30 week update

Preggy update #10

How far along? 30 weeks

Total weight gain? I've gained 1.3kg's in the last week, making my total weight gain so far 400g

Maternity Clothes? Oh definitely! But luckily can still fit into some no maternity tops

Stretch Marks?  Still no new ones yet 

Sleep: Still sleeping very well. Don't want to jinx it though

Best moment this week: No one specific moment. It's been a good few weeks and everything is so special

Worst moment this week: Every twinge in my side and back ache makes me cringing in case it's another gallstone attack. Need to get this sorted!

Miss Anything? Nope

Movement: Loads!

Food cravings: Craving some citrus now a days. But that's it

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. 

Gender: It's a boy! And the name is finalised!!

Labor Signs: Nope, not yet

Symptoms:  Lower backache on and off, bleeding gums, leaking colostrum, shortness of breathe, abdominal cramping (like mild contractions) after being intimate with hubby - doc says it's normal. Then the occasional back and side pains that is so very classic of the gallstone attacks

Belly Button in or out?  Almost flat. I have a scar just above my navel where they cut to remove my appendix and there's a little bump just above it. Looks really weird and hoping it flattens soon. (This is still so)

Wedding rings on or off? Still on (super surprised!)

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy most of the time. I have days when my hormones play up and I can get super emotional (still true)

What I'm looking forward to: I'm actually starting to look forward to having him here. I still have a while to go but the excitement is starting to make an appearance

What I'm nervous about: Nervous about the doctor not even giving me a TOLAC (Trial of Labour After Cesarean). I've been thinking about this VBAC thing a lot lately and so worried that the doctor is going to find something wrong in the next few weeks and just go ahead and schedule a c-sec.

Baby Name? We've decided on Ethan Brent.

Movement? Yip loads

Thoughts: I am really sad that we won't be able to do our maternity and newborn photoshoot. Finances are not playing along right now but I'd rather spend the money on toiletries and diapers for the baby than spend that much money on a shoot (money we don't really have) (at least that's what I keep telling myself).

Latest bump pic

Our late night adventure (not really)

I had another gallstone/gallbladder attack on Sunday night. I just want to get all my symptoms down here in case it happens again...

So around 4pm on Sunday afternoon, I started feeling like I couldn't draw a deep breath. I just ignored it thinking baby was laying funny and not allowing my lungs to expand. I'm not even really sure if this is related to the attack but putting it down here just in case. Then around 8pm, I started with this pain in my middle back, almost as if my lungs were paining. I felt my stomach turn, went to the bathroom and felt better for a few minutes. The pain then started in my back on the right side, just below my shoulder blade. Running from the front to the back on the one side only. Under my rib cage just under the boob to my back just under my shoulder blade. It is really an excruciating pain and doesn't fade away. It is constant and the only waves are the intensity of the pain. 

I eventually tried to lay down but couldn't get comfortable. The pain just felt like it was getting worse. I was moaning through a lot of them. Trying to sway my hips with the pain but nada. Definitely not like labour pains! So much worse I think...

I threw up twice within an hour, I think it was from the pain? Not sure...

Hubby asked me 4 times if I want to go to the hospital but each time I just said no, it's fine, I'll cope. I was just waiting for the pain to subside, knowing that there is not much they can do for me at the hospital. Eventually, 3 and a half hours later, I told Mark that I can't take the pain anymore and we have to go to the hospital. We had to wake poor Matthew and get him dressed to go with us. Didn't have anyone to watch him at 23:30 at night. 

On our way to the hospital Mark asked me if we're going to the closest hospital (the one I've gone to with all my other attacks) or if we're going to the hospital where I'm going to give birth. Obviously I chose the closest hospital - they have my file with all my details and details of my last attacks.

Get to the hospital and they immediately put me into triage. There were still people ahead of me. I was wondering why am I getting special treatment when I realised that it's because I'm pregnant. I was sent to the maternity ward to monitor baby. Got strapped up to the CTG machine and had to lay there for 5 minutes with this pain in my side. Not sure how I'm going to manage this when I go into labour as those 5 minutes were the longest in my life!!!

