. Either way, we have a long road ahead. Ellie is writing her thoughts on an iPod Touch and I'll be posting them here tonight. Watch this space!

-Chris

Week 39 To 40

Thursday, 39+0
Well, I'm still here and still pregnant! I can't believe I'm now in the final countdown week to my due date. While I would LOVE the baby to turn up this weekend, I'm actually sitting here wondering just how overdue I'll go! I have had a few signs that she may be on the move with stronger contractions, lots of pressure on the cervix and dull lower back ache and period type pains so just hoping it's all for the greater good. Just can't help thinking I'll be late though!

I'm trying lots of different things to help move her along, nothing drastic though, just sitting and bouncing on the birth ball, oodles of raspberry leaf tea, a couple of homeopathic remedies, long brisk walks with the dog and also s-e-x (ssshhh!) Sorry if either of our parents are reading this! I have bought some fresh pineapple but have since read you need to eat something like 7 to kick-start labour and I think that would be an impossible amount to get through but at least I'm upping my fruit intake! I know at the end of the day though the baby will come only when she is good and ready so I guess the things I'm trying are more for a distraction than anything so I don't go quite so stir-crazy in this final week and beyond!

All-in-all I'm feeling pretty good though. I still have plenty of energy and am pretty active during the day too. Night time is a whole different matter though when it feels like a planned military operation just to turn over in bed. The baby is doing very well. She had a dose of hiccups last night which went on for a good half an hour which she thought would be great to kick her legs out the other side every time she hiccuped! Chris found it very entertaining in between my cries of "ouch, that hurts!"

If anybody has any other suggestions of things which worked for them with kick-starting labour then please leave a comment. Can't say I'll definitely try them, but I like food for thought. Oh, and to the older generation, no I will not try castor/cod liver oil as I believe it is very dangerous, so please no suggestions of that one!

If you're a regular reader of my blog then please leave me a comment and say hi anyway. I can't believe I had over a thousand views last month, but have no idea who's actually reading so would be lovely to know :)

Saturday, 39+2
Well, still no news. My husband is off work for a few days now as it's bank holiday here so we'd love her to turn up as he can then start his paternity leave a bit later over christmas and new year. Oh for an ideal world! He is still really hoping that she is born on his birthday on the 8th December. I think that would be perfect too. If only labour could start tomorrow and I could have her at just gone midnight!

We've driven down the bumpy road when we went christmas shopping on Thursday. We managed to shop for four hours, then I had a massage in one of those chairs you find in the shopping mall, ate an entire pineapple and stayed pretty active for the rest of the night. Nothing! Yesterday I went and bought some evening primrose capsules as they're meant to be great for helping to ripen the cervix as they're packed with prostaglandins. I'm taking a couple orally and inserting the other over night. Also had a very long walk with the dog yesterday and found myself in a cleaning frenzy too. The house is sparkling and I even went as far as whitening the grouting between the tiles in the bathroom. Also wrapped up all the christmas presents but still nothing!

Todays strategy started with another long dog walk. Unfortunately the weather was hot and I was a bit overdressed as it's been so cold here lately and I ended up feeling overheated and a bit faint so we had to come home. I went to get my blood pressure checked this morning and it was 140/70 which sounds normal for me. I was all set to go up the hospital if it was high but obviously didn't. This evening we ordered a very hot curry for dinner, and I think my mouth has just recovered now. Followed the curry with a little bit of fun and a hot bath! I've just dried off and relaxing on the sofa now to see if any contractions want to start tonight! Watch this space......

Sunday, 39+3
Still here, still pregnant! I think the only thing the curry achieved was sending me off to the loo numerous times, but sadly didn't result in stimulating contractions! Mmmmm, what next....?!

Here's my latest and hopefully final bump picture taken this evening.

Week 38 To 39

Friday, 38+1
It's a very early start to the morning for me as I just can't seem to sleep right now. I don't seem to be comfortable whatever position I'm in. Yesterday we went for a scan and check up and I came away with mixed feelings over it. I was hoping that the pregnancy would be progressing quicker and that I may have her soon, but seems unlikely. Everything is absolutely fine with the baby though so that is the important thing. It appears as though she is 2/5 engaged, 3/5 palpable which means she is getting quite deep into my pelvis now, but a baby needs to be 5/5 engaged before making their way out into the world so still a little way to go yet.

