Keira Charlotte

Just when you think your skin can only stretch so far…….

It is getting harder to write these blogs as I am doing so much less so there seems to be much less to write about. My mind is active so it is good to know that some part of my body is getting some exercise!

We are as ready as we are ever going to be to be parents. The nursery is done, the belly watching (although still awesome) is getting frustrating because you just want to see the person behind it and the toilet trips …well what can I say….
Dave is surviving the nightly disruptions of me coming and going from bed really well. He has really geared up lately and is doing more and more around the house. I have given in to the fact that I simply can’t do a lot now and he knows that I appreciate his help. Pregnancy has taught me some real lessons – I now respect my body much more in regards to rest and what foods you eat. As it is nearing to an end it still amazes me what amazing feats your body can achieve to bring another human being into the world.

As the due date gets closer I am getting more anxious about making the ‘right’ diagnosis for the aches & pains you get. I often feel that I do not want to ‘be a bother’ yet thankfully Dave makes the logical decisions when we need them. I have been getting ‘new’ pains in my lower abdomen and had a brief bout of vomiting again. Now I am almost tip toeing around the house in p’j’s, having warm baths and just taking it really slow. In many ways I want to hurry this up but I also realise that this time is also precious. Still I never thought I would want my ‘old body’ back but I am looking forward to having this baby being an ‘option’ to carry rather than a ‘have to” If that makes sense.

We are officially having a baby that is classified ‘to term’ now. Any baby’s arrival before 37 weeks is apparently a premature birth.

Baby development info

Length is now about 48.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 3150gm. The toenails reach the top of the toes. The lanugo (fine downy hair) is almost gone but many babies are born with it on their shoulders and back - it does disappear soon after birth. The baby looks quite plump by now. Your baby's placenta now covers about 1/3 of the inner surface of the uterus and processes around 12 litres of blood per hour (or 600 pints in 24 hours).

All well with obstetric check up – baby still happy to be head down bum up. Went to the hospital to have my next Anti D injection. No more now until after the birth, apparently at the birth the doctors will take a sample of the baby’s cord blood and if it is a negative then I do not need to have anymore as we (and have been) totally compatible. If it is a positive blood type (which is highly likely) then I have one last injection.

I am sitting here thinking of what to write and yet I am getting kicked right in my ribs on my right side! It is rather hard to type whilst reclining so it will simply be a battle of wills to keep me writing this while I am being battered!

I have just got back from my weekly obstetrician appointment so before I forget I will mention that all is ‘swell’ and that the baby’s head is engaged. Otherwise known as in ‘blast off’ position!

I have had a lovely week full of friends and family popping in and bring all sorts of goodies with them. From hot lunches, dinners & morning and afternoon tea! Thank you to all of you, and it was so nice to just relax, chat & show off all the gadgets we have for the baby. The nursery is actually finished now with the last remaining canvas’s hung and the recliner complete with plumped up cushions just waiting for some action!

Baby development info

Length is now about 47.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2900gm. The baby continues to grow and snuggle down in your pelvis. Folds of fat occur in behind the knee and in the creases. The gums are now rigid - ready for sucking!

Sleeping is strange now, days & nights blend into one. I wander the halls at night then seem to drop into a deep sleep just as Dave is getting up for work. Pillows - they sure do become your best friends for a while. It is now incredibly hard to turn over at night (trust me Dave knows this). Sleeping beside me at the moment must be like sleeping with a crocodile wrestler. The first step is rocking back and forth, then hugging my favourite pillow as I do the fabulous flip! Not elegant at all and becoming a little dangerous for Dave who is pretty close to being bounced straight out of bed and onto the floor!

Dave and I have both been pleased with the fact that I haven’t spent much on maternity clothes. I am, in fact, still wearing my pre-pregnancy work clothes, yet I confess that my favourite ‘outfit’ involves my pyjamas. I have finally made my peace with the dilemma regarding whether to wear clothes under or over the bump. Over the bump is the way to go! It makes you feel funny sometimes and if someone drops in then you tug your pants down a little so they don’t have a giggle. I have really only bought 2 tops and spent about $30. This does not include the requirements for the hospital which does cost a bit – I am sure that you do not need as much as they ask you to bring but who am I to argue time will tell!

