3 months old!

My baby girl is growing far too fast. I have no idea how much she weighs as I've not been to clinic for ages must go on Tuesday as I'm curious! She's on her way out of her 0-3month clothes now and some size 2 nappies are getting a bit tight (they go up to about 13lbs roughly).

She is starting to grab onto things (other than clothing and hair which she's been doing for a while). Baby toys with small, narrow rings and bars...that kind of thing although it's all very un-coordinated! Anything she does get hold of is straight in her mouth although not for long as she still much prefers her hands to be in there than anything else. She's not really found her thumb yet but a few times has stuck her fore-finger in and been really pleased with herself!

She's really enjoying toys at the moment too - her gym and mobile and the things she can hold etc. Staring at them, talking to them and generally finding it all so amazing that her big brown eyes look like they'll pop out of their sockets!

She also looks like she's trying to roll which is a bit scary. She's been able to get herslef onto her side for a good few weeks now but I don't think it's intentional! Just happens when she's being nosey! She'll arch her back, tilt her head right back and kick and push with her feet and has actually turned herself 180degrees a few times in doing so (I'm already finding her upside down in her cot...needless to say blankets have now been ditched!).

Freya is also now giggling lots. Up until recently she's only done those diddy little huccup laughts when being spoken to in a funny voice or wwhen watching Noah. Now she will do a short little giggle when tickled...it's completely adorable! Add that to her little chatty noises that come out more and more and it's just yummy!

I'm sure she's going through another growth spurt as the past 2 or 3 days the feeds have been almost hourly again...and a couple of times during the night. Just when she'd settled down a bit and was going up to 3 hours on occasion during the day!! Typical. I'm exhausted...my boobies have lost the will to live, lol. Deb - I've not really had much of a chance to try out the pump yet because of this (and being ill) but promise I will have a proper play soon - I need to have a good supply for a couple of weeks time ayway!

We're moving house at the end of July and I've had a great time buying some pink things for her new bedroom! I really didn't think I'd be the type to go down the whole pink and fluffy route with her as I'm not like it myself but I just can't help myself. She's got some beautiful curtains and some pink drawers like Noah's blue ones....just need a couple of blankets, lol! She won't be in her room straight away so I'll have a month or so to sort it all out and get some pictures and pretty lights and such up...can't wait!

10wks 4days old

I've just been to get Freya weighed and she's now a healthy 11lb 2oz. Still hovering between the 25th and 50th centile so gaining steadily.

She's awake so much more during the day now and rotates between her bouncy chair, swing chair, play gym and cuddles and chat. She's usually very content and just watches the world go by...or watches Noah play and laughs and smiles at him. Occasionally she gets fed up and you're not quite sure what to do with her. This tends to be when she's getting tired but is fighting sleep! She's such a nosey girl! Yesterday she got really cross and the only thing that soothed her in the end was a cool bath - she was obviously feeling a bit hot!

She has found her hands in a big way and whenever she's awake she has her fists in her mouth. One hand will find it's way to her mouth and the other hand will come up to hold it in place! There's this permanent slurping/sucking noise going on! I'd be very surprised if she doesn't end up a thumb sucker once she gains more control of her limbs! She's also into grabbing things - not toys yet, obviously, but hair and a bit of my top when she's feeding/being carried etc. She's such a sweetie.

I was eventually able to dig out the 0-3 months clothes a week or so ago. We're going to have to do a shop when she goes into 3-6m as before she was born I assumed she'd be in that size for the summer so it's mostly summer stuff. Unless she has a major growth spurt I think it'll be too cool for her to wear them when they fit!

She smiles ALL the time now if she can see/hear somebody. And she does these adorable gaspy little laughs! She's certainly got a temper on her though when she gets bored or wants something.

I'm sure I've said a lot of this stuff before...I can just never remember!

She's growing so fast and it's making me sad. I'm really enjoying being Mummy to a little girly...and Mummy to two..most of the time !!

Sleeping in her cot!

Freya slept in the cot for the first time last week On her 2 month birthday, lol! She'd never even led in it before as, since I put it up before she was born, it's been where I've stored all the clean laundry that's waiting to be ironed/put away!!

I'd had a big tidy up in the bedroom that day and was so fed up of not having any space my side of the bed (I have the cot and the Moses basket between me and the wall!) that I ironed and put away all those clothes, moved the basket into the living room for daytime naps and made the cot up for the girly!

She actually went to sleep in her basket in the living room with us at 9pm but when I went to bed a few hours later I transferred her into the cot. She was fine. Slept as well as usual and didn't protest about being put somewhere strange after her 5am feed. It's a bit sad as she's still so diddy!