The scan was very thorough and very good. The placenta is in good health and there is good blood flow through the umbilical cord and to the brain. Her estimated weight at the moment is 8lb 1oz so looks like we're set for quite a sizeable baby. Initially the doctor said not to worry as weights can be out by half a pound or more, but upon closer examination he said he takes that back because she's chubby! To be honest I'm not surprised. I always thought I'd have a larger sized baby. He measured the amniotic fluid levels and the AFI score was 17 so still within the realms of normal. There is quite a large pool of amniotic fluid by her head still but the doctor doesn't think this will affect her ability to engage fully. Part of the umbilical cord is still up by her face but he said the chances of a cord prolapse would be a very minimal risk. If the cord was above her head then that would be a different story, but as the head is closer to the exit then that should drop into place first if the waters went so the cord couldn't come out. He's advised us to go straight to the hospital for examination if my waters go anyway, just to get checked out. Even if I'm not in established labour as he said you can never be too safe with these issues. I'm happy with that, even if they send me on my way home again until labour progresses further as we live very local to the hospital.

I had a scan of the cervix done and an internal examination and was told that it has started to soften but labour is not imminent. He thinks I will go closer to my due date, if not beyond it. I felt a little deflated at that point but I suppose everything happpens in good time. We still have an agreement that I will go back and see him if I get to 1 week overdue and he will write me a referal letter for an induction. So looking on the bright side I guess that means I should only have 3 weeks absolute maximum before we get to meet her, although I'm secretly hoping for a bit sooner!

Week 37 To 38

Thursday, 37+0
Today I have finally reached "full term" and I'm feeling very happy about it! What a landmark to reach, especially when it all seemed so far away in the early days. This means our little one could be putting in an appearance any time soon. To be honest I feel ready to meet her now so anytime she wants to come out, she would be more than welcome! We seem to be all sorted in the other aspects of our lives. We're finally picking the car up from the garage this afternoon (it's only been there two weeks!), we have found our new apartment to move into, all the last of the baby items have been bought and the hospital bags are packed and ready. So little lady, we're ready when you are!

Last night I had the worst case of indigestion ever. It made me feel so miserable and I didn't know what to do with myself. The pain was horrendous and nothing would shift it or ease it. I took my stomach ulcer medication as that usually does the trick but it didn't seem to touch the sides. The pain went on for about three hours getting stronger in waves. I think poor Chris was worried that it might be more than just indigestion and there was a time when I was wondering that too! I kept thinking to myself, how am I going to cope with labour when I can't even cope with this?! I managed to lay down at 2.30am and get some sleep but I can still feel it rumbling around in the background this morning so I guess I better watch what I eat today.

I think it was maybe brought on by the baby moving position. I'm not sure if she's starting to engage now as two days ago I started getting shooting pains in my cervix and feeling like I needed to wee every 10 minutes. It also felt like my bladder was being head butted! I noticed yesterday that I also had increasing lower back pain around the coccyx area and it felt like the baby was pushing her bottom up in between my ribs. I'm hoping all this pain was for the greater good and when I go and see the doctor next week she'll be engaged and ready to go. She's still wriggling around like anything this morning!

Sunday, 37+3
I've been getting quite a bit of pressure in my cervix and shooting pains on and off for the last couple of days. They've been accompanied by mild contractions and lower backache around the coccyx area too. A few of the contractions have been stronger and I've had to stop what I'm doing and breathe through them. I'm seriously hoping that things are starting to warm up for me now and while I don't think I'm about to go into labour anytime soon I at least hope that this is a sign of the baby engaging.

Anyway, here are a couple of bump pictures taken this evening. We thought we better do them now just in case things start to happen and we don't get another chance! I feel huge!

Week 36 To 37

Thursday, 36+0
I can't believe that at the end of this week I will be classed as full-term! Rather scary to think that our little lady could be putting in an appearance any time onwards from then. We really do have so much to sort out before she arrives. Tomorrow we're going to take a trip to Gibraltar to get the last of the things we need for the hospital bag and odds and ends of baby bits. Our car is still in the garage and it looks like we're facing a rather large repair bill. We have to find a new apartment between now and the next couple of weeks also, as we've out grown this one. So much to do, so little time.

Anyway, I had some good news today from the doctor. I got the results of my Group B Strep test back and thankfully it was negative. I am so relieved as if it was positive then we were looking at a bit of a problem. They administer antibiotics in labour to help protect the baby from Strep B as it passes through the birth canal, but I'm allergic to the main three groups they use to treat it. This meant they were going to have to send a culture off to the lab and try and cross match it with something safe for me to take. If not, they were talking about a c-section as it would have been the safest way to get the baby out without causing any risk of the infection. Strep B is particularly dangerous to newborns, so to say I'm relieved I don't have it is an understatement!

I have made one more appointment with my doctor when I reach 38 weeks to check and see if the baby is engaged. He initially said to wait until 39 weeks but I've been stressing a little about this since my appointment last week. Because I'm carrying towards the upper level of fluid there is always a risk that the baby can't engage properly and if the waters then go before engagement there is always a risk of cord prolapse, particularly if the waters go in a gush rather than a trickle. So, we're going to have a check in two weeks and if still no engagement then we'll discuss what to do next.

