THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!

I want to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to you all for the support you have given me over the last 9 months. I can't believe that in this coming week I am going to be a mummy! I'm feeling incredibly emotional at the moment and shed a few tears last night as the day closes in on me. I still feel like I need to pinch myself constantly to make sure that this is really happening. It's amazing how you can go through an entire pregnancy and still find the end result to be so surreal and wonder if you aren't dreaming. But I'm not and he is going to be here very soon! I haven't been sleeping well at all the last few nights and so I am extremely tired and hormonal at the moment but incredibly excited and nervous and a bit apprehensive too. Only apprehensive in the sense of entering into the unknown - what will it be like to have a c-section, how is the recovery going to be, will breastfeeding come easily, will I know what to do with a baby? And then there is the happy tears when I imagine seeing him for the first time. Both the HG and I are so appreciative of all your love and support and can't wait to share the next part of our journey with you - parenthood!

I won't have access to a computer while I am in the hospital to let you know of his arrival BUT I should be able to arrange a birth announcement on my blog FB page and update you all that way (whether written by me or someone else on my behalf in which case you may need to check it occasionally as it won't show up on your feed), so if you haven't already and would like to, you can hit 'like' on the FB page link at the top of this blog post. Keep an eye out ladies, there are only 5 more days of the month and as I said, he will be a June bubba!

The countdown is on!

STILL HERE!

I'm still here and enjoying my first few days of maternity leave. Ok, to be honest I am just a wee bit bored. I feel like I have taken on the official role of housewife - yesterday I ran around town and did some of the mundane chores that needed doing (car rego, dog rego etc), baked cookies for our last antenatal class (and then proceeded to eat about 5 before we even made it out the door!), watched mind numbingly boring daytime TV and had a nap. Very stimulating stuff! Everyone says I should get as much sleep as I can and nap during the day, but to be honest I am sleeping like a baby at night and going to bed at 10pm and not waking up until 6.15am when the alarm goes off for the HG to go to work, so I have no need to nap during the day as I am not tired in the slightest. Yesterdays nap was purely due to boredom! Hopefully I can start to find something a bit more entertaining to do starting tomorrow!

So what's the latest: Baby is still breech. I had a midwife appointment on Saturday and she was pretty adament that she doesn't think he is going to move. I'm measuring 4 weeks smaller than I actually am (I was 38 weeks yesterday) so he's pretty well squished in there like a sardine. Actually, he has positioned himself like a cannon ball with his bum nestled in my pelvis and his feet up over his head. Hopefully this isn't going to cause problems with his hips later as it can cause hip dysplasia for breech babies to be positioned like this for too long, so hopefully he hasn't been this way the whole time! I also started getting period type pains off and on the last 3 days so keeping an eye on those too but so far they're pretty mild. Next midwife appointment is on Thursday so will keep you posted!

THE NERVES ARE SETTING IN . . .

We don't have too much longer to go and the nerves are starting to set in a wee bit now which I guess is pretty normal! I FINALLY finish up work tomorrow and then I have 4 and a half months maternity leave up my sleeve, the majority of which I get to enjoy with my little man. I do get a wee bit of pre-baby maternity leave before the big day and I am already starting to make plans for it so I'm not just sitting around home twiddling my thumbs and counting down the days and hours and minutes. I'm hoping to be able to get out and about a bit while I still can and do some cafe dining with friends and enjoy a few afternoon naps! I have a pre-op appointment today with the anesthitist who will be with me during the c-section and then a few more blood tests, a midwife appointment on Saturday and then it will pretty much just be a waiting game.

After not having any braxton hicks since around week 23, I finally had a really strong braxton hick this morning where my whole tummy tightened accompanied by strong period like pain so I think I know what to look out for now should labour decide to start beforehand (I hope not though because that would make his delivery an emergency c-section which would add a whole new dimension to it!). Perhaps I'll avoid walking up and down stairs too much, the same way I am avoiding the raspberry leaf tea! Having said that though, I am really thinking that with 38 weeks a few days away, it might not be a bad idea to put some kind of mattress protector on the bed, just in case! As it is I have a spare change of clothes in my bag on the off chance my waters break while out somewhere! I've heard many stories of this recently so I figure better safe than sorry! I also have my hospital bag all packed complete with the most hideous high waisted undies you have ever seen (thanks to the recommendation of friends who have had a c-sec before!) and 3 pairs of PJ's! Babies bag is packed with some of his cutest (and warmest) outfits, his merino sleeping bag and a special blanket knitted by my Nana. To be honest, it all feels a little surreal and I can't believe that this is happening to me. That I am having a baby. At last. Why does reading that back always make me cry? Needless to say, you can add emotional to the list of how I am feeling.

