Bath Time

The very first time Isabella had a bath in hospital she cried and cried. Each time from then on she has started to like it more and more. Now she kicks and plays and really seems to have fun.

This photo was taken on the 17th December 2005 as her Oma was giving her a bath. Both of them enjoyed it.

Isabella's First Christmas

We had our first Christmas with Isabella, something that was very special. Our first Christmas together as our own little family. Christmas Eve was spent with Jochen's family, as that is when the Germans typically celebrate Christmas. We made a starter of Brushetta and an entree of cocktail prawns and everyone was so full that we didn't get to the roast meats and salads that were to come until about 10.00pm that night. Christmas Day lunch was at Mum's and we had the most wonderful feast, followed by presents and then Mum's very yummy Christmas Pudding. Big pig that I am I had two serves. That night we were meant to head back to Jochen's parents but we were both so tired and full that we decided to stay at home instead.

This photo of Bella was taken as we were unwrapping our presents at Mum's, she just loved being surrounded by all the wrapping paper. Next year she may actually be a little more interested in the presents that she receives.

Oh and don't blame me for the clothes that she was wearing on the day... her Aunty Kell dressed her and thought that she looked wonderful. Can't say that I really agreed but then I still think she is gorgeous no matter what she is wearing.

Welcome to the World

Jochen and I would like to proudly introduce to the world our beautiful daughter

Born at West Gippsland Hospital on Monday 7th November 2005 at 2.43pm. I will post all the details of her birth soon - lets just say that it certainly wasn't one of the best experiences of my life, well not until we got to hold her anyway.

I'm so sorry that I haven't written anything for so long or posted any pictures or anything at all. This little girl is such a time eater... the days just fly by.

Once we start to get into a routine hopefully I will be able to find the time to bore you all with all the details of just how gorgeous she is and all the wonderful things that she does. But for now I will leave you with a couple of photos of her. The first taken on 9th November, two days after she was born is referred to by me as the 'chicken photo'.


The second taken on 12th November, 5 days after she was born shows her up close and personal.

Awww, isn't she gorgeous!!!! But boy has she changed in just over 7 weeks.

41 Weeks

Today I'm 41 Weeks pregnant.... one whole week overdue and I've been Braxton Hicksing like a trouper. But that is the problem... they are only Braxton Hicks. Ernie just does not seem keen to leave the premises but I'm planning an eviction for about Wednesday if she can't get her act into gear by herself.

Ernie and the Melbourne Cup

Here's a funny story that I think is worth sharing about our little Ernie and the Melbourne Cup which I forgot to blog about earlier.

Jochen has his last day shift on Sunday 30th October, before he started his time off in anticipation of the little ones arrival. When he got home I asked him if he had put her in the work sweep. His reply was something along the lines of "funny you should say that, wait there I've got something to show you." I was on the couch as wasn't going anywhere. He came back and gave me two pieces of paper which listed who had drawn which horse. Right at the top of the first page next to the name of Makybe Diva (the favourite for the race) was 'Junior Jock'. Wow - could she have done any better. Makybe Diva was attempting to do what no other horse had done before and win three consecutive races and was definitely the sentimental favourite.

So Tuesday the 1st November came and the race was on. We both sat on watched the race live on TV, me cheering like a nutter for a Makybe Diva to win. Wouldn't you know it she did and I think that little Ernie must be one of the luckiest little girls around. I think she was probably the first unborn child to win Jochen's work sweep - which I think is pretty funny. Ernie now claims something like $30. I hope she doesn't spend it all at once, that is if she can manage to get it off her father. The amazing thing is that Jochen had only initially put his and my names in, it was only when the organisers said that they had a couple of extra places that he put in other $2 for Ernie to go in the draw as well.

Anyway because it is such a historic event I thought I'd include a picture of Makybe Diva and her jockey Glen Boss.

4 Days Overdue

So today I'm 4 days overdue and she doesn't look like coming any time soon. A couple of days ago I thought it might have been happening when I had Braxton Hicks contractions every 5 minutes for about 2 hours but it fizzled into nothing. I wonder if when it really does happen that I'll be so relaxed because I'll just think it is more Braxton Hicks. I'm still pretty happy being pregnant although I am getting more and more uncomfortable as she runs out of room. I wish the head butting of the cervix would stop that would have to be one of the most unpleasant things.