Week 35 To 36

Thursday, 35+0
I'm just back from the final ob/gynae appointment before I am signed over to the hospital. We had a full scan of the baby to check her growth, blood flow through the brain, umbilical cord and placental function. She is growing really well and on schedule for her due date. She is currently weighing in at an estimated 6lbs 2oz which if she continues on this growth trend would be an estimated birth weight between 8 and 8.5lbs. She appears to be really healthy with adequate blood flow to the brain and through the umbilical cord. The doctor said the placenta is in very good condition and looks like a 20 week placenta still, so no problems there.

We had a really good look at her face and she is so beautiful. Even the doctor commented on what a pretty face she has. He checked the lie of the umbilical cord and it is clear of her neck so he doesn't envisage any problems for delivery. Also her head is clear of the placenta so it all looks straightforward for a normal vaginal birth. I have a good level of amniotic fluid still so haven't been losing any. The AFI score is about 18 which is towards the upper end of the scale but still within the normal range. Anything above 22 is cause for concern. The doctor was amazed that she had her hands clasped together with her fingers interlocking like she was praying. He said in all the scans he's done, he's only ever seen this about two other times as it's not a standard function for a fetus to perform. He joked that we maybe have a religious leader in the making - she must get that from the Murphy side of the family!

Upon initial examination the doctor thought that she was 3/5 engaged as her head is very deep in my pelvis but when he manually checked the cervix he said she wasn't engaged at all yet, just getting in position ready. Apparently my cervix is still unripened so not looking like an early delivery. I had a swab sample taken for Group B Strep and will get the results in a few days. Also I had a shot of anti-d to counteract the rhesus -ve factor. My blood pressure was within the normal range of 134/81 and I've only gained 1.4kgs. We've decided that I will go back to see the doctor at 39 weeks just to check the baby is engaged. In the meantime I will get my blood pressure checked weekly in the local pharmacy. The doctor was very happy with my health, the pregnancy so far and the health of the baby, so right now it's all looking good!

Her religious experience!

Monday, 35+4
Yesterday Chris and I attended an active birthing workshop with two other couples from our antenatal classes. It was a three hour workshop where we covered all the helpful positions from early labour, through the second stage, to delivery. It was full of useful information about how your partner can support you physically and mentally, massage techniques etc. It was a great course run by a very good friend of ours who is also going to be present throughout labour and at the birth too. She made it sound so easy and basic - if only! I'm finding I have far more confidence now in the run up to the birth as I feel I'm as prepared as I'm ever going to be. Must finish packing that hospital bag though! I think between her with her knowledge and earth mother approach and Chris' laid back attitude, I will hopefully be headed for a calm, natural experience. If only it didn't have to take place in the hospital I'd be even happier, but I guess there is something a little exciting about going and "checking-in"!

Week 34 To 35

Thursday, 34+0
Well, I am only 3 weeks away from "term" and 6 weeks or 42 days to my due date. I feel quite relaxed about it all and pretty organised, but I still have some outstanding things to do. We need to take a trip to Gibraltar so I can pop into Mothercare and get the last few bits for the baby and my hospital bag. It's virtually impossible to find the things I want in Spain which makes me wonder what on earth the spanish ladies use! We won't be able to get there until I'm 36 weeks though, so just hoping I don't go into labour while we're there.

I had a call from my doctor yesterday regarding my 3rd trimester blood results. The antibodies for the rhesus factor were negative, as was toxoplasmosis. All my other results of platelet levels, white blood cells etc were fine, except my haemoglobin levels again. They're not drastically low, they're at 10.5 and ideal is 12, but I've been advised to increase my iron supplements to twice a day for the duration of the pregnancy. I have another appointment next Thursday to look at the lay of the baby, cervical scan, swab test for group B strep and a lovely anti-d vaccination for being rhesus negative.

On a different note I feel very flu like again. Yesterday I thought I was coming down with something as I had a bunged up nose and sore throat and sure enough as the evening went on I started to feel worse. I felt very rough during the night, unable to breathe through my nose and every time I laid down heartburn would kick in. I spent most of the night propped up in a chair until the heartburn eventually subsided and I managed a few hours sleep. Needless to say I'm not feeling too hot this morning. My limbs ache all over, I have a headache, ache behind my eyes, exhausted and I feel like somebody has stuffed my head with cotton wool. I'm wrapped up in a duvet as I type and have no plans of leaving the sofa today, well except to go to the kitchen, bathroom or maybe back to bed!