We've had no problem at all since then either. Freya's a star at bedtimes, she really is. Has her last feed at around 8pm, gets put into the cot where she settles herself to sleep by 9pm and then sleeps right through without a peep until 5am when she feeds and goes back to sleep for another couple of hours.

Last night she slept right through. What I consider right through anyway! To me, any time before 6am is the middle of the night!! 6am is the earliest I'd dare to call morning, lol and 6am is when Freya woke up this morning! I've been really awful at getting to bed myself recently (am often up until 1am finishing my jobs and fiddling about on the computer!) Last night I got to bed at 11pm and it was sooo lovely to have a solid 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep!


(P.S - for those of you who haven't heard the name Freya before it's pronounced Fray-ya as opposed to Free-ya!! Thanks 'Canada Jen' for pointing out it's not a common name that side of the pond!)

One down, two to go!

Freya had her first lot of jabs today and boy was she upset!

She was asleep in my arms when we went in to the nurse's room (after having some boob due to being cranky while we waited). When she woke up she was cross! Cross that I'd put her down and led her on a strange hard bed and cross because some nasty lady stuck something sharp in each of her legs!!

She cried and cried and it was such a sad little warbling cry. She really sticks her bottom lip out when she's upset - it's going to cause Daddy to buy her lots of things when she's older! It made me a little choked up as I knew she was genuinely upset - not just being bad-tempered and Noah had hardly cried at all with any of his jabs!

It took a good 5 mins to console her and ended up with her doing those involuntary gaspy sobs for a while! She bled a fair bit (on my top) and already has a bruise on one leg.

She's been a grouch this evening too so I actually gave her 2mls of Calpol and she's now asleep in her swing chair. Hope she doesn't have too bad a night.

8 weeks old!

My baby girl gets more beautiful every day!

Poorly Girl

Freya's got another cold. Her 2nd one. I guess she's getting more than Noah had at her age as he didn't have an older sibling to pass them onto him. And we didn't go to toddler groups when Noah was this diddy.

Freya had been ok with the cold at first. Sleeping a lot in the day (tilted up on my bed on the v-pillow) and then waking, having a sob, struggling through a feed before going back to sleep. The worst way it was affecting her was how snuffly and snotty she was...she kept over-feeding to make herself sick to bring all the mucus up. Nice.


Last night she was 'orrible!!

It took her ages to settle to sleep - got there at about 10pm in the end after lots of 'little bit' feeds.

She woke up at 2am, which is unheard of, had a feed and then cried and cried and cried and cried until 6.50am when she eventually fell asleep. Noah woke up at 7!

I think she was just feeling so rotten. She was warm to touch and sniffling and grunting and mucussy. Plus I think she had awful wind cause by all the gulping she does when she feeds. It was a a hard night with lots of tears from both of us!!

Typically, she's happy as Larry today and hasn't even wanted to catch up on her missed sleep like I do!

I've NEVER had to pull an all-nighter with a screaming baby before (apart from that almost bad night a few weeks ago)- such a shock to the system!

Weight Update

Birth weight: 6lb 13oz
5days old: 6lb 9oz (-4oz)
11days old: 7lb 2oz (+9oz)
2wks 3days old: 7lb 9.5oz (+7.5oz)
3wks 4days old: 8lb 3oz (+9.5oz)
5wks 4days old: 9lb 1oz (+ 14oz)
Today (7wks 4days old): 10lb 3oz (+1lb 2oz!)

Trouble with bottles...

6wks 5days

She hates them! Well the two types I've tried her with anyway - Avent and MAM - bought one of each as 'just in case' supplies before she was born.

I've been expressing milk every night for the past couple of weeks and freezing it should I ever need to not be with Freya for some reason (eg. the day Noah has his operation - wouldn't want to bring poor Freya to the hosptial all day and would want to give Noah my undivided attention!).

I pumped last night and left it in the fridge as I knew I was going to be out for a while rejoining Weight Watchers tonight and wanted to have some milk available for Sy to give her should she be desperate for some while I was gone. He didn't need it in the end as I wasn't gone long but I didn't want to waste the milk!

When Freya needed feeding I tried her with the bottle and she just coughed and spluttered and choked. The teat made her gag (she has the same reaction to dummies!). Just in case it was because she was with me and knew boob was nearby, Simon tried but she was the same.

I think I might try and give her a bottle of expressed milk once a week just to get her used to bottles otherwise it might make life harder in the long run. She's only had my milk from a bottle once before but that was in the early days when my milk first came in and I'd expressed because I was so engorged and she hadn't yet developed such a strong 'nipple' sucking action - toally different to how to suck a teat! She just doesnt get it!

I'm not trying her on bottles because I want to stop BF as it's going so well and I'm really loving it but I do want to get her used to having a bottle with my milk in so I can go to WW once a week and not have to worry she's at home screaming and starving! Until she's happy to drink my milk from a bottle I won't stay for the meetings after the weigh-in though - will come straight home to feed her.