I forgot to tell you about my last OB visit on Monday. Everything is still fine and she still has plenty of amniotic fluid around her which is good. Her heart beat and my blood pressure are fine and she is still measuring 38 weeks. The midwife thought that I wouldn't be having her anytime soon as she said I looked 'far too happy'. Hmm..... Dr Simon must have been having a really good day as his bedside manner was the best that I'd ever seen it. Laughing and smiling. We discussed what I wanted to happen as I was over my due date - he would be happy to induce at any time or let me go as long as I need to to go into spontaneous labour. I think I'll compromise at around 10 days if we get to that point. I'll also be monitored more closely now just to make sure that she is okay. On Friday we will be having a CTG of her heart to make sure she is not distressed and then we will seen Dr. Simon again on Monday and decide at that appointment when I would be induced if she doesn't come all by herself. I'd rather not be induced but I really don't want a horribly overcooked baby either, who by the way will be still getting a bit bigger each day. Smaller is better.

Anyway I thought that would post this picture of me taken yesterday I as I was dancing around getting tea ready. It's been a bit hot and I don't have much in the way of summer maternity wear so I was trying to keep cool.


Jochen thought that I looked pretty funny so he took this photo.

40 Weeks and Still Waiting

Well today, I can't believe that I'm actually saying this but - I'm 40 Weeks pregnant. That is just so amazing. Today is my due date. Thought perhaps that she might be one of the 3-5% that actually come on the day that they are due but I don't think that this is going to happen. Actually I did originally think that she might come early but that is definitely not going to happen now.

Last night Ernie was a little minx for a couple of hours, causing me extreme pain. Think she was head butting my cervix again and it was the sharpest pain it just took my breath away. She has done it a few times today as well but nothing like what it was yesterday thank goodness. The pain of her head butts were also setting off Braxton Hicks so I had that all happening as well.

Today I've been a bit cleany - wonder if I am nesting again. I've vacuumed the entire house this morning and sorted things out, trying to make each room look sort of tidy. Next I'm going to clean up the study because it is just so messy that I can't stand it anymore. I'm sick of things being all over the place although I know we are getting to the finishing end of the extension and renovation I'm just getting a bit sick of hammers, screw, nails and other bits and pieces being found all over the house. The last three days were quite good as now the laundry floor is tiled and all the curtains are up, although some of them still need to have their pelmets put up. Even Ken the electrician showed up on Friday to do some more work - although he still isn't finished yet. Sometimes I wonder if Ken will ever get finished.

Anyway, we continue with the waiting game called pregnancy. Who knows if my next blog entry will be about our daughters arrival or about me still waiting.

Update - We took these photos that night so I thought I'd post them so you can see just how huge I am at 40 weeks pregnant.

The Belly - Oh my goodness I look so big....


The Full Length Shot - Don't look so big with the tee shirt pulled back down... Where has that belly gone?

Go On - Guess Ernie's Name....

Alright... whilst I'm waiting for her arrival I'm putting out the challenge to guess what her first and middle name will be. To actually state it before hand and not just say... "I knew you were going to call her that" once she is here and her name is finally known.

Go on.. guess... and then we can see if anyone actually gets it right once she has arrived.

Getting Closer Still

So I just wanted to let you all know that nothing has happened yet. We are still here and I still think it is just a matter of when. I've double checked my bags and put them back in the car ready for whenever she decides that it is time for us to head to the hospital.

We saw Dr. Simon on Monday and everything was still fine. He actually seemed to be in a pretty good mood and we even got a smile or two from him as well. Ernie's heart beat is still good and yet again he checked how much amniotic fluid was surrounding her with the ultrasound as she was still measuring a bit on the small side. It was fine and it was nice to get a quick glimpse of her. When I told him about the Braxton Hicks contractions that I had been having he said that he thought things were progressing well and that he might see me before our next appointment on Monday. We will just have to see .

Yesterday I was really restless, bored, tired and just didn't want to stay at home so we went and did some things that needed organising for the house. We have ordered blinds for the ensuite and bathroom now and went and looked at screen doors for the front door. We also went and hired a TENS machine from the Latrobe Regional Hospital so that when I go into labour we can get the TENS machine going early which helps to increase its effectiveness. If we had gotten the free one from Warragul Jochen would have to have driven to Warragul and back, about an hours drive all up, once I had gone into labour which wouldn't have been as good.

Speaking of Jochen he was sure that yesterday was going to be the day. In the morning when nothing had happened Jochen was saying that it was still early, in the afternoon he was still saying that it was still early yet. By the end of the day he had decided that I was just going to start labour and would have her today. As you can tell - he seems to have been wrong on all counts. Although last night I had more uncomfortable Braxton Hicks contractions after I went to bed but they didn't progress and eventually went away. Ernie has also been causing me a bit of pain, I'm sure she is head butting my cervix every now and again and I have to tell you that it hurts that much that it takes my breath away. Last night was also a ripper in the toilet stakes. I literally had to get up every hour and go to the toilet.

