Scans and Blood

Last week we had our 20 week anomaly scan, although I was in fact 23 weeks and 3 days. Wow have those things come on since Callum was just a little bump in my belly. Daz and I were totally amazed at the first sighting we got of Bumpy's spine, so much clear detail, you could see all the bones! Thankfully everything checked out ok and we got a good few scan shots to take home with us. We decided not to find out if Bumpy is a girl or boy, we want a surprise. All that mattered was that Bumpy was coming along as they should. They can even tell you a weight nowadays, although obviously it's a bit of a guess but still how amazing is that? We were told Bumpy weighed 1.5lbs which is just what they should for this stage.

For a breakdown of what is what you can go here and see the notes.

Baby Bumpy

Today it has all been about blood tests. Because of my age and my weight, so basically they are saying I am old and fat, they think I have a high risk of pregnancy diabetes. So off I headed to the hospital with my Mum to have blood taken. Now for some people this isn't a problem but for me I hate having my blood taken, I have what I've been told are spider veins (small veins) but also today I got told that added to that I have veins that are deep down so it's harder to find a suitable vein and then harder still to get a needle in and then you have to try and get blood out. So yeah not a very fun thing for me and to have it twice and on an empty stomach because you have to fast from 9pm the night before. Yep not a thing high on wish list of things I want to do. But it's done now and I just have to wait to hear back if I have diabetes or not. Apparently they phone you only if you do.

So all in all I'm feeling a bit sore today, tired but at least no longer hungry. *blush* I had two chocolate bars and two lots of sandwiches after leaving the hospital. lol

Nearly half way there

In a few days time I'll be halfway through this pregnancy. It's hard to imagine what in some ways things will be like in another 20 + weeks and it's also interesting to see how different in ways this pregnancy is compared to my one with Callum. For a start as I said to Daz yesterday "Blimey it's just hit me we're nearer to 40 than to 30 this time round." yes I'm talking about our ages. Daz and I wonder if that's why this time round I seem to be feeling (and in some ways suffering) more with things.

Anyway before thoughts get in the way a quick update!

As of today I am 19 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I have a little bump appearing now as can be seen below:

Me at 17 weeks and 5 days pregnant

I still have the never-ending tiredness and the constant all night late night visits to the little girls room but hey I don't feel sick and queezy any more and the lightheadedness seems to have gone too. I've had little fluttering movements from Bumpy and seems that certain genres of music appeal to them more than others, Jesus and Mary Chain for starters the other day. It's been fun to work out what music gets bumpy a fluttering and a jiving. I can't wait until Daz and Callum can feel the movements too, I think mostly I'm looking forward to seeing Callum's reactions to it all. It's been interesting to see how Callum sees and deals with pregnancy. Sometimes you'll find he wants to talk to bumpy and will put his mouth up to bumpy and start talking to them saying simple things like "Hiya Bumpy, it's Callum here, I'm going to be your big brother and we'll have so much fun." or "Are you in the bumpy of have you popped out for a bit?". lol. I do think Callum wonders where his place in the family will be once Bumpy is born and sometimes says he worries that he won't be needed by us any more as we'll have another little child but we try our best to reassure him that he is always going to be special and important to us and who will we need around to teach Bumpy things. The other day Callum was doing some Maths homework and turned round and told me how Bumpy can already add up. When I asked how this was so Callum replied that he had been teaching Bumpy and that Bumpy knows that 3+2=5 and when they say "ga ga ga" that's them saying "the answer is five." Yeah I don't know what goes through that head of his either. lol

At the end of September we had a consultant appointment where we received back the blood test results and got the all clear... you'll be pleased to know I don't have syphilis. ;) The consultant said that we can still try for a natural birth which I'm happy about but we still have to be at Queen's Hospital incase of any complications and because of Callum's birth they want to be careful. We've been given a leaflet to read about natural births after an emergency c-section so fingers crossed all goes well and to plan this time round and no middle of the night phonecalls to my parents from a worried and upset Daz after Callum and I are rushed into an operating theatre.

Our next appointment will be at the beginning of November for out next scan, the anomaly scan to make sure all is progressing as it should be... and of course another chance for us to see Bumpy. After that I have to have a GTT (glucose/diabetes) blood test and then it will be MW apointments. It feels strange that I won't actually meet my midwive until I am 28 weeks gone.

So all in all everything seems to be going ok, I just wish I could get my brain into thinking like that instead of the paranoid state it's been in for weeks that something is wrong. I'm hoping once we have our next scan that I'll feel better in the mental department. Until then I am enjoying being pregnant, feeling those movements and seeing my bump get bigger.