Pregnancy Update 32 Weeks

I achieved a few big milestones this week. First of all is hitting the 8 month mark of my pregnancy…yes, can you believe we’re almost at the pointy end and delivery could literally be within the next 8 weeks…a scarey thought in itself!

The second milestone is turning the big 4-0. Yes, not many of you know that I am going to be an older mum. I recently wrote a blog over at Kidspot on just that and when really is the right time to have a child. It’s a contencious issue some times with it often being said that women who leave it as long as I have are selfish. Then there is the other end of the spectrum where people say if you have a child when you are young then you miss out on so many experiences. To be honest, there is no right or wrong time. As a woman, you kind of grow up with these dreamy expectations of how life is going to be. What your wedding day will look like, how your pregnancy will be and life in general with your family. You kind of make a plan in your head for how it’s all going to pan out. The reality can be quite different to the dreamy version. It definately was for me. I grew up wanting to start a family at the age of 20, just like my mum was, and have a good relationship with my daughter, one where you are more like best friends or sisters. Fast forward 20 years and here I sit today about to have my first child. Do I regret waiting this long? Absolutely not. I could barely look after myself at 20 let alone bring up a child. I’m actually glad that it hasn’t happened until now. Not only am I more mentally and financially capable, but I also have an amazing person to share the experience with…that’s certainly something I didn’t have at 20 (or the 20 years in between either!). As for the thought of being 60 years old at my child’s 20th birthday, well I say rock on!

I have to share a funny event with you that took place this week. But before I do, let me ask you a question. You have seen pictures of me right? Do you honestly think I look like I am carrying drugs?!? Then why do I always get pulled out of the line at the airport for random drug tests? It happened again this week. I went to pick up my friend from the airport and low and behold I get pulled aside for the drug test. They must look and say to themselves “that pregnant women is really carry bags of cocaine strapped to her belly”. Even when I said I wasn’t travelling, she said it didn’t matter. She was very polite though, asked how far along I was. I told her I had 8 weeks to go and she commented on how small I was. I’m really over people saying that! That I am a neat little package and having some mortified look on their face when I tell them I am less than 8 weeks away from giving birth. I feel like I am developing a complex over it! I keep bringing it up with my doctor, wondering if our baby is going to be tiny, and she said I am the perfect size and right where I need to be. She said because of my height (5 foot 8 inches) that I am carrying the baby really well and that people seem to think I am small probably because of that.

Speaking of my doctor, I had an appointment with her this week..just the standard 4 weekly check up. She seems very happy with the progress. The baby seems to be in the correct ejection position right now, which is ready to do the swan dive head first. Being that she is bigger and room is limited in my tummy, we’re hoping that she won’t squirm around as much at the next ultrasound and that we might get some good shots of her. My last two urine tests have come back with a bit of blood in them, this last one more so. It apparently means the baby is putting a bit of pressure on my kidneys. Well it’s been sent off to pathology anyway and we shall see what they come back with. I’ve been a little cautious as to how much weight I have been gaining and not taking the “eating for two” to heart. I heard a good weight gain is between 10-12kg. I’ve so far put on 9 kg and, if going by what the books say, the baby should put on about 250g per week from here on which will bring me in on target.

Here’s me on the night of my 40th birthday. I have to tell you the story about the dress I am wearing. You see, I bought it at the end of last year as my goal dress. It was the dress I was going to fit into when I had lost some weight. Well, here I am pregnant and wearing it! The truth is, with the maternity tights I am wearing that suck all my bits in, it does fit me….just!

How big is the baby: Bub is about 44 cm long (17.25 inches) and approximately 1,900 grams in weight (1.9 kg or 4lb 3 oz), which is the size of a durian fruit…although to be honest, the tummy is starting to get heavy and feel like a massive watermelon in their.

Sickness: I’ve still got the dreaded lurgie. It’s a battle I have been trying to win for weeks now and I am trying every possible home remedy I can in addition to the antibiotics to shake it. I read somewhere that it’s not uncommon for a woman to get a cold at this stage of the pregnancy because the baby is apparently sucking up all her immune system to protect itself from the woman’s body rejecting it as a foreign entity.

Movement: Lot’s of movement. In fact, I think I have felt her hiccupping a few times. It’s like a pulse that lasts for a few minutes. I have started taking video of any movement she makes so we can show her when she is older.

Sleep: Because of my cold, I’ve found it really hard to sleep this week, maybe catching an hour here and there during the night (and even the day). Any longer than that and I get all congested and go through this coughing fit.

Cravings: Fresh fruit has been high on my list this last week and I haven’t really been able to do anything about it with my chest infection as my throat is red raw from coughing and swallowing is not something I am enjoying right now. I went quite a few days on just liquids like soup, hot tea, porridge…just soft foods that are easy to get down my throat.

What did you buy this week: Nothing this week….a shopping free week yeah!! However I’m still worried we don’t have enough long leg/sleeve onsies for when she pops out.

Highlight of the Week: Hearing her heart beat at the latest doctor appointment. Always nice to hear and know she is doing well.

What we’re looking forward to: It’s hard to believe that in less than 8 weeks we will be bringing a baby home….possibly less if I end up having to have a csearian. I feel like it has come around so quickly and there is still so much I need to do in my business before she arrives. We’re very excited though, although I can’t deny I am not nervous about the whole delivery aspect. Am sure everything will work out just fine though.

Have fun!