Am going to buy a Tommee Tippee bottle as they look really booby like! I think it's going to be a case of trial and error for a while...

Happy girl!

Freya's been in a super-smiley mood today so I managed, at last, to capture it on camera!

I think her new swing chair has made her happy. It's made me happy, lol as it keeps her occupied for a few extra minutes so I can get jobs done and give Noah a bit of time. She's awake so much that she gets bored really easily but she likes to be in her chair! Glad we finally got round to getting one (good old ebay sales helped us afford one!).



These photos really show how much she's filling out too! She's going to be a chubby one!

6 weeks old!

Freya had her 6 week developmental review at the Doctor's surgery yesterday. The appointment only took 5 minutes...which is great as we'd been waiting half an hour in a hot, stuffy waiting room and both Noah and I were feeling a bit hot, bothered and fed up!

Freya now weighs 9lb 3oz (she was 9lbs 1oz two days before!). She is now 53cm long - so has only grown 2cm! Noah was 58cm at his 6wk review - they were both the same length at birth! Her head circumference is 38cm - 6cm more than birth. Hips, reflexes and the rest of it all passed with flying colours too.

She's now fitting perfectly into her 'Newborn' clothes at last! Although I'm sure she'll only be in them for a couple of weeks at the rate she's piling on the pounds and I'll soon be digging all the 0-3months stuff out! She's been ravenously hungry the past 2 or 3 days so I think she's got a growth spurt on!

Also, the Health Visitor kept prodding her naked flesh while we were there and exclaimed - 'I think she's just a dark-skinned baby, you know!'. Duh. I knew she was looking for signs of remaining jaundice but it's definitely all gone. She's going to be a lucky girly when she grows up as she has the kind of skin that tans well, lol!

Freya's a lovely little girl and fairly content most of the time although she does love to be cuddled and also prefers to be on the move! We've just invested in one of those swing chairs to hopefully keep her settled for a bit longer! She is so alert when awake and her little eyes dart about as she tries to find the noises and voices she hears!

She's still only waking once during most nights (sleeping from 8pm until 4am and then until 8am after she's fed). The breast-feeding is going really well. I'm finding it much easier this time round. I enjoyed feeding Noah but he was one of those constant feeders - very close together and for a long time! Freya still feeds every 2 hours roughly during the day but only for ten minutes or so. Being confident enough to feed her in public has made it that much easier too. I'm hoping she continues to be such an efficient feeder and I can keep it up until she's at least 6 months.

We've been enjoying the sunshine this week and time with family and it's been great. The first six weeks of a new baby are supposed to be the hardest but just like her brother, Freya has been a real joy. We're so lucky!

Bubbles in her tummy :(

Yesterday was horrible. From 3pm until about 1am Freya was having a really hard time and pretty much cried the whole time, sleeping a few minutes every now and then when the crying wore her out and feeding a little only a couple of times and for only a minute or two before she remembered her pain. It's the first experience I've ever had of a baby that cries like that! Hats off to the women who have babies that scream 24/7!

I think she had trapped wind. It was such a sad little cry. Surprisingly it didn't stress me out at all - it wasn't a high pitched wail - just constant sobbing. Bless her. Nothing would settle her especially as she was in too much discomfort to really feed. I think the wind was caused by her snuffly little nose and having to gulp a bit when she feeds. She certainly wasn't happy.

She finally drifted off properly just after 1 this morning and woke up at 4am for a feed back to her usual self. She fed again at 6.30am and since then has probably been the happiest I've ever known her to be! Hasn't grumbled once - led on my bed awake for an hour without making a sound while I slept a little more after her 6.30am feed, sat for ages in her bouncy chair and has been happy and alert with less than an hours sleeps since she first got up this morning! She's been a real joy!

I hope we don't get too many repeats of yesterday.

Comparing...

Noah: 2yrs 4mnths
Freya: 5 wks

I don't know whether it's a boy/girl thing or a 1st/2nd baby thing but already I am seeing complete difference between my two!

Noah was soo laid back as a baby. Never really grumbled - happily led and watched the world go by. Fed constantly for long times with short intervals.

Freya gets really bored when she's awake and makes bossy little noises at us until we entertain/cuddle her. She's an efficient feeder and although still feeds fairly frequently is done in 5/10 minutes and is then content.

Neither of them have been babies that cry and cry, thanks goodness. Also, even though Noah happily laid awake without being entertained at Freya's age, he did already have a dummy by then so I think that made a difference. Both have been happy little souls - Freya just seems to have a shorter attention span and likes to have her own way! I think she's going to be bossing Noah about before long!

