It's a boy

On the 21st July my beautiful baby boy was born at 2:19pm by C-section.  Darcy Leigh weighed 7.4lbs (3.4kg), 51cm long - he is perfect.  Everything went according to plan for both of us.

Tomorrow he will be 3 weeks already - he is feeding very well (every 3 hrs!) and gaining weight nicely - he is a good baby only cries when he wants to be fed.

Few hours old

3 days

with his big brother (3yrs)

24 weeks today only 99 days left!

It is going along so fast I can’t believe it. 

Everything is going along very nicely – I had my 22 week check up and all was good – she had the report from 19 weeks which just confirmed that the baby is going and expected.  We did an ultrasound at the 22 week appt (pictures below) and he/she was very active – which is great to see but am I ready to two highly active children!

I am now starting to gain weight – gain 5kg at the my appt and I am really starting to put weight on now – need to try and keep it a check on it but it is really hard especially when all I can really eat is white starchy carbohydrates...  (Though the margarine on the hot cross buns is probably not helping) – I am not too worried as I am pretty determined that once the baby arrives I will getting straight back to WW and finishing the job that I started 18 months ago – I want to be active part of my children’s lives not a bystander.

I am still feeling really good – a bit tired but that is more due to working long hours at the moment – my feet and ankles are swelling a lot these days so no more enclosed shoes..... Apart from that not having any issues at all (apart from the food thing but that is clearly here to stay).

20 Weeks

20 weeks already – time is flying along – I am over the half the way marks already and only have 18 weeks to go!   I am feeling really good – still tiered but not as much – I am still limited on what I can eat but I have to say not such a bad thing as it is keeping my weight down.  I have noticed some swelling in ankles and feet mainly when I have been sitting at my desk working for too long without a break – I need to keep a check on the fluid retention.

Baby is moving lots now can feel some definite kicking going on – quite active though at this stage not as active as my son (he never stopped moving).  I purchased a Foetal heart monitor from Asia – really cool though takes me ages to find the heart beat.  I have changed my mind on the sex I am now thinking it is boy – the heart rate was between 90 – 130 which indicates a boy and I did the ring test again and it is definitely swinging – I was sure it was going in circles last time – anyway time will tell – as long as she\he is alive and well I really don’t care.

I had the big scan last week and we passed with flying colours – everything was doing was it should be doing and everything was in the right place.  I managed to finally after 3 pregnancies get some really good ultrasound picture – they are so clear - I am so impressed – you really image what the baby is going to look like when they are born.  I did not find out the sex – I was in two minds on the day though I did say the whole time that I was not going to find out – as soon as she asked I instantly said NO.  I did not look way when she went to measure the legs I figures if we seen then all good otherwise we wait – we did not see a thing – too much shadowing so we probably would not have found out anyway.

Feel great and everything is going along very well.

Rubbing her eye - so cute!

Head

Leg

Foot

18 weeks

18 weeks today – everything seems to be ticking along quite nicely.  I finally told everyone at work that I am pregnant and will be taking 6 months off came the 1^st July.  They were all shocked as they had no idea that I was pregnant and I was this far along.  I find it interesting how people react when a single person announces they are pregnant compared to married person (or a person in a relationship) – I don’t get a lot of congratulation like the other girl in office does who was recently married and is 5 weeks further along them me.  I get really well that a shock or was that planned or my favourite did you use the same donor – I mean really people do I ask if you used the same husband\partner – I do get a congratulation but it is really and after through – ohhh well congratulations then.  I find it really hard to tell people as I really can’t be bother with the reaction – then people wonder why I don’t say anything....  Anyway I am feeling a bit sensitive today.

This is what is happening at 18weeks:

http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/fetaldevelopment/18weeks/

This week, you officially begin your fifth month of pregnancy. Your baby may have reached 15 cm from crown to rump by now, and he can both feel and hear. Admittedly at the moment, all he can hear is your heartbeat and the flow of your digestive system but soon he'll be able to detect noise outside the womb and identify your voice

A mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan is often done sometime in the second trimester (usually between 18 and 20 weeks) to assess fetal growth and development, screen for certain birth defects and check the placenta and umbilical cord. During this scan, you might see your baby kick, flex, reach, roll, or even suck her thumb.

If you're having a girl, the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes are in place.
If it's a boy, the genitals are distinct and recognisable.

 

17 weeks

17 weeks now – I had my 16 weeks appt (1 week late!) with my OB on Monday – my blood pressure is good, I am down 1kg on their scales though up 1.5 on my scales so really my weight is still stable.  She did a scan of the baby and she\he is now 10cm which is spot on apparently – she\he was moving around a lot – gave us a little wave – very cute but very active.  My son was very active as well and still is!!   My next appt is at 22 weeks.