Here is a bump picture taken at 34+2

Week 33 To 34

Friday, 33+1
The baby went from being extremely active and kicking me to pieces, to very tranquil for a couple of days. I think it was growth spurt time as I was so tired and constantly hungry. Just when I was starting to worry about whether she was ok in there (although I had been listening to her heartbeat on the doppler), she started up the excessive kicking and wriggling again last night. I also believe she has turned towards anterior position as all I can feel on my right side now is feet. She must have been shifting around the last few days and now has her spine and bottom on my left hand side and feet towards the right. This is a more favourable position as it means she only has to rotate 90 degrees during labour to get into "proper" delivery position. Hopefully this will make for a shorter labour as she has less distance to turn and also in theory should be less painful as the back of her head will be away from my spine. Of course I know no labour is without pain, but every little bit helps! We were trying to video her moving around last night as it was so freaky looking. The feet were coming right up out of my stomach and it just looked so alien, but is so amazing too! I will try and upload some video footage soon.

Sunday 33+3
I've been waking up the last few nights by what I think are braxton hicks contractions. I think the baby is being particularly active during the night and when she moves now, due to her size and lack of space, she is setting the contractions off. When I wake up my tummy is so hard and if I try and move it really aches so I have to lay there until it passes. Last night was particularly bad as when I woke up I needed the toilet too, but was struggling to get out of bed. Chris had to get me up so I could go quickly! Once I'm up walking around though and been to the loo then it all settles down again. I've noticed during the day how hard my tummy goes when she moves now, and she seems to like to wriggle around a lot! I'm hoping she'll find a comfy position to stay in within the next couple of weeks and stop fidgeting so much!

Here are a couple of photos we took this evening.

Week 32 To 33

Friday, 32+1
We went for a growth scan and antenatal check-up yesterday and I'm so happy to say that the baby has finally turned into a head down position. The doctor said that while she hasn't actually engaged yet, she is nestled very well into my pelvis so doesn't believe that she will turn back out to breech position. It looks like she's finally getting ready to meet the world! I could have sworn that she was still breech as I had something hard stuck under my ribs which I assumed was a head but actually it's her bottom. All she needs to do now is rotate around so her spine is over to the left side rather than the right for the optimal type of birth - anterior. If she remains with her spine on the right side then she has to rotate around during labour which can make for a longer duration and also more painful contractions. I've read that staying as upright as possible and sitting on a birth ball will help to encourage her to move into optimal position.

The baby is measuring well, totally in proportion, and even the head has caught up with the rest of her now. The doctor said that now she's moved out of breech position where her head was getting wedged under my ribs the head has returned to normal size and shape rather than being squashed up. She is measuring about 5 days ahead of schedule. We got a very clear look at her face this time due to her new position and she is beautiful! We watched her open and close her eyes, yawn, then stick her tongue out and lick the umbilical cord! It was amazing to watch and I have to say she has the chubbiest cheeks I think I've seen!

Here is a photo of her from the scan. The image quality isn't very good as it's a photo taken from the printed out picture using my crappy camera on my phone!

My blood pressure was completely normal again and my urine sample was clear. As far as weight gain goes I was dreading it after gaining 4kgs last month, but this month I'm delighted to say I've only gained 1.5kg! All in all it was a very good appointment. I have one more antenatal appointment scheduled for 3 weeks time where they'll do a final growth scan, check the lie of the baby, scan the cervix to see if it is opening and softening ready for labour, take a swab sample to check for Group B Strep and check the function of the placenta. I think I also get a shot of anti-d as I'm rhesus negative and Chris is positive. My summary report will also be prepared for the hospital ready for admission.

Week 31 To 32

Thursday, 31+0
I'm excited today as we're due to start antenatal classes this evening. It's suddenly becoming increasingly real and the end is in sight. I have a load of questions I want to ask the midwife as I feel a bit in the dark at the moment about the whole going in to hospital bit. Hopefully I will become a bit more enlightened tonight and not be worrying so much about the hospital procedures. I feel pretty well prepared in all other aspects. I'm going to finish washing all the babies clothes and blankets this week and will start organising things for my hospital bag. She is very active still and has been having a good old route around in my tummy this morning! Hopefully she'll think about trying to find the way out over the next couple of weeks and start moving into head down position to give my ribs a rest!

Friday, 31+1
The antenatal class last night was great. It was really informative and I have had quite a lot of my niggling questions answered already. I always like to be prepared for all eventualities! It was great for Chris too. He had a good insight in to labour, what happens and how he can help out, what we need to do, when to go to the hospital etc. He said he really enjoyed the class.

Week 30 To 31

Saturday, 30+2
Finally I am on the countdown! In just 8 to 10 weeks we'll be meeting our little girl. My parents are out visiting us this week, hence me not having the time to post earlier. They brought our stroller and car seat out, along with lots of other little baby bits. The stroller is all assembled and standing in our bedroom at the moment. I do keep looking at it fairly regularly and try to imagine our baby laying in it. We went for the Bébéconfort Loola in oxygen black. She's going to be a bad ass baby in her black stroller! It's all seeming so "real" now!