Both have been fiercely determined to lift their heads from a very early age (one or two days old). Both did their first smiles at 4weeks although Noah's then came all the time whereas Freya is not so generous. She did her first full 'eyes and all' beam at me today - was heart-warming. Until now all she's done is two or three little 'smirky' smiles!

Noah is and always has been a skinny little mite. I think Freya's going to be a bit of a podge. Her face has really filled out and you can see her little thighs thickening up a bit (yay! I need some chunky thighs to squeeze).

The main thing is that they are just so different to look at! Noah is definitely mainly a Spayes. He's just like the men on my side of the family - fair hair, blue eyes, fair skinned. Freya is becoming more and more like a mini-me of Simon every day! She has dark hair (what's left!) and eyes and olive-skin. They're going to be one of those brother/sister's that you wouldn't know were brother and sister by looking at them I reckon. Funny, as they were so similar at birth. You do see a look of the other one in them occasionally but not often at all. Here they both are at around 4 weeks old:



They really are two such individual little people and it's lovely to be able to experience all sorts of characterisitcs and behaviour from the two of them. Can't wait to see how they both develop and grow as brother and sister and as individuals!

Snotty

Freya's got her first proper cold, bless her. Noah's got one too. It's something I failed to think about when having two children - that they'll pass on all their lurgies to each other!

Poor Freya is so snuffly and her nose is really running. She gets really cross when I wipe it though! I've never seen such a little baby with a proper runny nose! She's found it really hard to feed as she can't breathe. Yet she's still seemed fairly satisfied after even just a short feed - she's obviously not feeling particularly hungry.

It's so horrible when you can't give them anything.

Smiles!

4 weeks today

Freya did her first smile two days ago! She did one yesterday too but has been in far too serious a mood and frowning lots as usual to do one today! It took a lot of talking in a silly voice and raspberry blowing from me but it was definitely a proper smile!

It was nice to see her happy as he's quite often cranky when she's awake! If she's just left in the chair/moses basket/gym for more than 5 minutes, anyway. She likes to be cuddled and entertained far more than laid-back Noah ever did. She's not a crier at all but she doesn't half grunt at you in her bossy little way until she gets some attention.

Also, she is really determined to lift her head. When laying on her tummy on my chest etc. she can lift it almost upright for a fair few seconds. She's just so nosey - has to know exactly what's going on and be involved in it all! It's the same reason she gets cranky when left alone when awake I think!

Just need to catch it on camera now!

Weight update

Birth weight: 6lb 13oz
Day 5: 6lb 9oz
Day 11: 7lb 2oz
Day 17: 7lb 9.5oz
Today (Day 25): 8lb 3oz

Oh, and remind me not to ever gloat again about how good Freya is at night. She was hideous last night! I didn't get to bed until gone twelve last night after fiddling about online and getting stuff done. When I came to bed Freya was wide awake and cooing in her basket so I thought I'd have a quick chat - she was so close to smiling! Anyway once I'd started talking to her I wasn't allowed to leave. She cried, fed, burped, puked, pood, fell asleep, cried, fed, burped, puked, pood, fell asleep again and again until half three!! I was wondering what to do by that point as she'd polished off both my boobs and still wasn't settling but luckily she did one really big screech, which made her do a rather rude and loud noise at the other end and then she was fine! Needless to say I've been reeeeeaally tired today! Hope she's back to her usual self tonight! And I've certainly learnt not to chat to her in the night!

Week 3

My little frog is well and truly part of the furniture now. She certainly has attitude when she's cross about something but is easy to please once you suss out what the problem is! Some of the looks she 'gives you' when she's having a strop make me worry what we'll face in her teenage years!!

Generally, she's still very good natured. She's incredibly alert and pays particular attention to Noah's voice! She likes her bouncy chair and the odd spell on her gym but more than anything likes a cuddle! Oh, and some boob!

Her feeding's much the same as it's been since day dot. Feeds hourly for the first and last 3 hours of the day and only once or twice in between. Have got the 'doing it in public discreetly' thing almost sorted but just can't bring myself to do it in front of my Dad still - have to disappear upstairs! She has her last big feed at about 8pm (both boobs!) and by the time she's finished, has thrown up a bit and got her jammies on it's 9ish and she's nods straight off when put in her basket. I don't usually hear a peep put of her then until 5am ish. Maybe one night a week she decides she wants to feed an extra time or two.

Tonight was the first time she didn't scream blue murder while being bathed. I dreaded bathing her as she absolutely howls the place down - so much so it actually frightens Noah (who now doesn't take any notice of her crying) and gets me all stressed out. Tonight I made the water warmer and she was fine. She's just like her brother was. Make the bath water the temperature those baby thermometers say it should be and it's no good. Make it 'Too Hot' and baby is happy! I'm sure she'd soon let me know if it really was too hot for her.