I kept thinking they were monitoring baby to make that the pain wasn't affecting him but it later came out that they were worried I was in preterm labour o_O 

Back to the ER. Got a drip inserted, think this was just glucose. The doctor took forever to come but was actually only about 10 minutes. He monitored me and prescribed pain meds. Oh lovely!!! I can't remember the name of the pain killer all I know is that it was paracetamol based and pregnancy safe. They then put me in another room for the oh so wonderful internal exam?!?!?! I was like wtf? He just wanted to make extra sure that I wasn't in labour and that my cervix was laying where it should for where I am in my pregnancy. That was so super uncomfortable. 

I eventually asked if Mark could come back as I was alone this whole time. Matthew was wide awake and I felt like the world's worst mom for putting him through that. But he was in happy spirits just a bit concerned about his mom. Kept asking me if I'm ok, if they're hurting me, etc.

The doctor eventually said we can go but he wants us to go see my OB/GYN at the other hospital. My OB was on call only until 5pm and when they called him, he suggested that I go there. Oh my hat, another ride in the car. At least this time around without any pain.

Get to the other hospital, straight to the labour/delivery ward. It was so nice to see what their rooms look like and what I can expect when I go into labour. I was put onto another CTG machine again for 30 minutes. It was so nice listening to Ethan's heartbeat and see him kicking the contraptions strapped to my belly. 

Doctor eventually came out and felt about my belly a little bit. He said he didn't think it was my gallstone(s) but rather ligament pains. I looked at him like he was sleep deprived and talking through his ass. How in heaven's name can he explain the pain I was feeling like ligament pains?!?! He said he feels comfortable keeping me in but then realised that Mark and Matthew were waiting for me in the visitors room (yes, they didn't want Matthew at the back in my room) and said it's fine, I can go home. He said he asked the ER doctor at the other hospital 3 times if it's necessary for me to come.

We eventually got home just after 3am. What an adventure and one I hope to not have to go on again soon...

Third Trimester

Preggy update #9

How far along? 28 weeks

Total weight gain? Loss of 500g so far

Maternity Clothes? Yip But I can still get away with a few non maternity items. Like my jeans haha

Stretch Marks?  Still no new ones yet 

Sleep: Sleeping well. Some leg cramps now and again and last night, the one side of my bum cramped!?!

Best moment this week: Seeing this baby move. he's started giving heavier kicks, so watching that movement is amazing. 

Worst moment this week: None really, maybe a day of sciatic pain but that was it.

Miss Anything? Nope

Movement: Loads!

Food cravings: One day it's jam on toast and another it's plain buttered toast. But I must have a Bonaqua Lemon-Lime water! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. 

Gender: It's a boy! And the name is finalised!!

Labor Signs: Nope, not yet

Symptoms:  Some groin pains, lower backache, bleeding gums, leaking colostrum, shortness of breathe, abdominal cramping (like mild contractions) after being intimate with hubby - doc says it's normal.

Belly Button in or out?  Almost flat. I have a scar just above my navel where they cut to remove my appendix and there's a little bump just above it. Looks really weird and hoping it flattens soon.

Wedding rings on or off? Still on (super surprised!)

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy most of the time. I have days when my hormones play up and I can get super emotional 

What I'm looking forward to: My next appointment 23 June and seeing this little soccer player again. 

What I'm nervous about: Nervous about how Matthew is going to react to his brother. At the moment, he is lukewarm about the pregnancy. One day he will run full speed toward me and punch and elbow my bump. The next day, if he thinks I got hurt, he will be the most loving little person and asking if the baby is moving. :) Also, when I ask him if he wants to feel his brother move, he looks at me straight-faced, sighs and kinda rolls his eyes. LOL! Ai, just hoping he doesn't try to lay on his brother when he's here....

Baby Name? We've decided on Ethan Brent.

Movement? Yip loads

Thoughts: Wish I was more diligent with posting on this blog. I am still trying to take everything in with this pregnancy and enjoy every single moment. (Still applies) But also I am trying to research as much as I can about how to prepare for a vbac if things work out. I am really trying to get this baby out the normal way and not through the sunroof again.

Hoping to save enough to afford our maternity and newborn photoshoot.

Latest bump pic (haven't taken a pic in a while)

Comparison pic