She is moving around a lot at the moment and I can only hope that maybe she's turning from breech position. I guess I'll find out in two weeks at the next scan. My tummy seems to be getting bigger by the day and I've had slight indigestion the last couple of nights although nothing major. Also my back is starting to get increasingly sore when I'm on my feet for too long and I have to lean over my birth ball to take the weight of the baby off my spine. I'm feeling very excited now as time moves on, I just can't wait to meet her!

Week 29 To 30

Saturday, 29+2
Finally the number 30 is appearing! I really will be counting down when I hit 30 weeks. October is going to be a very busy month with lots of antenatal appointments, scans, tests and antenatal classes too. I think it will fly by and then we'll be in November and just around the corner from meeting our little girl! I'm so excited! Although I do still need to find us a new house in November....

The last few days have been a bit tough. On Wednesday I felt like I was coming down with flu. Everything ached, blocked sinuses, sore throat, lack of energy, so I took it easy for the day. I felt a little better Thursday but I still kept getting lightheaded and dizzy and just not feeling "right". Also the insomnia started to kick back in. It's hard to cope when you've only had two hours sleep maximum. I have so many thoughts racing around in my head at the moment about birth procedures, what ifs, etc. Yesterday it all seemed to take it's toll and I had a very emotional day where I couldn't seem to hold it together and cried on numerous occasions. I did feel like a bit of an idiot afterwards but I suppose it was a good release!

Today I'm feeling bright and happy, despite the awful weather outside. I managed to clear my mind and sleep through the night, well, most of it! Sleep really is the best medicine!

Sunday, 29+3
I'm still sleeping well and the weather is still awful but it's a refreshing change from the relentless heat of late. I found myself getting very excited today about Christmas this year! I think the baby picked up on my excitement as it seems like she is having a party in my tummy. She's shifting all over the place. We took a few pictures of my bump this evening but it looks a touch lopsided in the frontwards one due to the position she's lying in. I didn't think I was as large as I am until I saw the photos! I think that explains the 8lbs in 4 weeks!

Week 28 To 29

Thursday, 28+0
We've just been for the 28 week check-up and scan. I'm pleased to say that everything is looking perfect and on schedule. It was a very thorough scan where all the organs were measured for functionality and growth measurements taken. The heart, brain, kidneys, umbilical cord and placenta all have good blood flow to them. The limb measurements were fine. The head is still a week behind as always but the stomach measurement has caught up. The arms and legs still measure long though! Her estimated weight is 2lb 14oz.

She is currently in breech position sitting on my bladder with her head under my ribs. The doctor wasn't too worried as he said about 30% of babies are breech at this stage and only about 2-3% of those end up being breech by delivery time. He said there was a good level of fluid and the baby had room to turn.

She was her usual uncooperative self during the scan. I even drank a large coke about half hour before but she decided to spend most of it curled up in a ball with her feet and hands covering her face. She was prodded, shaken around, we had the table tilted backwards, tried coughing and all she did was kick the doppler off! We did get some lovely shots of her feet and legs though... Eventually she gave us a tiny glimpse of her face and she is looking beautiful. The changes month to month are amazing. I'll upload some photos shortly.

My blood pressure was really good this time round. In fact it was the lowest reading of the whole pregnancy so we were all pretty happy about that. My weight on the other hand was a bit of a shocker for me! I seem to have gained 8.5lbs in a month. This is almost as much as I've put on over the whole pregnancy so far. I don't feel heavier though and everybody still says I look tiny and have just gained a baby bump but I suppose it must have gone on somewhere! My chest seems to have had a bit of rapid growth this month so I reckon that will be about 2lbs of it, the baby has gained 1.5lbs but I'm not sure where the extra 5lbs has gone! Mmmm, perhaps I need to eat more fruit and less chocolate.....!

It seems it takes concentration for these poses!

I guess that's all she had to say on the matter...!

The pictures below are the select few we did manage to get of her face...

Week 27 To 28

Saturday, 27+2
I'm having real problems getting comfortable in bed now and sleeping through the night. I wake up countless times with an ache in my tummy, hip or back, or to find I have a sore shoulder or dead arm. I've tried numerous combinations with different pillows and when I think I have something which works for me it's not long before it's uncomfortable again. I feel so tired and grumpy at the moment and like my brain is on a go slow and my patience level is low. The baby is starting to put increasing pressure on my bladder so trips to the toilet in the night are starting to become more frequent just adding to more broken sleep. I think I'm going to try sleeping on top of the duvet tonight to see if the extra padding from that can alleviate some of the soreness in my hips. On the bright side, it's only 5 days until the next scan which I'm really looking forward to. She should have filled out with some fat by now and hopefully we'll get some really good pictures. She appears to be doing well and has been having a good move around with some quite painful kicks to the ribs or bladder depending on position!