She's quite a pukey little thing. There doesn't seem to be any pain when she does it so I don't think it's reflux. Just milk that gets stuck above a bubble of air while she's guzzling. The number of muslins I get through! She can get quite grouchy with wind at times too and thinks she wants more boob when all she needs is a good slap on the back!

She's just starting to try and 'talk'. You can hear proper little vocal noises in her throat now rather than just grunts and squeaks. It's really cute!

Also she's going a bit bald on top!! THe long hair at the back and on the sides is fine but the fine, short stuff on top has been slowly falling out! She's beginning to look a bit like a Grandad! I keep finding soft fuzzy hair in her coat hoods and inside her hats! What with that and the spots she has on her cheeks from laying on damp milk/old puke/sweat!! So attractive...!!

Hmm...think that's it! Going to get her weighed at clinic tomorrow. I love trying to guess what they'll be beforehand! I wonder if she's piggy enough to have hit the 8lb mark yet or if her weight gain has settled a bit and she'll only be a few oz more!

Doing fine!

The Health Visitor came this morning - she's happy with Freya's colour now and says her eyes are ok. She also weighed her again. She's now 7lb 9.5oz!!!!! That's 7.5oz in 6 days this time. A whole pound in less than two weeks! Although still spot on the 25th centile. Greedy little toad!

No more home visits now. Everything is as it should be with my Baby Girl and now we can be left to get on with being a family.

Two weeks old!

I really feel like we're settling now. It's all still very new and we're still working our way round what works and what doesn't but it feels like my gorgeous girly has always been here and it's just all feels so 'normal' now.

Freya's doing well. She's not AS laid back as Noah was (he was just frighteningly placid!) but she's still extremely easy-going.

Her feeding has changed a bit. She goes longer at night now (only waking once during the 10-12 straight hours sleep she has). Because of this she has a bit of a top-up session when she wakes and just before she goes to bed and feeds a bit more often and for longer during the day. Totally bearable though as she sleeps so well at night!

She only lost 4oz in the first 5 days, going down to 6lb 9oz and when the HV weighed her on Monday she'd gone all the way up to 7lb 2oz! 9oz in 6 days! The Health Visitor is coming again next Monday to weigh her as she still quite jaundiced and wants to make sure it's not affecting her.

Her eyes have already turned a muddy brown colour. What with that and her dark head of hair, I think she's going to be the complete opposite of Noah in looks.

She's had her Guthrie test and her newborn hearing screening test (passed with flying colours) and we've registered her birth.

One of her eyes is still a bit gunky - will take her to the Doctor next week when Daddy is off if it doesn't clear up over the weekend.

She loves the hoover! She was having a snuffle and grunt and strop this morning but I've been trying to make a point of not running to her as she often settles if left to get over it! If she ends up crying properly you know she needs feeding/winding/changing etc. Anyway....she was moody this morning but as soon as I turned the hoover on she stopped grumbling and paid lots of attention to where the noise was coming from before drifting off to sleep. I remember Noah being the same. Nice to know something settles her..not that I'm going to have the hoover on every time she grumbles!!

I also have to confess that I'm a terrible Mummy and will put her on her tummy to sleep at times during the day. Only during the day so I can keep an eye on her but she rests better that way as I'm sure she feels more secure like being held against my chest.

She's now awake a bit more during the day and I feel I should be talking to her and stimulating her in some way...it must be very boring being a baby! This is what I've found quite hard. I feel a bit torn trying to share my time between her and Noah! When she slept a bit more I had time to be with Noah and keep on top of the housework etc. Now sometimes I feel I'm not giving Noah as much attention as I'd like (or as much as he's used to but that's something he'll have to learn to adapt to). I also feel like Freya's not getting as much quality time as Noah had as a baby but she doesn't know this so it's only me feeling bad!

Anyway, we're all happy and getting on well. Already I can't remember what it was like before Freya arrived. It's amazing how quickly the second one slots in - even more so than the first as you have a vague idea of what you're doing!

Settling in as a family of four!

Or family of three as it feels like as Simon doesn't start his time off until next weekend so I've kind of been thrown in at the deep end! He was off on Friday and Saturday when Freya was born but I didn't come home from hospital until the Saturday afternoon so didn't really get to see much of him!

It's not been so bad though. Been a great way to get yourself into some sort of vague 'routine' that goes something like: I get the next days clothes for myself and the kids all laid out the night before etc. and as soon as I hear Noah is awake in the morning will go and put some toast in and then go and get him up and dressed and started on his toast so he's busy while I feed/dress Freya etc. He then has his cereal while I get myself ready! When they're both fed and clean and happy then I squeeze my breakfast in!