Well not long to go now – 2-3 weeks maximum! My tummy is huge and I never tire of looking at it when I’m lying down. Not exactly round though – more like a thin layer of skin covering some arms, legs and little bottom. It almost has corners! It is pretty cramped in there now so the movements are more squirming with the occasional hearty kick just to remind me who is boss around here!

It’s not often in life to be able to see your belly so close up! I keep badgering Dave to ‘look..look..look’. As soon as he looks at it or puts his hand on my tummy the baby seems to go quiet. This is frustrating for both of us and Dave has even said that he “can’t wait for the baby to be born now” rather than sit and watch my tummy move around.

I have come to terms with the fact that my belly button will more than likely not pop out, as I’d once hoped. A shame really – I always joked that when the baby was ‘cooked’ then my belly button would pop out with a ‘bing’ like a oven timer and I’d have an ‘outy’.

Ok, this is blog first. Dave is finally writing an entry.

It’s been quite an eventful week this week. It started when I arrived back from the UK on Saturday morning at 5.30am. Jez, Lisa and Sian came to greet me at the airport and chauffeured me home. We both went to sleep almost immediately. Sian had been following the flight progress via the internet and was probably more tired than I was.

This was, I think, the first time I’ve actually suffered from jetlag. Maybe it was because I’d only been in the UK for 3 full days and my body clock was still getting used to GMT, but I was exhausted. We slept until just after lunch.

We managed to stay awake for most of Saturday afternoon to be able to go to sleep normally Saturday night. I spent a fair amount of Sunday sleeping too.

Monday morning arrived as expected, and I was eager to get back to work. The alarm didn’t even get chance to go off, before I was up and raring to go. I was, grossly unaware at this point that in close to 24 hours from now, I’d still be awake…..again.

The drama started on Monday evening after we both settled down to watch the BBC production Hotel Babylon. About 10pm Sian started feeling uncomfortable, a tightening across her chest. She’d felt this before and it had lasted a couple of minutes previously and passed. So we weren’t overly concerned.

At 10.30pm the uncomfortable pain was still present and I decided to ring the Maternity Hospital. They asked me a number of questions, and determined it would most likely pass with a couple of Panadol.

The Panadol seemed to do the trick. At first, anyway. At 11.30pm the pain had come back and we decided we needed to go to the Hospital.

Upon arriving at the local hospital in Ferntree Gully (good practise for future emergencies) I explained my wife was 35 weeks pregnant and was experiencing chest pains. We were rushed through in front of all those waiting patiently in the Accident and Emergency unit.

Sian was hooked her up to all the hi tech beeping and blipping machines, nurses came in to take blood, take blood pressure etc, etc. The doctor came in and examined her, an Obstetrician was called in to ensure all was well with iBlob.

At about 3am after pacing around the bed in the cubicle we were told that all was fine, but they’d like to take another blood test at 4am. We figured there’s no way Sian would be getting out of there until 5.30am so I decided it would be best to go home and get some rest. After all I had a 9.30am meeting that had been rescheduled from the previous when I was in the UK.

I’d set the alarm for normal time, 5.30am. At 5.15am I was woken by something. At first I wasn’t sure what it was. I found my way to my feet and realised it was a phone ringing. I grabbed my mobile….but it wasn’t ringing. I grabbed the home phone and couldn’t figure out how to use it. The ringing stopped.

I tried dialling 1471…which is the answering service in the UK. That’s right, I thought I was still in the UK. After only 2 hours of sleep I’d forgotten where I was.

1471 didn’t work. I tried pressing the green handset symbol on the phone, not sure of what I was trying to achieve. Then some lady answered ‘Hello’. I thought that’s unusual. That was an Australian accent. I was still thinking I was back in the UK.

I’d rung the Hospital somehow…and she managed to work out who I was and told me that Sian was ready to come home. I got showered (still confused as to where I was), took my time to get ready and went off to pick Sian up.

We weren’t home for long before it was time for me to get going for work….didn’t want to miss the 9.30am meeting. By 11am, the meeting had finished, and I was ready to fall asleep standing up. So I decided it was probably best to go home and get some rest.

Of course, the trains running during the day stop at absolutely every single stop. It was warm. I had to move seats as the sun was bearing down upon me, making me feel even more tired. I didn’t want to fall asleep on the train and miss my stop!

