Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Lying low...

Today we had our 19-week ultrasound and I should start this post by saying that all is well with the baby. Everything is looking as it should, which is, of course, sensational and a massive relief.

But I've come away from the scan a little worried - not so much about the baby, but the placenta.

It's low-lying.

Now, a quick Google reveals that 5% of women have a low-lying placenta at 19 weeks, and 90-95% of these placentas move upwards and don't develop into placenta praevia.

I am trying to focus on this - the 90-95% bit.

I feel ill at the thought of another hospital confinement (I had about a month in hospital with E) and ... another caesarean.

But, at the end of the day, the baby looks to be fine.

If I need to camp in hospital, so be it. If I need a caesarean, well, so be it. But, really, it's such early days ... I must banish that underlying worry and will that placenta to move on up!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Tomorrow

... we have our 19-week scan. The one where you see everything in lots of detail, where they measure and check all the baby's bits and pieces.

I am looking forward to having another sneak peek at the little one. The first time (the 12-week scan) was so very cool, because I obviously hadn't felt any sensation (other than a constant desire to chuck) and it affirmed that, hey, there's a baby in there. A baby!

But with the 19-week ultrasound comes a bit of anxiety: what if not all is well? I'm trying to take the view that all's been well so far, and that it's pointless worrying about something that may or may not happen.

With E I was much more worried about what the scan might show. I found out as an adult, when I had the first xray of my back done, that I have spina bifida occulta (basically I have holes in 3 vertebrae - but cartilege covers them, unlike with spina bifida, so it doesn't present any problem to me at all). These days I understand more about spina bifida occulta - it's extremely common, and unlikely to be passed on genetically. I am also a great stickler for folate.

Before I had E I took a super-strong dose, just in case. I know that recent stories in the media warned against taking too much folate (even taking a folate tablet and ingesting food with folate in it), but I don't think it had any adverse impact on me or E.

So, tomorrow, we will see how bub's spine is looking. Perfect, I hope.

And the gender?

We'll leave that. It'll be nice to have a surprise on delivery day.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Energy: a revelation

A funny thing happened to me today: I had energy! Lots of it! Enough to push a stroller up the hill to the supermarket and back, laden with groceries. This is something I've not done for months, because I've been too morning-sicky and it's been too damn hot. Today, though, I felt I could manage it.

A breakthrough.

Then, while E napped, I had another strange urge come over me: I got a saw out from the garage and proceeded to cut down the very large rubber plant (weed) that was threatening to completely disguise our mailbox (and bring down the neighbours' wall with it). It was not the smartest thing for a pregnant woman to be doing, but I felt a sense of achievement when it was done!

I've read about "energy levels surging" in pregnancy books, and I do believe this may actually be happening to me. (Hooray!) With E, I don't recall such a strong 'change' in energy levels and feeling of wellbeing.

Perhaps it's just that this pregnancy has been so much rougher on me that I am seeing a stronger contrast? Whatever the case, here's hoping the energy sticks around a bit.


Random pic, taken by the lad's dad, just because I like it:


Sunday, March 22, 2009

Seventeen weeks

There's something I've been meaning to mention. I haven't before now, because I hadn't said anything at work until 2 weeks ago. And because, well, I don't subscribe to the view that you need to give every little detail about your life on your blog. But now, I guess, I am ready ... so here goes:

I am seventeen weeks pregnant.

It feels like I could write a whole book about what's happened from the beginning up until now but again I am reluctant to reveal too much personal detail.

I took the pregnancy test (though I knew in mind before - but have trained myself not to trust my mind since in the past I've felt like I was pregnant but wasn't) on the day after we 'broke up' from work for Christmas. This is exactly the day I took a pregnancy test last time and found out we were having E.

If you think that's a little strange, read on. Four has always been my lucky number. I use it on every Lotto ticket I ever buy. Shaun and I celebrate our anniversary on April 4. We had our four-year anniversary on 4/4/04. The gap between the due dates (though not actual birth dates I hope, since E was four weeks premature) is FOUR years and FOUR days.

