Reflections on my pregnancy

Well, tomorrow is the day... Unless I still go into spontaneous labour before, we are booked for a caesar at 8:00 tomorrow morning. And then our little Hannah will finally be with us.

I thought I'd just make a note of some of the things about this pregnancy, while I can still remember them ;o) I expect that in the next few weeks I'll be very much a walking zombie, so I've got to use my brain while it's still functioning.

This pregnancy has definitely gone quicker than the first one! We found out I was pregnant at about 4 weeks, as opposed to 7 with Joshua (the home tests were so light that I was doubting they were accurate until I had a blood test done) but the time has still sped by so fast, despite the extra weeks of knowing. I think that having a child to be looking after and trying to prepare for this new arrival helps to make the time go faster.

One other very obvious thing is that my weight has been very different this time. With Joshua I put on 17 kg's, although in my defence I had mild pre-eclampsia with lots of water retention and swelling. So that does account for some of the weight. But now with Hannah I've put on minimal weight. I went to the gym this week to get a final weigh and measure at full term, and I've put on 10.5kg's from my pre-pregnancy weight. So I'm really happy with that! I think what's made the difference was the fact that I had lost the weight before, but also been exercising effectively. So my body was in a much better state to start off with. And the having a toddler to keep you active helps as well ;o)

Some people say you carry more in the front with girls, and more to the sides with boys. Others say the other way around, and others say it's no indication... Well, I have carried more in the front this time round, and last time I think was more to the sides. But that's still a matter of opinion I guess.

Here are the last of my pregnant photos, which Andrew took yesterday.
With both pregnancies everything has been fine with the baby all the way through. I've been very lucky to have healthy babies.

I've had quite a lot of pain in both pregnancies though. With Joshua it was mainly my pelvis, as the ligaments relaxed in preparation for labour the joints would scrape against each other and that was quite painful.

With Hannah now I've also had the pelvis problem, although the pain has been more at the back of my pelvis, instead of in the middle, and what has also caused the most pain this time has been lying down, in any position... But in addition I've had a pinched nerve in my lower back which has caused quite a lot of pain at times. I've actually been to the physio a few times to try and help with that, and I think that did help.

Because of the bad pain at night I've borrowed a walking stick from Andrew's mom, just to help with the first few meters mainly if I have to get up at night. Once I loosen up then I can generally move on my own, although still not necessarily comfortably. But Joshua has been so cute with fetching the stick for me at times. But then he'll sometimes give it to me for 2 steps, and then he wants a turn, and I'm left stranded ;o) It's very funny to see him imitating me ;o)

It's an interesting question as to which pregnancy had more pain... At the time with Joshua I thought it was really bad, and at times with Hannah I've thought it was really bad. My day time movement has been for the most part easier this time round, but the nights have been really bad. Andrew seems to think this one has been worse, but that may just be because he's seen me at night, whereas with Joshua it was more evenly spread, so he didn't necessarily see the true picture. So I actually really can't tell you if one was worse than the other, or if they were about equal. They were different, I guess that's all I can say. (But I will be glad to have it over!)

In terms of fetal movement it's been quite different. Joshua was very active, with lots of kicks and very visible movements. Hannah on the other hand has moved lots, but not the "active" kicks that Joshua did. Hers is more shifting positions regularly. Although in the last few weeks, since she's settled into her final position she's very often been sticking out either her foot or elbow on my left side. And not too gently either. The problem with having less padding is that if the baby is pushing out like that everything just gets pushed with it, and I think it's more uncomfortable, even sore at times. Joshua also got LOTS of hiccups, but Hannah hasn't really. I think she's just been a lot quieter in general! But there are some things that get her excited. A few months ago I went to a piano recital, and WOW did she get excited! And then also when we were looking at names I was sitting making a list on my own one morning and saying them out loud. And when I suggested Hannah she actually responded to it. That's not why we went with the name in the end, but she definitely did like it ;o)

But despite saying that she's moved less violently than Joshua did, I did get a video of her moving around last Sunday, in one of her more active moods. This is really all her! I was only breathing, which you can hardly see...

Unfortunately Joshua hasn't been patient enough to really feel her move. He's been very good though in coming to understand what's happening. We've been talking a lot about the baby being in Mommy's tummy, and we chose her name quite a few months ago, so that we could refer to her with a name to make her more real for him. For the most part he calls her "Hammah", but he occasionally gets the "n" sound right. But if you ask him what's in Mommy's tummy he'll say it's the baby, or baby Hannah, or just Hannah. And in the last few weeks he's also been talking about her as a real person, like us doing this with her and him showing her things.

We also got a book out the library about a family who has a baby, and so we've been looking at that often, and explaining that I'll be going to the hospital etc, and he's going to come and visit, and then we'll bring her home. I actually really do think that he understands quite well. It's still going to be a major shock to the system when it actually happens, but I think he's been as prepared as possible.

We wanted to move Joshua into his own room with a few months to spare so that he wouldn't feel that he'd been ousted in favour of the baby. And he's completely settled in his own room. When we were getting the nursery all ready he was happy to refer to it as Hannah's room, and to know that he has his own bed and his own room. I must say I'm also very glad we moved him out of the cot and into the bed when we did, because since then it's become difficult to even bend over and kiss him lying on his bed. Imagine if I was trying to reach him down at the bottom of the cot!

A couple other small things. With Joshua I did develop that dark vertical line on my tummy, and my skin was SO itchy! But with Hannah I haven't got that line, and my skin has been very comfortable. The itch is probably very much related to how much stretching my skin has had to do. I have got mild stretch marks with both, despite using cream to prevent them, but I think they were worse with Joshua. In general I think my skin has just been happier and healthier this time round, which has been great.

So I think that's my story. If we do decide to have another baby it will be interesting to see how that one compares. One thing that every mother has said to me is that every pregnancy is different. And I can definitely attest to that!

And now it's the final countdown... Our last little while as a 3-people family. Yesterday we impulsively had this "portrait" done while we were out shopping.

I think we're as ready as we can be - but every family will know that you're never really ready... So wish us luck ;o)