Monday, 27+4
I've just been to my first pregnancy yoga class. It was a little strange and something I will have to give more of a chance before I make my mind up on it. The breathing exercises were good, although I had trouble getting the hang of it initially. I also felt a bit like a stranded upturned beetle at a couple of points in the lesson, when I was trying to go from laying on my back to getting up! I'm hoping the classes will help with flexibility and make me more agile in later pregnancy. Also I'm sure the breathing exercises should help in labour. I did get numerous kicks from the baby during the class, one so hard it made me burst out laughing! I guess she was enjoying it anyway.

Week 26 To 27

Thursday, 26+0
Getting ever closer to the 30 week mark and only 98 days to go in total! Now the countdown to the due date has gotten into double figures I'm feeling the end is getting nearer. I have been told though that the last trimester can drag so much and the last month or so will seem longer than the whole pregnancy put together. There's always someone who likes to come along and spoil it!

I'm meeting up with a midwife tomorrow to discuss starting antenatal classes in October. We're due to attend 4 two hour classes and I'm hoping they will be helpful and informative. Not so much for me as I've read just about every pregnancy and labour article I can get my hands on and scared myself by watching numerous birth videos, but more for Chris so he has an idea of what to expect. The thing is I don't think anyone can really prepare you for labour. It doesn't matter how much you read, how informed you think you are, every pregnancy and labour is different and I think we just have to relax and go with what feels right on the day. I'm also due to start some active birthing/yoga and relaxation classes in a couple of weeks. I guess it can't hurt.

Today we finally managed to get somewhere with the spanish healthcare system. We're trying to make sure all our paperwork is intact before I go into labour so we're not hit with a huge bill! Since I'm no longer working I'm no longer entitled to free healthcare, so we've just been and added me as a beneficiary on Chris' social security account so my healthcare costs will be covered. It was no easy task believe me! Finally though we are all set and don't have to do anything else now until after the birth when it comes to registering our baby. I can relax at last!

As far as the baby goes, she was so active for a few days and seemed to be kicking me all day, but as usual she is now going through her quieter two days where she just gives a few kicks a day. I guess this means yet another growth period for her and my tummy! Her heartbeat is still strong and regular. I don't know what I'd do without a doppler. It seems as though this is a weekly pattern now. Active for five days quiet for two.

Sunday, 26+3
I've had a few different aches and pains over the weekend. My bladder feels like it is maybe being squashed and also I had the stomach type pain which I had a few weeks ago when I thought it was an ulcer. I didn't take any medication this time, just waited to see if maybe it was the position of the baby and it has eased off now. I also had quite bad heartburn last night. The baby is still not quite as active as at the beginning of the week, although she does still kick a lot. Yesterday my tummy was moving out with the kicks even when I was standing. I think she must be in an odd position at the moment. I'm wondering if she's standing length ways on my bladder with her head under my ribs squashing my stomach, or the other way round with her head in my pelvis and feet by my ribs. I can't really make my mind up!

Tuesday, 26+5
Her movements and kicks picked up a level again yesterday and it was one of those non-stop kicking days. It feels like she had a foot behind my pelvic bone last night though and I have to say that those kicks aren't particularly comfortable. Today is very overcast and finally it feels like summer may be coming to an end. I'm quite relieved as the heat has been exhausting and not what you need when you feel pretty drained from pregnancy anyway. I love winter, it's my favourite time of the year and especially this year as it means we're getting ever closer to meeting our new arrival! I'm also looking forward to a change of season clothes as I'm so bored with what I've currently been wearing!

Week 25 To 26

Thursday, 25+0
We got back from Valencia yesterday evening. It was a long drive, but didn't seem as bad as the way up. The baby has been a little quieter the last couple of days, so I didn't get as many kicks during the car journey, although she did jab me in the ribs a few times! I think she may be having another growth spurt or has changed position. She woke me up at 2am Wednesday morning with a dose of the hiccups which felt very strange. I've been checking her heartbeat which I always do when she's quieter and it's a strong and regular 145bpm. She seems to have days when her activity slows down and the kicks are milder and less frequent and then she comes back with a vengeance the next day. I've been told that as long as I feel some movement every day then not to worry. Sometimes easier said than done though!

I received the results of my glucose tolerance test yesterday and that is all clear for diabetes risk. Apparently my iron levels are a little low though so I'll need to take some extra supplements.

Just editing my post to add that the strong kicking has started up once again! I'm sitting here with my left hand side twitching right out and kicks that make me jump!

