Week 31

30+2

It's the final countdown da da daa daaaa da da da da daaaaaa!

I'm freaking out a ltitle bit that there's less than ten weeks to go (except it's not because of course I'll go over!).

The main thing bugging me was getting my Maternity Allowance sorted out. I still haven't tackled it yet. The form you have to fill in is so long and detailed and complicated and there's just so many forms and proof of earning/benefits/credits etc. you have to take with you. Not to mention rejection of SMP letters etc. I didn't have it all together and was beginning to panic. Especially as the dozy stand-in MW I saw at my last appointment told me I didn't need a MAT B1 certificate when I did and I couldn't collect one until Tuesday and couldn't get it taken into work until today......!! Anyway, turns out that, on taking the MATB1 in to work today, the bursar tells me the lady from payroll has double checked for me and because I've done enough overtime between December 06 and now (the claim period) I've actually paid enough NI contributions to be entitled to SMP!!!! I'm SOOOOOO thrilled as it means it's now up to work to sort it all out and I just have to sit back and receive the money! Such a load off my mind! I'll still get the same amount of 90% of my earnings but it's a whole load less sorting out and stress. Yay! Only two weeks left of work now!!

I won £30 at Bingo tonight, lol!! I go once a month with my friend as they have free games one Thursday a month and it's my 'thing' I do to get out on my own for some me time! We been doing it for about 8 months and I've never won so was so excited! Just when I really needed it with no bank card after it swallowed by the cash machine!!

The little lady is well. Such a wriggler, Makes me quite uncomfortable sometimes and causes me to catch my breath. My tummy now contorts as she does her larger movements and I love to watch the different shapes she makes! I have no idea which way up she is as the prods and kicks are now all over the place. There is, however either a head or a bottom right under my ribs now and I can barely bend down/forward without feeling like I'm crushing her!

Sleep has come easier the past couple of weeks. I'm sure the hot chocolate is helping me to relax and avoid heartburn. And lots of warm baths with a book! I'm having to be careful what I eat now (apart from late night coke and flakes!!) as I can feel the pounds piling on. I'm determined to keep it under control this time and do something about the excess as soon as baby arrives rather than use the baby as an excuse for being wobbly like I did with Noah! I only have two pairs of maternity trousers, with stretchy side panels and they're now getting alittle tight and uncomfy at the button. With my bingo money I'm going to treat myself to some nice, soft, stretchy, over-the bump jeans or something on Saturday when we go to buy our new double buggy.

Week 30

29+1

I've been in nesting mode this week. The kitchen has had a complete seeing to - including the cupboards, microwave, fridge and oven. There's been scrubbing, mopping and wiping! The bathroom has been cleaned so hard you need to put sunglasses on when you go in - I even spent a good 20 mins on my knees scrubbing the loo! I hope that will have encouraged my little one to turn out of the breech postion!

I've been sufffering with really unconfortable Braxtons that take my breath away and I definitely notice them more when I'm overdoing it. The heartburn too! Every time I bent down to pick something off the floor today that hot, acidy feeling hit me! Bedtime is a nightmare. I've been faffing about until the small hours before giving in to the tiredness and getting into bed. I just have to make sure I'm super tired otherwise I just can't sleep. Getting comfy is becoming a bit of a battle althjough I only seem to be up once, maybe twice a night for a wee now (which is good cos it takes a while to lever myself up off the bed now and I pulled a muscle last night!).

I've put on a good stone now but I'm still feeling pretty good most of the time. I've been craving Coke which is awful as it's full of calories and sugar and caffeine and all sorts of rubbish. I'm also craving sponges. With Noah I used to chew on a clean, new bath sponge enjoying the texture and juiciness (sounds gross I know!) and it's recently appeared this time too but I don't have a clean sponge to chew! No mammoth cravings for ice like I had with Noah though!

The baby's hospital bag is all packed. I was having a sort out and a wash of all the stuff we've got and thought I might as well put it all together before it gets shoved in a drawer and I can't find it! I've got as far as writing a list for mine, and for Noah's to take to Grandma's but won't pack it for a few weeks yet.