Hmmmmm. Yeah.

So far? .... sooooo sick. Morning sickness so much worse this time round. With E I felt green for 14 weeks and never threw up. This one? Throwing up almost daily (and green the rest of the time). Has been charming.

Thankfully, at 17 weeks, I am now beyond most of the queasiness (although the smell of bacon cooking this morning did odd things to my tummy). Right now, we appear to be EXPANDING, big time. I keep getting knocked out. For example: I slept from 10pm through to 9am this morning (my one sleep-in day of the week - a precious thing!), then after I put E in bed today at 1.30ish I decided to lay on my bed 'for a minute'. An hour and a half vanished...

The bump is bigger than first time round, though I think that seems to be normal with second pregnancies. Quite a lot is, er, cushioning and not baby though. C'est la vie. A pregnant lady must eat - the dieting can bloody wait (after all, it will keep!).

So, yeah, there you have it - nearly halfway there!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Ningaloo Reef

So, after 5 blissful days in WA, I'm home. I had the most fantastic time. I had a half day to wander around Perth before I flew up north, so I spent it wandering around the (scorching) city and exploring beautiful Kings Park.
My arrival at Exmouth was pretty confronting - a wall of 40+ heat when I stepped out of the plane - but when we arrived at Sal Salis the ocean breeze did its thing (still warm though - water temperature over 30 degrees).
Wow, it was such a beautiful place. The coral! The abundance of fish! The hatching turtles! I won't say too much more, because I am saving details for publication, but I will post these pics...









Saturday, March 7, 2009

Perks

One of the many fantastic things about working on a magazine is the extra opportunities it can afford you. Working part-time, as I do, means I sometimes get overlooked on the perk front. But not this time. You see, I have scored an amazing trip here:

















It's Ningaloo Reef, in WA's north-west. I am heading to Sal Salis - an eco-resort in the Cape Range National Park. I will have a night in Perth first, staying in a boutique hotel for a city breaks story I am writing, then up to this divine spot for three days.

ON MY OWN.

Did you get that? My own! I know I will miss my boys, but, wow, the chance to go on a mini holiday on my own? Bliss! I can't pack my bags quick enough.

In case you're thinking, 'listening to her gloating' I should add that I've worked for this particular mag for 4 years and this is the FIRST travel story I've been sent to do (have written others on places I've been under my own steam).

I've also had the pleasure of seeing my little boy in this month's issue. Full page. he was our 'model' (unpaid, natch) for a beds story we did. The mere inclusion of E in this month's issue means circulation is soaring ... think my Mum alone bought 10 copies!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Overheard

... at the cafe down the road this morning:

Obnoxious pregnant mother of toddler daughter: "Oh no, we didn't find out what we're having ... and anyway I'm pretty certain I'm having a boy. Either way I win; either I'm right or, even better, it's another girl. So I hope I'm wrong."

Also overheard at work:

When a pregnant colleague announced she was having a girl, people clapped. I'm serious. They actually clapped.

I'm sorry, but on behalf of mothers of beautiful little boys everywhere, I would like to slap these women (it's only women who persist with this sexist crap).

Hard.

Does anyone else get this reaction? I seem to strike it all the time and quite frankly it infuriates me.

U2!

I'm running late - for several things, really. With updating my blog, sure. But more pressing for me is the fact that the new U2 album was released on Saturday and I have only just downloaded it. Oh the shame - this would NEVER have happened when I was 16. I would have been waiting outside the store for the doors to open to grab that first copy.

How things have changed.

Frustratingly, I have downloaded the album and put it onto my phone, but it won't burn onto a CD. What is it with that? Does your $16 buy you only one shot at what you do with your downloaded files (ie either mobile or CD, not both?)? I don't know, but the upshot is that I might have to listen to the new CD on my mobile ... which is not at all satisfactory.

But, hey, at least it is in my hot little hands...