20w1d

PAST HALF WAY!!! YAY

So exciting to be passed the half way mark! Peanut is definitely getting bigger, the kicks and punches are definitely getting stronger!

So last night I tossed and turned for about 4 hours with guilt! yep guilt!  Lately all I crave is carbs.  I simply just want pasta for breakfast lunch and dinner. Generally the rest of my diet is pretty good I don't eat many lollies or sweets or snack food.  I haven't put on any weight in about 4 weeks which is good, I already had enough, but I haven't been eating much fruit and veg.  That and due to work being so CRAZY the last few weeks I wouldn't get home until 6-6:30 and be too exhausted to go for a walk.  So anyway I made a promise to peanut that I have 14days off and I am going to get into the habbit of walking everyday again and eating really well.

We are heading off on a 15hour road trip tomorrow so I am going to go grab some stuff for salad sandwiches and some fruit for snacks.  Normally we would just stop when we got hungry and eat what ever but I just don't want to do that this time.

I have been having pregnancy diarrhea for about 4 days now.  Getting really annoying.  I am keeping my fluids up and staying hydrated but I know I have to keep an eye on it.  Dehydration can cause preterm labor something now mum to be wants to contemplate! Its only once a day and its not like its really chronic or anything so I'm not too worried.  If it gets worse I will give Dr A a call though.  Think he is on holidays though.

3weeks and 6days until peanut is classed as viable.  I am really looking forward to getting to there. I want peanut to stay in until at least 38weeks but if something happens after 24weeks I know it has a fighting chance.

Well better start getting ready for this road trip!!

Scan

Well great news is scan went fantastic, peanut is doing brilliant! 10fingers, 10toes, legs and arms properly formed, spine looks great, its got a brain so thats a good start too! Kidneys, stomach, diaphragm gut all good.. So A's all round.

Unfortunately peanut was being VERY stubborn it was moving its legs and arms around heaps but every time the tech tried to look at the face it covered it up.  :(  Even in the pic below you can see its got it arm up in front of its face.  So we didn't find out the sex and we also have no idea what its face looks like!

The only issue picked up of course was with me! the placenta is 2cm from the internal os. Which isn't a huge deal just means I have to get another scan at about 28weeks. They say anything less than 2cm might be a problem and anything greater than 2cm is fine. lol I am right on the boarder.  I am not too concerned about it though.

This is peanuts new photo. Bit blury it was taken off a photo with my camera. they didn't have the disc ready and the tech wasn't the best. I am just glad peanut was OK and doing great :) YAY!

19w1d

So exciting, DH got to feel peanut more on Sunday morning.  It was so fantastic.  Its hard for the boys to feel involved but when they finally get to feel it move its so exciting for them.  His face just lit up. Best thing eva!

Peanut is very active now, love feeling it move.  Don't have to check the heart rate very often because all the kicks going on is very reassuring.

2 more days until I get to see peanut.  21weeks to go. I am getting exciting, probably should do a bit more of the planning stuff though, peanut will get here otherwise and I will have done nothing.  going away next week though for 7 days, back to DH's home town to see his family and go to our god sons christening. Will be nice to get away from all these stresses.  I know they say money make the world go around but seriously you definitely notice it when its in sort supply it makes the world stop.  Would love to have it all sorted. House sold, moved, DH's business fully up and running, 1 wage with lots of bills is tough, especially with the added stresses with my parents crap. Been looking at houses to buy and there is stuff around but we just have to make sure we get the price we want for our place.  Hopefully get it on the market in the next few weeks and then just try to sit on it until we get the offer we want.  With 9 houses in our estate up for sale its a bit of competition.

It will all work out I am sure of that I am just really looking forward to being in a new place and settled.  Just haven't decided if that is in Brisbane yet. Lots of things to think about!!!

Put my scan pics up on Wednesday and hopefully a new belly shot, should keep on top of those a bit more I am expanding fast now! I want to take a pic of my pregnant belly the skin while it is tight and looking nice and no stretch marks, I am sure that wont last long lol not at the speed this one is growing!

Hope

Ok so finally during my lunch break I was able to do some research.  I found a few scientific journals regarding epidural's during c-sections and spina bifida occulta.  Firstly they insert the epi at L1/L2 so I know my bones aren't fused there which is fantastic.  I have a benign tumor somewhere around there but for now I am going to say its not in the L1/L2 gap. There can be issues with a dural tap due to different anatomy to normal but thats just a migraine they fix with a blood tap where they re inject your blood into the sight of the dural tap.  That I can handle I have had migraines since I was 7. :) so I feel better now, I really really really want to be awake when my baby is born. This has definitely given me hope.