Doesn't always work like that though! On Wednesday Noah woke up at the same time Freya wanted feeding. I went into him and his face, hands, pyjamas and bedding were covered in blood! I think he'd just had a good pick of his nose - he wasn't crying - but it totally messed up my system!!! I had to bath him and strip his bed-clothes and get them in the machine while poor Freya was screaming for boob! Talk about throwing a spanner in the works!

It's been a fairly laid-back week though. Freya is a very good baby. She feeds 2-3hourly during the day and at night she'll usually go 6 hours and then 4 (feeding at roughly 10pm, 4am, 8am etc.). It's completely bearable and I'm getting a good amount of sleep which helps no end. She's a very good breast-feeder although has her moments when she messes about and won't suck properly, popping on and off the breast. If my boobs are really full and the milk flows on it's own she'll just lay under the nipple poking her tongue out to lap it up! Might have to start expressing the first bit off! Last night was a nightmare. I was really tired and she wouldn't suck properly but was crying cos she was hungry and I ended up crying and telling her she could starve!! Simon was telling me off and telling me to give her the other boob and I'm sat sobbing on the toilet! She definitely prefers one boob to the other but I'm not going to let her have her way! She was much better this morning though and is back to feeding nicely.

She has been fairly jaundiced for the last week and it's only now starting to fade but she's bright and alert, doing lots of wees and poos (we had a projectile poo across the bed and all over me during the night last night when I was changing her!). Her eyes are a bit gunky but cooled boiled water seems to be keeping it from getting horrible.

Have only seen a Midwife 4 times since coming home. Obviously a bit more laid back second time round. Seeing one for the last time tomorrow. I'm all healed and comfortable and the bleeding has practically stopped. I'm a bit weepy, especially in the evenings when I'm tired and starting to think about Simon leaving me again in the morning but not worryingly so.

Noah has been an absolute star! He's been such a good boy. Maybe gets stressed out a little easier when he gets a bit wound up or tired and a bit more cuddly but he's definitely happy. He helps me bath and change Freya and runs to her when she cries. He's forever stroking, kissing and talking to her in a high-pitched baby voice! He'll put his muslin and teddies in her moses basket and is desperate to share his food with her - she's already tasted toast and cheese! His sleep pattern and behaviour don't seem to have been affected at all so far. I'm really proud of my little man (who suddenly seems enormous!).

I'm loving being a Mummy to two although I am tired and can't wait for Simon to have some time off with us. I feel sorry for him as he's missing out on these amazing early days but at least by the time he's off I'll know what works and what doesn't and we'll be able to enjoy our time together without getting too stressed hopefully!

Freya Rose

Freya Rose has arrived!

Here's the Birth Story!

The lead up...
Thursday was a MADLY busy day. We were up at 6.30am ready for the scan at 9am. After the scan, Noah and I went to Toddlers and then whizzed round town for a few bits. I said I'd drop into work but as I drove out of the car park, the car started playing up on me so I got all stressed and managed to get it to Sy's work to park it and tell him - there was no way I was going to drive it like that! Sy lives just around the corner from our soft play place so Noah and I walked the 10 mins to get there and stayed there and had some lunch until Sy was on his break and could pick us up. Popped into school quickly and then went home. Noah had a huge 3hour sleep from 3-6pm but I was busy updating here etc. and tidying up so didn't nap myself (wished I had later!).

The birth story...
Simon got home from work at 6.30pm. As Noah had slept so long we knew he'd be up late so thought we'd descend upon the MIL for a couple of hours! At 7pm, just as we were about to leave I felt a small leak down below so rushed to the loo where some fluid fell out of me - completely clear (and not wee as I'd just done a big one!). I wasn't sure if it was waters or not but told Sy just in case and thought I'd wait and see what happened. In the car on the way to MILs I had my first cramp and had a few for the couple of hours we were there. Was texting a Mummy friend at this point for advice on waters breaking and what labour feels like when it happens naturally, lol! The cramps weren't bad enough to cause any real pain and I didn't mention them to Sy or the MIL at the time as I still wasn't convinced I was in labour!

Got home at 9pm and the cramps soon got closer and ‘crampier’! I thought I’d have a shower and freshen up and when I went to the loo after getting out I had a show! It must have been pretty much complete – an enormous blob of pink jelly. Fascinating! Thought we better phone Sy's Mum then to come and get Noah in case it really was labour! The cramps were now about 5 minutess apart already but I could still talk through them while bouncing on my trusty ball. I had it in place of the computer chair so I could sit and surf the net/time the contractions online to take my mind off things between cramps! We phoned the labour ward to let them know what was going on and to ask their advice about what to do and when. They said the typical take paracetamol, have a bath, ring back when the pains are 4 minutes apart and hurt a bit more!