I am feeling really good – still tired but hardly any Nausea at all – I am feeling lots of air bubbles at the moment (have been for a while) but no actual movement – I am sure that will happen over the next month.  Food is still an issue.....

I am preparing my son new bed room – my brother and sister have been over helping me paint (two tone blue) and assembly flat packs – he has the cutes Elmo bed, blue chest of draws and a red book case – I am planning on moving all his bits in there over the weekend and then move him in there as well – he will coming out of the cot into his bed!  His cot broke late last week so he can get himself in and out now – thinks he is pretty cool – he has been good though had to return him to bed a couple of times...no dramas..

All in all life is pretty good..

15 Weeks

Gee time is flying along and I have not updated for over 3 weeks. 

I am now 15 weeks – feeling good most days - I have the odd bad day but on the whole the nausea is very minimal.  I am still really tired most of the time and struggle to get out of bed in the morning for work!  I was sleep well until the last couple of nights but I think that is more work stress that baby sleep issues...

The food situation is about the same still can’t eat a lot of things and now finding that even things like onion, capsicum, olives etc.. I can’t handle so I am just sticking to basic vegetables and salads – it is not so bad it really more the junk food that is the real problem – which really I should not be eating anyway.

I had my scan at 12 weeks and all is very positive – the risks are low so it was recommended against an amniocentesis – I am happy with that...  The baby looked good in the ultrasound – has all it bits and is looking very healthy – my next scan is at 19 weeks (11^th March) – I am hoping to get some good photos next time – the 12 weeks one are not very clear – apparently she\he (I do think it is a she)  was sitting right back in the uterus – good for the ultrasound but not good for photos....   

All is good – I have started to buy some bits and pieces and I swapped some old furniture with my cousin for a box of newborn nappies and new infant clothes (she just had a baby but her daughter  was 10 pounds so did not last very long in newborn nappies and 0000!)

11.5 weeks

Been a bit slack of blogging my progress......no reason really just find that I am quite tired in the evening and don’t have the energy do much more than slouch on the coach.

I am now 11 ½ weeks – I have had my first appointment with my OB which went well – I am using the same OB that I used for my son and going back to the same hospital (Glengarry) – she is a great doctor and the midwives at Glengarry at really really good – there was no messing around when the released that my son was very sick and need some urgent attention (He was born with immature lungs).  They were really impressed with my weight loss (30kg) down from when I gave birth to my son.  Blood pressure is good – had a look at the baby (pics below) and everything is looking great – at 10 weeks he\she was 4cm – has arm and legs and even gave us a little wave...  I had booked in for my C-Section on the 21^st July 2011 – I will be 38 weeks...

Next Tuesday I am going for the ultrasound for the first trimester screening – being 40 puts you into a whole new category of risks – hopefully everything will go well with the scans and blood test – fingers crossed...

I am feeling not too bad at all – the nausea is certainly easing – still coming in waves but for the most part of the day I don’t feel too bad – my energy level is low but saying that I do work full time and look after a house and two kids so I suppose my energy level is going to take a bit of beating at the moment..  I am having a real problem with food though - there is not much that I can eat that I actually enjoyed – most food has this really awful smell and taste – I can even describe or relate what the smell and taste is like  – it is so distorted there is nothing I can compare it to.....  The types of foods that I can’t handle any more:

Milk (including flavoured), cream, cheese (unless mixed through something), yoghurt, pasta, eggs, couscous, ham, coffee, diet coke (actually  most soft drinks), any pastries (pies, sausages roll, quiches, spring rolls etc..), sausages, I & J fish, hot chips, potato chips, anything deep fried, hamburgers, kebabs’ – pretty much all takeaway just stinks... some bread (mainly if it contains grains)...  (I know that a lot of this I should not be eating anyway...)

What can I eat – rice, rice & rice, most vegetables (except pumpkin), most fruit (except pineapple) – eating a lot of peaches and nectarines, meat pizza (strange as it does smell but taste OK), most meat as long as it is not marinate or contains any spices, white bread, crumpets, margarine, some ice-cream (bulla cookie & cream) – basically as long as it is fresh and pretty bland I can eat it...

My diet is very boring but I have to say that I am not really that hungry so it is not too bad – on the upside though I have not gain any weight at all – I have actually even managed to lose a couple of kgs....       

Wish me luck for Tuesday – fingers crossed all is good – really don’t want to be faced with that decision....