7 weeks (more or less) to go.
Here's what it's like -
I get really tired very easily now. It's surprising, and I suppose it is usual for it to be this way. Of course usual is not inevitable in my book. I don't feel the need to become a victim or 'suffer the most' in pregnancy - my baby needs a fit mother who can help him be born and feed him and care for him, being a drama queen can wait till he is bigger! These things ... and things like indigestion, constipation, nausea, swelling etc etc in pregnancy are only 'normal' in the sense that they are 'usual'. Of course, for some people it really is impossible to avoid some or all of these problems - there are reasons why they get these problems without respite. For most of us though, watching what happens and listening to what the body and the baby is letting us know is fare more helpful. It's better to try and see if the problem is going to shift or not. Wallowing in it is shooting ones self in the foot.
As far as I can tell, the fatigue is not primarily due to his size and the weight on my front - it is due to the blood flow restrictions, and my energy levels. The blood flow issue - some of it is unavoidable - I do have more blood flowing and less room inside me. Keeping my circulation as good as possible is the only way here - keep taking my baby aspirin, keep doing the exercises, specially the inverted postures, the raised legs and the ankle turns and arm turns, drink plenty of clear fluids. I also have a slight iron problem and the iron tablets make me feel so ill I don't want to do anything ... maybe keep trying, maybe find a better solution. Might just be the NHS tablets that are problematic (some mums say they use alternatives). The final blood flow issue is that if I lie on my back I do get a bit sick and dizzy - the weight of the baby on the arteries and whatnot that people have been banging on about since day 1. I see what they mean, although the actual response my body makes to the pressure is not at all dramatic ... unlike the hysterical 'DON'T LIE ON YOUR BACK EVER EVER EVER' I've been hearing for so long. Chill.
Staying off my back and staying on my side really helps - it's a HUGE drag, but it is also definitely the answer.
My Energy levels are effected by the iron and blood problem, of course, but more by my sugar levels. I've managed stellar sugar levels since Tuesday and intend to keep it that way. I appear to have irritated my parents actually, as they wanted to come over today ad bring me lunch, and I had to say I won't eat anything I haven't cooked, but you can bring your lunch and I'll have my lunch and we'll eat together. They won't come - not worth it and they don't have time. That's kind of sad, I was happy that I would have visitors. I hope this does not mean they won't visit me if I won't eat their food ... I am not planning on eating 'outside' food till way after the baby comes .... that's a very long time to not hang out with my parents. They tend to be very busy, I don't see them all the time anyway. Mum's coming over on Monday to help me with the sewing and get my help setting up a website for her Lorretto school reunion next year.
I am keeping my sugar levels as stable as possible, it's incredibly dull and time consuming, and I am very bored, but it's all I can do for the baby now.
I think since it is working out simply with diet and Met right now, I don't see my with a bit of exercise too (work those leg muscles) I shouldn't be able to keep them low till he comes. I still have tools in my arsenal I am not even using.
I've had to change my plan to eliminate all dairy - I am still having Lactofree milk and eating cheese. I can't stop these 2 items as Oat or Rice milks are too high in sugar - it messes up my sugar control right now when I have so much against me. It's sad, as it's a slight risk for the baby's potential milk protein issues ... but he has a far better chance if I keep my sugars down, so we'll stick with the risk of him having milk protein issues. At least my lactose intake is almost zero.
Same with wheat - I can't leave it out 100% although I have very little wheat in my diet anyway. It's just too hard to keep my sugars down on a restricted diet if I leave wheat out too. I can feel how sluggish it makes me, but I have to make my decisions sensibly, based on all the factors. The high iron content of my high protein, high fibre homemade stoneground wholemeal bread is significant too.
Treat your body with a little respect, and it tends to do what is right.
That's my body update, how's life for us right now? -
Well, Iain is busy working on the car this week - brakes and whatnot, all the things that need to be overhauled slightly before Baby gets here (no one is working on the car then!!). He's got doors and the Narnia Cupboard to sort out in the flat, we need to move the chemicals up to the new chemicals cupboard in the kitchen, and move the bulky inert stuff into the cupboard under the sink. I think the kitchen will be ready then. We need to make sure it is set up so Iain can use it easily - he'll be preparing a lot of my food soon.
Iain is getting very excited, he has a few doubts, a few jangly nerves, but they are exciting rather than a problem for him. The unknown seems to be - will the baby love him, seeing as he won't be at home all day with the baby ... (of course the baby will! The baby already loves him! How can anyone not adore Iain anyway!!).
Money and shopping and space in the flat etc ... yes we worry a bit, it's a lot to do, but to be honest, what's the point in stressing? Some things we are going to buy, we just have to buy them - (Mattress protector, shelves from Ikea, nappies and changing mats, carseat). Some things we need to get from Redgrave, some things need to go to Redgrave - the tables need swapping and sideboard needs to come. It's a hassle, but it will happen. The sofa is here already and we love it. Baby's hammock will be here in a few weeks. I'm keeping our food costs waaaay down. That won't change. I've saved as much as I can (thanks Abba!!) so we should be able to buys all the baby's stuff no problem. The co-sleeping bolster has come, it's great! (the Tres Tria from Better for Babies). All I need to do now is buy a few more fitted sheets from Tescos.
My tasks are more formidable. The health stuff takes up all my time and energy, but that won't do - I need to make our leps - our thin bed coverings, made of layers of cloth sewn together. I also need to get a move on on his Muslins - I have been working on the first one for ages!
I am perhaps not going to cook loads of food in advance as I really do prefer fresh food. Iain will just have to cook. I still have to construct a recipe selection for him that is quick easy and manageable (and cheap!) - I've been working on the recipes for a year now ... should be ok.
I'll get all the shopping done by the end of August I think. We'll have done our antenatal classes by then too. The first was on Tuesday last. We have 3 more Tuesdays to go. It was actually a very good class, interesting, and it was reassuring to know that our midwife feels more or less the same way we do about birth and interventions. Repitition is one way of retaining all the info I suppose.
We also went on Thursday to do a St John's Ambulance Child & Infant Emergency Care & Resuscitation course, which was also excellent, and we now know what to do! It's reassuring. We know in theory what to do now, what to do leading up to the birth, what to expect and how to interpret what happens during the lead up to birth and the actual birth, we know what we want and also what we should look out for after the birth, we've decided how we want things to be ideally if all goes to plan [we actually know quite a significant number of people who have found things DO go to plan ... which means we don't have to get stressed out by the multitude of others who say 'oh it never goes to plan' ...] and we know who to ask for help at every stage if things confuse us, or if we face hurdles. Now we know the basics on taking care of him and his pals when he is here ... and God forbid if we ever need to use our first aid skills, we know how to get help asap now. It's good news.
We do need to get a lot more hypnobirthing practice in .. time is chugging on.
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