I didn’t have a bath – had a funny feeling things would be quick. By 11pm I knew it was time to tell the hospital we were coming in. The pains had intensified and were 3 or 4 minutes apart. Still only painful enough to make me go ‘Oooooohhh owowowowowowowow!’ but definitely at the point I knew things were happening!

We got to the hospital at about 11.30pm and I was taken to my room (which was one with a birthing pool even though I hadn’t asked – was really pleased!). Because of the oligohydramnios I was strapped to the monitor for 20minutes to monitor baby’s heat-rate during the contractions but she was fine. I did a wee and got changed out of my clothes and then, not long after midnight, the contractions suddenly changed!! VERY painful, very fast and very long! It felt like there was hardly any let up between them!

I wasn’t comfy on all the ball all squashed up anymore so knelt over the back of the bed. Asked for some Gas&Air as hadn’t used it before. I didn’t mind it and it did help me become a bit less aware but I preferred the feeling of ‘coming down’ after I’d stopped breathing it in than the feeling of while I was sucking it so stopped using it after about half an hour. I couldn’t be bothered to hold onto the damn thing either and by this stage I was really growling and moaning and the sound of my noises echoing down the mouthpiece was horrendous! So in the end I just hung onto the bed and shouted lots!! I was so quiet and calm with Noah but I was a bit of an animal with my grunting this time round! It did hurt a hell of a lot more though! I also poo’d when I was at the ‘almost ready to push’ stage. I knew I needed to and I knew I wasn’t quite ready to push baby out but had to push something out so thought I might as well! Good old labour, eh! I remember apologising for it being soft and squidgy (not that I could see it!). I also remember the Midwives at this point discussing anal swelling and wondered what on earth I’d done (luckily nothing - the Senior MW was just giving the student MW a bit of a lesson!!)!!

By 2am I was ready to push. I’d not had an internal or anything since I’d arrived but it was all happening so fast and the midwives didn’t seem concerned. I turned over to sit/lie on the bed as I was tired of kneeling at this point. With Noah, the pain of the contractions seemed to die down a bit when it came to pushing but this time it was still excruciating. I felt the head moving down and crowning a lot more too. I had one really long contraction which I controlled really well, pushing and stopping on command to get her head out and then one final contraction to get her body out. Two big pushes – that was all it took!

Freya Rose was delivered, squawking, onto my tummy at 2.17am on Friday 28 March 2008. 11 days early and taking us all by surprise! She arrived 7 hours after my waters broke, not quite 3 hours after I arrived at hospital and after only being in hideous pain and 'established labour' for about 2 hours! Fast and painful.

After the birth...
I had the injection to deliver the placenta, the doing of which also hurt this time (little contractions) and even asked to have a look at it – I was curious!! I only had a first degree tear (graze they told me!) so didn’t need any stitches this time. It’s a little tender but that's all.

Freya was given her Vitamin K and was weighed – 3.09kg or 6lb 13oz (bang on the 50th centile for a baby girl born at 38+2. She seems so small compared to Noah, although is the same length he was when born but they told me she’d be long! She had a feed then and mastered it instantly.

Simon didn’t hang around too long so once I’d convinced the Midwife I would like to stay the night (she asked if I wanted to go home then!) he trotted of to make his phone-calls and go to bed!! I bathed and got dressed and we arrived on the Post Natal Ward at about 4am.

I’m really glad I got to do it naturally...and that it’s over now!! I’m also really proud of myself for having no pain relief this time round!

Labour!!

Well at about 7pm, just after doing a wee, I pulled up my pants and felt something squirt out! Quickly sat back on the loo and some liquid 'fell' out of me. Wasn't sure what to think as had no pains at all today - thought I may have pee'd myself! Thought I'd text a good friend Jo to get some advice on waters breaking!

Fifteen minutes later had my first crampy feeling. Had a couple more at 15/20 minute iintervals but for the last hour they've been coming every 5/10mins. Have only just started properly timing them!

Was at the MIL's so asked Sy if we could come home. Hopped in the shower (too scared to have a bath in case I won't make it to the hospital in time, lol!!), had a funny feeling down below when I got out so did a wee and had a show! Bright pink jelly blob. So exciting! The first time I've experienced that!

Even though the contractions are fairly close together they're still bearable. Like REALLY bad period pains that make me hold my breath and sway about but not moan or anything yet! I hope they're not going to fizzle out.

Have phoned the labour ward who said the typical - have some paracetamol and a bath and ring back when they're about 4 mins apart and lasting a minute and are a bit more painful. Just scared it's going to be a not hurt much labour and I won't make it on time!! Knowing my luck it'll probably actually stop!!!

