h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

that sounds great, Kelli (apart from the w**k )

I think that you're at the stage when you can really enjoy being pregnant. I know that I loved it.

don't forget to let us know how the nappies are (even if we have to wait until Spud goes to school!)

As for names, I called #1 Pesky and Chickpea (which I still call her) and #2 Beanie (but she doesn't get called that now and she's a tad jealous of her sister's nickname)

Thanks for the good wishes everyone! It is lovely now, when I can feel lots going on in there and now I've seen it too I have a vague idea of what this little one is actually doing.

Sho, the nappies look great! Really soft and cute and easy to use - even J said he thought he'd be able to manage them. I have 15 of the size 1 ones (for newborn up to around 20lb), and need to get about the same number of size 2s (for 10-40lb). I got the 15 (they are brand new, unused), 4 wraps, and 100 paper liners for 90 quid in an ebay auction that everyone else seemed to miss - there was a furious bidding war going on on a different but similar auction and I think they just overlooked this one so I got them at starting price - they usually end up around £140 so I'm well chuffed.

I wasn't wired up when the gruesomes were born otherwise I'm sure I would have used it a lot.

How's the work situation?

Easier this week, but the pressure will start ramping up again from next week until christmas. Am assuming I'll be allowed to take it a bit easier in the new year and won't be assigned so much high-profile stuff

The builders start on monday - our house now looks like nobody lives in the romms on the right hand side of the house, and all the stuff that was there is crammed into the rooms on the left. Five more weeks until we get the house habitable again...

I'm glad you are really starting to enjoy your pregnancy now, kelli.

By the way, I don't know how things operate in the UK, but over here you take your builder's time estimate and double it to get a more accurate of how long the project will take. We were told 6-8 months, and we are well into month 9. On the other hand, we should be done in a couple of weeks so I guess we are ahead of schedule.

to you!

I'll let you know if it is the same over here Witty - I can only guage by my husband doing up the kitchen (knocking down a wall, creating a new doorway fitting and plumbing in the kitchen and new downstairs loo, doing the electrics and getting them cetified) which he started in December 05 and still hasn't *quite* finished (just the skirting boards and architrave to go though - so nearly there!) despite the estimat of two months to get it all done!

I think the builder will be quite motivated to get the job done before christmas so it may overrun a bit, but not by too much. We hope! Then when they have gone J and I need to paint walls, fit floors and skirting, more architrave and sort everything else out. It isn't anywhere near as big a job as you had done - just knocking down the major supporting walls of the original structure, putting in hidden beams to stop the place falling down around our ears, and making ti all look good afterwards. We're basically going to be living in the bit of the house that was an extension while the whole rest of it is rubble and dust.

Then we can start on the nursery

Yea kelli! How exciting and to see the gymnastic spud. You do sound a lot jollier. The house business sounds a bit exhausting but it must be easier now it's moving. Anything but waiting...

My how time is flying!

Spud is incredibly wriggly now, and has taken to kicking me repeatedly in the same spot with something pointy - probably a toe. Fairly sure if I could see inside there would be a spectacular bruise by now.

Everything is progressing ok - although I had an antenatal checkup today and they looked at the results from the 21 week scan and from the size of my tummy and said the baby is big for my dates. I have to go back for regular growth scans although the first one won't be until 9th jan because of christmas getting in the way.

My eyes are watering at the thought of a really big baby, but I guess if it gets to be too big they will just induce me early rather than leaving me to go to term and end up with a section.

How is yours coming along Candi?

I am now officially in the third trimester and have got the backache and heartburn, and impossibility of sleep that goes with it Still, not long to go...

are you doing your pelvic floor exercises?
it's never too late to start!

Hm. From the neck down, it doesn't make much odds how big it is, in terms of the delivery ...

Can't believe you're in the 3rd trimester . Heartburn is *horrible* - mine was triggered by tea but I didn't work this out until about 3 weeks before Nod was born. I've probably already told you that - sorry, bit distracted tonight!

Mol

Glad to hear things are going well for you and spud, Kelli.

My bump and I are doing fine too. Plenty of wriggling but nothing painful, I'm relieved to say!
The midwives think I'm a little large for dates but not enough to do anything extra about it. I have a busy week next week - my first antenatal class on Tuesday, then a checkup on Wednesday, then tour of the antenatal midwife led unit on Wednesday evening.

A friend of mine who's due any minute now did hypnobirthing classes and lent me the book and CD which is great for relaxation techniques, so I've started practising.
I first got interested after I read a forum where lots of mothers said they didn't push, just breathed the baby out!

Well, whatever happens at the birth, I reckon it can't hurt to be able to go into deep relaxation...

Sounds like a great plan Candi

The midwife did some measuring of my fundal height (where my bump comes up to) and she said if she didn't know my dates then she'd guess I was 34 weeks pregnant! I'll be 28 weeks tomorrow! I'm still crossing my fingers and hoping that spud is more of your sweet potato than your english baking potato - ie is long and thin and taking after their dad - only time will tell but at least it means I get lots of monitoring. I suppose it also means spud might come a bit early. My NCT classes don't start until the end of January - wonder if I'll actually manage to attend any of them before spud arrives?

As I was leaving the midwife appointment she said to make sure we tell people not to buy too many 'newborn' sized clothes!

I have a glucose tolerance test on wednesday they want to check that I'm not developing gestational diabetes and that is what has made spud so big. Also need to get a referral letter from the gp for physio for my back which is quite debilitatingly painful, and also need to get a repeat prescription for ranitidine which has completely got rid of the heartburn the dozy registrar I saw last week forgot to write on the script how much I needed so they could only give me enough for five days - it is miracle stuff though - I'm back to sleeping flat again which means I can snuggle with J

goodness

A lot has happened since I last posted here!

I've had the results of the glucose test, all completely normal, and the results of our first growth scan. It seems that spud had an early growth spurt which is now sowing down and we are tending back towards 'average' size again (phew!).

Other things we discovered at the scan:

Spud has started to move down into my pelvis so I'm a little more comfortable again - although I've had a bad cold this week which has stopped me enjoying this fact!

Spud is currently in the optimum position for a good delivery, despite my placenta being at the front (which can lead to them presenting the wrong way around) which is very good news. I took Wilma's advice about optimal positioning to heart and have avoided slumping on the sofa as much as possible.

I keep having panics about the things I've yet to get ready for the baby as it really feels like time is running out for me to get organised - I keep thinking it will all come together when the builders have finished and our house starts looking like a home again, but this keeps moving back and back so it never seems like we're going to get there. I hope it will all come togather just in time...

Spud is obviously running out of space now as the kicks and punches have taken on a different quality to before - they are now more like prods and pushes. I guess spud doesn't have the room to get a good swing at me!

I'd still like to have a bath...

Glad that you glucose test came back fine. You really wouldn't want the extra hassle that having diabetes involves - even for a short time!

Yes, that is quite a relief! Wouldn't want to have to give up again the one time I can get away with eating it without feeling too guilty!

It's great that all is ok.

No you don't give up you just inject more insulin to compensate.

Perhaps this is why I have a bit of trouble in getting my weight down...

We are also starting to realise what a responsibility it is thinking up a nice name for spud - they can't stay as spud until they get to school!

We have a few ideas, but it is so hard! I want something I like but that isn't so popular that they end up with six classmates with the same name.