Sunday, 25+3
Nothing much to report in the last few days. The baby is still kicking strongly. We had a bit of a play around with a flash light last night as she is at the point where she can respond to light. Chris flashed the light around over my tummy and she squirmed around and kicked up a storm! I've been feeling quite tired the last couple of days but I'm not sure if it's still because of the heat or low iron levels. I've had two days of the iron supplements now so maybe they'll start to kick in soon and increase my energy. I also felt a touch fluey recently but it seems to have come to nothing again.

Here are a few bump pictures taken today.

Week 24 To 25

Thursday, 24+0
Finally I've reached the 24 week mark where the baby is deemed as viable if she were to be born now. My next goal is to make it to week 30! She has been very active the last couple of days. Yesterday afternoon we were sitting by the pool watching my tummy dance about. It was very odd to see! We're off on holiday tomorrow for a week to Alicante and Valencia so I doubt I'll be posting until next Thursday.

Saturday, 24+2
We're in Alicante at the moment and having a break from the sun. There's currently a huge black rain cloud over our resort and the temperature is quite cool. The baby was very active on the 6 hour car journey yesterday and I was thinking car journeys sent them to sleep! I spent the last hour very uncomfortable with a foot stuck in my ribs. As I type at the moment she is dancing around. Obviously the cooler temperature brings her to life!

Week 23 To 24

Thursday, 23+0
I'm almost at the magical 24 week mark! It is one of my milestones to reach as they say if the baby was born at 24 weeks it has a good chance (44%) of surviving. Obviously I want her to stay put, but it is kind of reassuring. At the moment her chance of survival would only be 16% so it's amazing the difference a week makes on their growth and development.

Anyway, I've had a difficult time the last couple of days. Tuesday afternoon I started getting an odd pain, well more of an ache, above my uterus in the stomach area. It just kind of came and went on and off. It wasn't painful as such, more annoying. When I woke up yesterday the pain seemed to be a bit stronger but I couldn't decide whether it was muscular, as it seemed to get worse when I moved around or changed position from sitting to standing, or whether it was a problem in the stomach. The baby had been giving me a few strong kicks to that area the night before and also with a bit of rapid growth in my tummy I wondered if it was organs being squashed up. As the day went on I found a pattern to the pain. It always got worse as I ate, or just after eating. It then turned into a gnawing pain like when I get a stomach ulcer which I'm all too familiar with.

I called a private midwife as my doctor is away on holiday and she said to take some gaviscon to ease the pain. Problem is they don't sell it here in Spain and I'm not sure what a good alternative is, especially one safe to take in pregnancy. The pain went on and I found more and more that it was very much like my stomach ulcer pain. I ate lunch and within 10 minutes my stomach felt empty and hungry again which is always a symptom when I get an ulcer. I had some medication left from my last ulcer at the beginning of the pregnancy so I checked it was ok to take one and took half in the afternoon and the other half before bed. I slept so well and so far today not a hint of the ache or pain! I always respond very quickly to this medication, usually within 12-24 hours. I've managed to eat breakfast with no problems and haven't had the slightest twinge afterwards. I'm very relieved to say the least! At least I now know what was causing it and how to combat it in future. I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday for the glucose tolerance test and a growth scan so I'll mention it to him to see if he recommends taking a maintenance dose of the medication to prevent further incidences or just to take a pill as and when necessary. I've just been listening to the baby on the doppler and she's happily kicking away with a strong little heartbeat!

Sunday, 23+3
The baby is so active at the moment. Yesterday morning while lying in bed Chris watched my tummy as the baby moved across and the whole shape shifted. She woke me up in the night with some very strong kicks and she's been kicking away all morning. I haven't had any sign of the weird stomach pain again, so really not sure what it was. I'm still undecided as to whether it was indigestion/ulcer pain or the baby standing with her head pressing on something in the stomach area. She has since changed positions to lying across my tummy again and things feel much more comfortable.

Wednesday, 23+6
I've just been for the glucose tolerance test this morning to screen for gestational diabetes. They perform the test as a matter of course here in Spain. It's a fasting test where you don't eat or drink anything from midnight the night before, then have a blood sample taken. After the first sample you drink a cup of glucose-type syrup, wait one hour and have a second lot of blood taken. The idea is to see how well your body manages the glucose. I should get the results in a day or so.

I also had a growth scan and I'm pleased to say that the baby is measuring exactly on schedule, although her legs are still a week ahead! She was curled up in the strangest position today with her arms and legs over her head so we couldn't get a very clear look at her face, just a glimpse. She weighs an estimated 1lb 8oz and her heart rate is 145bpm. Everything appears to be going well. I've gained 1.2kgs in weight, making a total of 5 kgs (11.2 lbs) so far. Blood pressure and urine sample were both fine. Below are a couple of pictures taken this evening before heading out to dinner.