Just thought you'd like ...oooh just had a really painful one.....to know!!

I just can't believe it's happening naturally!!

They're still at every 5 minutes ish but getting stronger. I'm sat here bouncing on my ball. SImon's job is to press the button to time the contractions on a website we found!

Sometimes I'll get a sneaky contraction after about 3 mins but it'll only last 20 secs. Just now was a 7 min gap but the contraction was longer.

Simon's dad just came to get Noah. I cried when he left thinking it'll be the last time I see him as my baby. I felt really sorry for him. He was quite clingy too.

Week 39: Scan

38+2

Everything is fine! There's still not loads of fluid in there but there's 3cm more than there was so I'm obviously not losing any which is the important thing. They like there to be more than 7.5cm at 38weeks (last time I was 7cm) and I've got 10 so that's fab news!

Girly has grown well too. A fortnight ago her Head Circumference, Abdominal Circumference and length of the thighbone were: 32.3cm, 31.4cm & 7.2cm. This week they were: 33.8cm, 34.1cm and 7.7cm. She's gone from sitting on the average line on the chart to being just above it. I hope she doesn't get too big! They didn't give me an estimated weight or anything but I would think she'll be high in the 7lbs somewhere at least going by what Noah was.

BP fine, even my urine was fine today and not full of glucose. She is still head down and is quite well engaged as they had a real hard time getting head measurements for her as she was so low in my pelvis!

I had a lovely positive and informative Registrar this time too who gave me real confidence that things were fine and there's nothing to worry about. She could see no reason for interfering with nature and inducing me and I was actually really relieved! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. I think a lot of the reason I've been bogged down about the pregnancy over the last couple of weeks is because I've been feeling in limbo, not knowing what was going on in there and was worrying my socks off! Now I feel all happy about being pregnant again and can't wait for labour to begin and give birth normally! I'm actually quite excited!

Those period pain like niggles have settled a little although I can still feel some strange aches. I think my body is just preparing itself.

I'm really happy now!

Week 39

38+1

I woke up feeling like I'd been for a long horse-ride over night!!!

My pelvic bones ache all inside as do the muscles on the inside of my thighs at the top. Not sure why baby's head engagin would affect my leg muscles though...maybe I just sat in a funny position yesterday?!

It's making me do the 'John Wayne walk'.

Have also had some quite strange niggles/pains/cramps over the last 24 hours. They've been quite erratic though - ranging from a couple of times an hour to every couple of hours.

I think it'd be obvious if it was the beginnings of labour but they're strange feelings nonetheless. Not like the windy/muscular/need the loo etc. aches and pains I've felt on and off for the last few weeks - more crampy and tight. And down quite low like sharp period pains which then spread over my bump and round my back. I think it's the Braxtons hotting up. They're quite contration like but definitely not contractions. Not that I know what early natural labour feels like, lol - when induced with Noah it was from nothing to horrendous contractions just like that!

It would be so lovely if it was the beginning of things but I think that's just wishful thinking, lol! Little madam has also been having a major squirm so think she might be stretching my insides! Just thought I'd make a note of it for future reference!

Week 38

37+5

Urgh. I'm definitely at the 'had enough' stage!!! I'm just soo unbelievably achey and uncomfortable. I constantly have to move about and not stay in one position for too long (although walking too much and being too active also makes me sore!) otherwise I seize up! Night-time is awful, I'm still peeing frequently (usually 4 times a night) and it's just such an effort to try and get out of bed each time! My back and pelvis seem to lock into position while I'm sleeping and just rolling from one side onto the other is a huge mission!

Girly's movement are just so painful most of the time. Especially at the moment - there's an obvious bodily part poking out (not sure if it's a knee/elbow/foot) which she wiggles constantly. I'm really noticing the lack of fluid now! And when poor Noah sticks an elbow in me while cuddling he gets squawked at! Ouch!!

Have had some very strange niggles over the past week, many in my back. Not sure if I might have a urine infection or something as it almost feels like it could be my kidneys. Unless it's just painful Braxtons in my back (goes all the way up to my neck sometimes!!).

I'm bouncing on my ball and going for walks like crazy. Have also started on the old raspberry leaf tea. I tried all the old tricks last time. Might try eating copious amounts of fresh pineapple soon but there's no way I'm going down the sex or curry route! Can't manage either without serious discomfort these days!

I'm curious about the scan on Thursday. As much as I want a natural labour, the thought of being induced sooner isn't bothering me! I'm going alone this time as Sy can't get off work and I'll have to take Noah so I hope he behaves!! He'll be pinned into his pushchair with lots of snacks and books to keep him occupied!! Hope he doesn't create! The whole thing took about an hour last time what with the waiting, the scan, the consultation etc. It's a long time to keep a little man occupied.