Finally got home at 1pm and went straight to sleep….and so did Sian.

I’m now - very nearly over the jetlag.

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The doctor confirmed it was Indigestion. As the pregnancy nears it’s end the baby is taking more and more room up. It’s putting pressure on organs which would normally cope very well. But over the next couple of weeks, we need to eat small amounts often and leave out the Chocolate!!

Baby development info –

Length is now about 45cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2700gm. The last month of pregnancy begins. The baby’s arms and legs are “plumping up”. All organs are well developed and just are putting on the finishing touches. The baby takes up most of the room in the uterus. If the baby was born now, you'd be happy to know that there is a 99 percent chance of the baby surviving.

I wish time would speed up a bit now! Because I have so much ‘time’ you would think I would get a lot accomplished and the house would be running like a well oiled machine and squeaky clean….the reality is the days are still as long as they used to be but my energy is at an all time low. Dave is still the voice of reason who patiently explains that this isn’t for much longer and that I should get the rest while I can. I am incredibly lucky to have such a supportive husband who copes with my stubbornness & frustrations with such patience.

The odd piece of chocolate seems to distract me as well...haha

Daddy has actually read & completed a few books on babies! I was wondering if I had to rip off the covers and put the baby books inside some computer manuals for him to find and hopefully read ☺ Okay I am kidding, he read them on his own volition and often mentions little ‘tips’ to me that he has learnt. I was told quite seriously one night to make sure I had a bag packed at all times to make going out with the baby easier…and to restock it when I take something out! The first fatherhood decisions….

The baby is incredibly active now! Just when I think the movements could not get any more dramatic they do! I even joked to Dave that I could almost grab & hold what appears to be a little hand, foot, elbow or knee when it protrudes from my tummy. One day I watched something pressed firmly against my right hand side actually move all the way across my belly to the opposite side before settling! It is hard to describe, but truly amazing and one of those experiences that you wish you can share. I am pleased that it is so active as I have read that at some point (due to the lack of room to move) that the activity seems to slow down or stop and that is when you need to do ‘kick counts’ to reassure yourself that everything is okay. So far so good..

Baby development info –

Length is now about 44cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2500gm - a whole 21/2 kilograms! The baby’s eyes open and shut during sleep periods - just as they do after birth. The surfactant coating the alveoli in the lungs will now minimize the risk of apnoea (stopping breathing) if the baby is born now. Doctors can give the baby an artificial surfactant, which will assist in maturing the lungs if born early. Only 6% of babies are born before 34 weeks.

Dave has been in England for his father’s funeral, which was a fitting tribute to an amazing man. We kept in touch everyday via Skype with the web cam hooked up. It is amazing that you can speak to anyone in the world with such good quality reception and image for no extra cost other than your normal internet fees! Whilst Dave was away I spent the time resting as much as possible (in between a teeny bit of painting a couple of feature walls and shifting some furniture). I did not particularly want to have to do the hospital dash during this time, as I am sure you can understand. So I did what I call ‘sat on the egg’ and waited eagerly for his return.

The baby is still in head down position, which is obviously great fun for the little munchkin to be able to use your ribs to kick off for entertainment when bored in utero! Who would have thought there was so much fun to be had using mum’s body parts as toys! And my bladder is so bouncy too – hours of enjoyment to be had throughout the long nights for a bored baby! Not too many Braxton Hicks contractions at the moment though - which I am hoping continues – I am not a big fan of them!

Dave has yet again done some more shopping at Mamas & Papas for our nursery, which has been completely stocked with the stunning furniture and accessories from England. The room is so incredibly stunning – I just wish the store would come to Australia as there is truly nothing here that compares, and there is a real gap in the market for this type of store in Australia. We now have the last remaining items from the Millie & Boris range and there is no more room in the nursery anyway! Joan has been very generous with sending items as we need them, to ‘complete the picture’.

A quick thanks to all the guys from work who have been in contact just to see how I am and catch up on news. It feels like a long time ago that I worked and it is nice to still feel included in the workplace news! I do enjoy a chat, and it doesn’t involve moving too much! So big Hi to all of you and I will keep in touch! Also thanks Dad for checking up on me while Dave was away!