11 weeks to go. Time is flying!

29wks: Bump

Week 29

28+1

Just got back from my 28wk MW appointment. The usual lady wasn't there so some old dear was in her place and, although lovely, didn't seem to have a clue what she was doing! Everything took twice as long! Thank goodness they HAD actually taken my 28wk bloods at the same time as I had my GTT - I don't think I wouldn've trusted her to know what she was doing! I'm sure she was very experienced, just a bit unfamiliar with her surroundings!

Everything is normal. Blood pressure, wee etc. I actually measured right this week (whereas last time I was 2wks ahead) but I guess it depends on who's doing it. 1cm or 2 isn't a huge amount either way. The MW had a very painful squeeze of my tummy to see which wasy baby is laying and she's definitely breech for now. I'm not really that bothered by that yet though. She has another 12 weeks to turn. Her heartbeat was fine although by this stage baby girl was a bit fed up of being prodded and kept kicking the doppler thingy off!

I frightened myself silly this morning by taking a pretty spectacular tumble. I was crossing the road with the buggy and misjudged the height of the curb as there was a big puddle up to the top of it. The buggy didn't go up the curb, instead flew forward with me trying to save it from falling while trying not to fall on top of it, or even fall at all! It all happened in slow motion! In the end I managed to let poor Noah fall slowly and he was so padded in the buggy he didn't even touch the ground! I landed with one knee on the buggy, one knee on the ground but managed not to bump my tummy by falling onto my hands. It's quite funny now but at the time I was so shaken up and embarrassed!! My knee has a lovely swollen bruise and graze on it but baby girl was kicking away immediately afterwards so I knew she was ok.

I really need to sort out my Maternity Allowance. It's such a pain that I'm not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay as I only work one day a week and don't earn enough. I got confirmation of my requested Maternity Leave dates last week (I finish on 14th February) but unless I take a trip to the Job Centre, won't be getting any money. I went round today to speak to somebody about the long and complicated Application Form I have to fill in and all the proof of earnings and benefits I need to produce only to find it had moved and I couldn't be bothered to walk round to the new place with a sore knee!

Next MW appointment is in 3 weeks (yay, they get more regular now!) and I have my 2nd GTT in 4 weeks.

Week 28

27 + 0

I had my glucose tolerance test last week. I was really nervous cos I had to have fingerprick test, lol and was worried it would hurt!! Needless to say it didn't really! The nurse also had to take one lot of blood from my arm right at the start and she could NOT get any out. This has never happened before. She was wiggling the needle around in my left arm before she had a go and did the same in the right arm where the blood slowly started to drip out. Bearing in mind I'd not eaten since the day before as well as the thought of the needle wiggling around in my arm I suddenly warbled 'I'm starting to feel a bit funny!' I managed not to pass out though and once I'd had some water and the sugary drink they supply for the test I felt much better! It was very boring sitting in the waiting room for two hours though. I got such a numb bum and back ache.

The Dr surgery is right next door to the flat so when I go back for my second test at 32 weeks I might ask if I can go home for those 2hrs! I went back in to have more arm blood taken (which left a HUGE bruise) and then when to collect Noah from his Grandma's. I felt quite rotten until I had something to eat. Still, it's over now and I get to go through it all again at 32wks.

I take it all is well as they said the results would be back the next day and they'd let me know if there was a problem but I've had no phonecall or anything so hopefully have avoided gestational diabetes for now.

I had a lovely week of hardly needing the loo at all but now I feel desperate all the time! Even while I'm weeing and straight after - like there's still lots in there that can't get out because of the way baby girl is laying!!

I'm getting a little bit of heartburn when I first go to bed still but it's totally bearable.

I think little one is breech too. At my last appointment, the MW said she was lying with her spine down my left side but couldn't tell which way up she was. I'm feeling most kicks down quite low. Still. Plenty of time for her to turn!

I have my 28wks appt on Monday and I'm really hoping to avoid having any more blood taken!!