Upset

I completely forgot, to put it in my post before but last night at the early pregnancy physio class I was talking to the lady about my spinabifida (fused L5 and L6, fused hips to sacrum, sacrum fully fused) and the nerve pain I can get and how to manage it.  We got onto talking about the birth and things and she mentioned that I needed to tell my Dr.  He already knows. but she said that oh if you can't have an epidural (I  knew this due to the fused points in my vertebra) and the baby can't fit through the birth canal due to the lack of movement in hips they will just put you under a general to do the c-section.

OMG no I don't want to be asleep when my baby is born. I wanted a natural birth, I can understand if I have to have an emergency c-section but to be put a sleep.  I am gutted by this thought.  :(

My OBGYN is in the process of discussing with some anesthetists about this and seeing if we can put the epi up higher, but we wont be discussing this until my appointment on the 5th May.

I am really upset by this :( I want answers but I may not get them until I am actually having the baby. :(

18w3d

Time seems to have come to a halt! I think it has more to do with going on Holidays next week rather than pregnancy. I have 14days off until I have to come back to work and I seriously can't wait.  two 10hour days + 2 hours travel this week already is taking its toll! Hopefully today I get out of here at a reasonable time!

I had my early pregnancy physio class last night.  It was good. Most of it I already knew but it was nice to go out and do something different. It did go for a bit long though, didn't finish until 9pm and I still had to drive home so I didn't get to bed until 10:30 and with having to get up at 5:30, 10:30 is simply just far too late for me.  So running on empty today. It was good to see that maternity ward of the hospital though.  I have never been into one as I haven't had anyone that close to me have a baby, but it was kind of weird. I am not sure why but in my mind I had the vision it was a bit less hospital like. but nope normal hospital rooms after bubs is born, the birthing suits are big but just like a small operating type room. Looking forward to my antenatal classes especially because DH gets to come along. The poor boys feel so left out of it because they don't get to experience the miracle of bubs inside them.

Not much else to report really, just plottering along. The kicks are getting stronger but still only feel them every now and again.  I got one the other night that I was thinking I probably could have felt from the outside but unfortunately it was the only one.  I imagine they will get more frequent well I imagine that I will start feeling them more soon. I have seen bub go crazy on the ultrasound and I definitely didn't feel all those kicks.

Bladder issue seems to have eased a bit. Not a UTI so that is good news, just bubba getting a nice sleeping pillow. I have upped the bio oil the skin on my stomach is completely really tight now and starting to stretch. I have also started applying it to my bbs and hips and things.  Apparently its good to help with cracked nipples and things during best feeding.  I do know though that my mum had stretch marks really bad so I imagine I will too.  I know I can't stop them but I am trying to minimise them.  I am not usually the best with a beauty regime but when I have an end date like I did for my wedding I put in 150%.

I finally have my 2nd trimester glow so to speak lol.  My skin is perfect and I actually look younger, my hair is really soft and shinny like after a treatment at the hairdresser, my skin on the rest of my body is starting to look firmer, I have always had bad cellulite bad genetics unfortunately but its appearance has definitely lessened.  All this is a massive plus of course :) I actually feel beautiful. lol OK that sounded weird! But even though I have put on weight during the miscarriages and a little in this pregnancy I still feel really good about myself.  I am sure it wont last and I will hit the 3rd trimester, this baby being big will really hit home and I will get tired etc etc, but for now I am enjoying this pregnancy honeymoon period!

Nothing much else really, need to get stuck into the nursery and things but I just can't seem to get myself into it.  Doesn't help that we will probably have to sell the house at some point, when my parents stop being children and putting us in the middle. with DH starting up his new business we are focusing all our money onto that so I am a little reluctant to buy anything baby right now. Still 5 months to go and with the quintuplets getting bigger I will be able to buy some stuff off them soon.  On that note they are all coming home this week.  I might try and get over to see them on Sunday. Will be so nice seeing them when they are tiny.  They are only just full term now I think but they are still so tiny for full term.  Will have to get a pic with them and put it up. :)

Well better go do some work!

17w3d

Peanut is going through a growth spurt at the moment.  I am so exhausted. Its 6pm but I think I will be in bed within the hour!

I had an appointment with my OBGYN today.  Chatted about a few things but mainly I got to see peanut again! YAY! its growing so well.  Its got such long legs now, and so big.  heart rate was sitting at 142 which was fantastic! Moving around like crazy too.  I can feel it move sometimes but still not all the time.

Had my first stranger belly rub yesterday! that was interesting. Not sure I am keen on them at all.

Stress has been getting the better of me lately but there isn't much I can do about it.  OB checked my blood pressure and its fine so thats a good sign.  Just have to try the best I can to keep it down.

Changed my Antenatal classes today. Moved them to starting the last week in June.  I was going to do August but that would mean I wouldn't start until I was 35 weeks! Thats cutting it a bit too close for me! So Now I am starting when I am 30weeks. Perfect.

Again it was so great to see peanut again and see how well its doing! Very exciting.  2 weeks until my morph scan! Can't wait!