I have been so tired today that I really haven't done anything except lay around on the couch and rest. I think I woke up Jochen a few times as well which was a bit unfortunate. I think he is probably happy to be on night shift tonight as at least I won't be disturbing him. I just hope that she doesn't decide that she wants to come in the next 18 or so hours as otherwise Jochen will be extremely sleep deprived which wouldn't be good for any of us.

Anyway I promise to let you know when she has arrived and will post pictures as soon as possible - oh yeah and I'll even tell you her name.......

7 Days or could that be 17?

So it is now 7 days until my due date and the countdown has well and truly begun... although I must admit it is a little hard to have a proper countdown when you don't exactly know which day you are counting down to..... I just know though that it is getting close.

I've had lots of friends and family calling over the last few days especially to wish me luck and let me know that they are thinking of us which has been lovely. I've been getting lots of good advice about getting through labour and focusing on the outcome. I'm not so scared now... especially after my interesting Braxton Hicks on Tuesday morning and the way I handled them... although I don't know if that really compares as they weren't really painful just slightly uncomfortable... but I was just really scientific about them and a little bit detached. So if I'm like that when it gets to the real thing I'll hopefully be fine. I do however really have to get to making sure everything is in my bag ready for the hospital, I planned on doing it on Thursday but it just didn't end up happening as I was so busy.

I really stuffed up on Thursday and have learnt my lesson.... I just felt like there were all these things that I needed to do or things that just ended up happening during the day like....

• Chiropractor appointment
  
• Get a hair cut as this hadn't been done for ages and I had all these feral split ends
  
• Follow up on things that needed finishing like calling the electrician who I left a message to see when he would be here to finish (I still haven't heard back from him)
• Calling our Wedding photographer who still hasn't finished all our wedding photos even though we will have been married for 2 years in December. When she did come later that afternoon to bring me what I hoped would be all of it she hadn't done it right part of it now has to be redone. Arrrhhhh......
  
• Cook Jochen a nice dinner after his Day Shift which included doing some grocery shopping
  
• Help Kell with her Assignment by taking lots of digital photos of our ensuite
  
• Pick up stuff from the Chemist
• Tidy up the house
• Do some laundry
  
• Visit from Jochen's mum
  

Now this might not sound like very much but I was exhausted at the end of the day as I didn't get a chance to have the lay down that I really needed after two nights of being up to go to the loo every 1 1/2 to 2 hours..... arhhhh.... Anyway that night I was so over tired I ended up in tears and was achy all over (you should have seen me walking - I looked like I was a little old woman) and just couldn't get to sleep. So at about 11pm I got up and had a soak in the bath until 1.30am when I was finally able to go to bed and get some sleep after a slight detour via some biscuits. The lesson has however been learnt, I must not overdo things and have to at least have a bit of a rest during the day and as Jochen told me 'nothing was that important that it couldn't have waited another day or so', well all except Kell's assignment that is.

So yesterday I made up for it and did absolutely nothing. Not a thing. Can't even remember what I didn't do.... oh except we did go and pick up the floor tiles for the laundry after Jochen got home from work and I did follow up to see when we might be getting our curtains for the rest of the house - hopefully before next Friday. I suppose I'm trying to tie up as many loose ends as possible although this doesn't seem to be happening and I'm feeling a little frustrated, I'd just like to have so much finished before she arrives and I don't think that is going to happen - you would have thought nine months would have been enough time to get things done but it really hasn't.

Think it is probably time that I went and had a soak in the bath, read a book and relaxed - there are just too many things that I can't do anything about. Actually I'm even going to ring Jochen and see if he wants to go out for tea tonight... you never know it might be our last chance in a while.

OB Update

So yesterday did turn out to be a very busy day in the end.

We headed off Warragul to order our tiles for the laundry and then to Melbourne and Baby Bunting to get any last minute things that I wanted and then headed to Chadstone for lunch and Fountain Gate to buy Jochen some new shoes. I've finally bought the letters for her name ready to put on her bedroom door, I had made some but I didn't really like them that much in the end and I was missing a letter and whenever I tried to get it, it was never available. So now I'm happy. We also ended up buying a porta cot which will be really useful in the family room and if we go anywhere for the night and lastly a sleeping bag for her jogger/stroller.