Week 22 To 23

Friday, 22+1
Chris' family are over visiting us at the moment so I haven't been able to keep up on here so often. I'm having a lovely relaxing time, but have found that my skin is so sensitive to the sun. I used SPF 30 on Wednesday and sat by the pool for 2 hours maximum. I burnt on my chest and shoulders, and I even reapplied the sun cream a second time. I guess pregnancy really does affect the skins sensitivity. I'm taking no chances today and using SPF 60! I haven't uncovered my tummy though as I'm not sure how good sun exposure is for the baby. I don't want to take any chances so I'll live with a white middle.

The baby has been a little quieter the last couple of days. I'm not sure if it's the heat, whether she's going through a growth spurt and saving energy or whether she's just changed position. I don't feel overly worried though as she will still give me a few kicks a day and she has a very strong heartbeat on the doppler. I've also been quite a bit busier than normal so the chances are I've just missed the times when she's moving around. I've read that if you drink a glass of icy cold water then a baby should start to move and kick almost immediately. So I tried it yesterday evening and it worked instantly!

Tuesday, 22+5
I woke up this morning not feeling the best, although I'm much better now. My tummy felt swollen and full and I couldn't even think about eating breakfast. I think I'd gotten a little constipated over the last couple of days. Not very glamorous I know, but sadly a common side effect of pregnancy. Everything is starting to get more and more cramped up inside and the digestive tract slows down. The larger the baby gets, the worse it gets!

I think she has gone through a real growth spurt over the past few days. I thought she was due for one as I was so hungry for a few days, eating everything in sight, and then I noticed that she was quieter on the kicking front for a few days. She is now back kicking with a vengeance and my tummy has grown by a whole inch in a week! I noticed last night when we went out for dinner that my linen trousers which fitted perfectly well exactly a week before, now stop short of doing up by about an inch. I am feeling kicks all over today. High kicks to my stomach, which are usually swiftly followed by heartburn, followed by low kicks to the abdomen. This morning I could see my tummy moving outwards where she was kicking so I guess she is getting to be a strong little lady!

Week 21 To 22

Thursday, 21+0
Time is really moving on now. Before I know it I'll be in the 3rd trimester! I had a lot of stretching pains over the last week and some on and off backache. The result of my latest urine sample is back and it is all clear for infections so I think the pains in my bladder and urgency to wee are more to do with the extra pressure of the expanding uterus. I guess it's one of those things which you have to put up with and which will only get worse the bigger I get. I had a few period type pains a couple of nights ago too, but again I think it's all to do with pressure and expansion.

The baby is getting stronger by the day and I feel her kicking me several times a day now, especially when I'm sitting down and relaxing after eating. Chris can feel her at odd times too, but normally she stops kicking whenever he touches my tummy. I guess she's a bit of a tease already! My bump seems to take on odd shapes too at times, depending on where she is laying. Sometimes it will be larger on one side than the other and then later on shift over to the other side. It's all very odd and feels a little alien, but I love it!

Tuesday, 21+5
Last night was the first night that I've been woken up by kicks. Until now I have slept pretty soundly the whole night. At about 4am this morning I was awoken by quite a bit of movement and some very strong kicking which lasted about an hour. She seemed to be kicking repeatedly in the same area and I actually felt slightly tender from it. I have noticed quite an increase in her activity levels today also. I'm sure she was probably always this active but now I am aware of it. I've also had an insatiable appetite today!

Week 20 To 21

Thursday, 20+0
We're just back from the anomaly scan and everything was fantastic! The scan was very thorough taking over an hour, due to anterior placenta making certain measurements difficult and a rather lazy and uncooperative baby! I think it was her nap time and she did not want to budge. The doctor ended up giving me a sugar cube to eat and tilting the table backwards to get her to shift position. After a big stretch and a yawn she repositioned herself so the measurements could be completed.

All her measurements are within the average range for her estimated due date. Her legs and arms are long, but I guess she's going to be taking after me. All the major organs were checked for functionality and blood flow and absolutely everything was perfect. We are very relieved! Her estimated weight at the moment is a tiny 10 oz. It was difficult to get some good 3D shots of her as the placenta kept getting in the way with it being at the front.

My blood pressure in the doctors was high again of course (137/72) but when I went to acupuncture half an hour later it was already down to 120/75, so I think I can safely say it's doctor phobia! I've managed to gain 1.5kg in a month which I'm very proud of as I didn't think I was going to gain any weight at all.

Anyway, here's a selection of pictures from today.

Just chilling out!

Yawning

The three lines in the middle show that she's a girl. The outer two lines are the labia.

Below are a couple of bump pictures taken yesterday