In amongst my excitement and nerves, some close friends in the IF world have been experiencing heartache. It's horrible and just bloody unfair and I hate it! I just wish that the fertility fairy would wave her magic wand a little more freely. I haven't forgotten them and I just hope that they know that in amongst my joy, I feel sorrow for what they are going through. Infertility really does suck sometimes. Actually, forget the sometimes . . . infertility just plain SUCKS.

THE NURSERY

 

 

 

  

37 WEEK BUMP

 

 

WE HAVE A DATE!

As you may have guessed from this blog title, baby was still breech at our appointment with the specialist yesterday. In fact, not only is he upside down but he's back to front and on an angle too! Why do I have a feeling my son is going to be a handful just like his father was? Haha. So . . . we were given a date for our elective c-section BUT I'm afraid we are keeping it a secret. I know that is annoying (sorry!) but we really want to keep some surprises in store for people since we already know what the sex is. But I can tell you that he will be born in JUNE. That's right, we are having our baby THIS MONTH! So exciting!

We were once again spoken to about the turning procedure and given the ins and outs of it all, but it sounded even worse coming from the specialist than it did from the midwife, so once again we turned that idea down. Turns out that given bubs position, the fact my placenta is at the front and also that my fluid levels are on the lower side of normal (something I didn't know until that appointment) the specialist said he didn't think we would have much success with that anyway. He also said he doesn't think baby will turn on his own, but you never know! I must admit though, I think I would be pretty gutted to turn up to the hospital on the day of our scheduled c-section and find that he had turned and be sent home again! How gutting would that be, going in expecting to meet your baby at last and then being sent home to wait it out!

I'm feeling ok about the idea of a c-section now as I have got used to the idea and have done some research on how we can still make it an excellent birth experience. It's obviously not my ideal outcome but at the end of the day, getting him here safe and sound is the first priority.

Any tips from those who have been there and done that would be very much appreciated though!

26 DAYS TO GO . . .

We are starting to tick down to the final countdown and my emotions are all over the place. I am excited (which goes without saying), but I am also having frequent bouts of anxiety to go with it. 26 days all of a sudden seems like no time at all! I'm organised but only as organised as one can be without having a clue. Baby boy is still breech (I can still feel his little round head poking out the little ratbag) but I am still holding out hope that he will turn. Although, after reading a bunch of stories on my birth club about tearing during the pushing stage of labour, a c-section suddenly doesn't sound quite so bad! Because I am up in the air where labour is concerned, I'm still feeling quite calm about it. Once I know one way or another which way I will be delivering this baby I am sure the nerves will start to kick in.

As for how I am feeling physically . . . ouch! That about sums it up. I have been so proud of the way my body has held up during this pregnancy but now she's starting to get a bit of wear and tear going on. My hips are my main enemy and I am walking with a constant limp, standing up and sitting down and rolling over in bed are starting to become very painful occupations but I am just enduring it with the knowledge that I don't have much longer and baby boy is getting bigger and stronger by the day.

I never quite understood why women would start getting really impatient about having the baby instead of enjoying the last few weeks and relaxing as much as possible - I think I am starting to become enlightened!

Not to mention I am dying to know what (and who) he looks like!

CHEEKY LITTLE MONKEY

We had a scan today as I had mentioned to my midwife that I felt I was carrying really small and she booked me in a scan to double check and put my mind at ease (this is why I love my midwife - not only that but she was just let out of hospital yesterday and yet she still arranged this for me AND came into work today just to see us! Now that is dedication).

Anyway, turns out my fears were not founded on anything because baby is measuring 35w2d and I am 35w3d, so spot on! 

However . . . we had the unexpected surprise of finding out that our cheeky little monkey has turned and is now breech! This came as a shock because I fully thought he was engaged due to the pain I had been having walking. Because I am only closing in on the 36 week mark there is still time for him to turn back, but I have an appointment at the hospital on Thursday to see if he is still breech. We discussed the option of turning him which I didn't like the sound of at all as the risks just sounded too great, so we have chosen to go for an elective c-section if he doesn't turn on his own.

Fingers crossed he was just having a naughty day and will be head down again within a week!