We timed things really well and ended up back at Warragul in plenty of time for our obstetrician appointment. As I suspected things are fine although Dr. Simon was a little bit concerned that she was only measuring 37 weeks when she was over 38 weeks. He did a quick ultrasound to make sure that there was still enough amniotic fluid around her and then was happy when I explained how I had been feeling eg. able to eat more, sore tendons around my uterus and a downward pressure which I suspect is on my cervix. So it is unusual he said but she has dropped although from what I read this morning she has not 'engaged' as she will measure more like 34 weeks when that happens.

This morning in bed from about 6.30am to 8.00am when I finally got up, I was having much stronger braxton hicks contractions. They would come in waves and would peak with the level of discomfort, it wasn't really painful, just like the intensity of cramps. At one point they were about 3-5 minutes apart but weren't really consistent, when I got out of bed they basically went away. So my body is definately practicing but hasn't quite got there yet.

I also had a very strange dream last night about the baby. Her head appeared out of my side and I could see her whole face - it was quite freaky really. I was even talking to her before she seemed to just come out by herself and run around and talk to me. I asked her when she would be coming but she said 'not yet' meaning immediately but I really had the feeling that she was also saying that it could be soon. It was amazing what conversation skills she had for an unborn child. It really was a queer dream.

Anyway I'm going to make sure my bags are properly packed as of today - just so that I'm ready.

The Calm Before the Storm

The storm of

.... Dirty nappies

.... Crying baby

.... Sleepless nights

.... Not knowing why she is crying

.... Feeds which go on forever

.... And lots and lots and lots of love..........

I'm getting very excited. Still trying not to think too much about the actual birth but focusing on meeting our little girl. I'm at 38 Weeks now and the time is still going really quickly. I think that Ernie is starting to run out of room as I'm getting lots of squirmy type movements as well as hits and kicks and even I suspect a bum up near my ribs. Funnily enough I can't believe that I can still touch my toes.... Think that is pretty amazing considering the mass that I'm now carrying around in front of me.

I have an obstetrician visit today and I'm sure that Dr. Simon will tell me that everything is going well. I'm not expecting any bad news. I'm also hoping that Jochen and I can do a quick trip to Melbourne today to pick up the very last of the things that I want to decorate her room, but it really depends on how he is feeling. We will also be ordering the tiles for the laundry floor and hopefully they will arrive quickly and the laundry will be able to be finished off. So it might be a bit of a busy day.

Nesting?

I suspect that I have been nesting today....

Yesterday I was really restless, was looking for things to do but just couldn't settle properly and didn't want to take on anything too overwhelming eg. cleaning the laundry or the pantry. Finally I decided on doing some family history which was good and helped me feel like I was achieving something.

Today though it actually occurred to me as I was cleaning out the clothes in our walk-in-robe, that I was probably nesting as cleaning out the clothes in my cupboard is not something I'm normally anxious to do. I rang Jochen at work to tell him as I thought it was pretty funny and he suggested that I do some nesting in the garage and clean it up - as it seriously needs it.

Anyway it will be interesting to see if I keep nesting and if it actually indicates anything.

3 Weeks To Go - Week 37

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. I'm 37 weeks pregnant and the weeks are still flying by. Some people have told me that for them the last few weeks went by really slowly but this doesn't seem to be happening to me.

So anyway, at 37 weeks what is Ernie up to. Well according to Pregnancy.org -

• This week she is about 2859gm and 48.6cm long.
• She is officially full term now but can still benefit from extra days in the womb. She would no longer be considered premature if I was to go into labour now.
• Our little girl continues to practice breathing movements. Isn't it amazing how she can breathe "under water?" All this practice is apparently what gives her the hiccups so often.
• Her grasp is firm now. It won't be long until I'll feel that little fist grasping my finger.
  

I'm spending a lot of time now wondering what she will be like. What sort of personality will she have? Is she going to needs lots of sleep like I always have? Is she going to look more like Jochen than me? I just can't wait to meet her. As silly as it sounds I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking about it all. I'm such a sook - especially at the moment. I seem to get teary very easily particularly when I think about anything to do with our little girl. I'm also making the most of feeling her kick and watching my stomach move around with her movements. I think I'm going to miss that feeling - it is something very precious that I will always treasure.

Jochen has been working on finishing off some of the little touches in her room today, he stained and varnished the edging in her cupboard and did some painting. Tomorrow in between watching Bathhurst he will try and get her cupboard doors stained and varnished so that they can be put back up. During the week we actually had the electrician here working on all the unfinished things and now her room has her light up and a dimmer switch as well. So it is getting there and will hopefully be ready in time.

I'm very tired at the moment even though I'm sleeping quite well occasionally feel a bit faint. I went to drive to Warragul yesterday to look at tiles for the laundry floor and halfway there I turned around and came home again. I was just feeling too weird and didn't want to be responsible for driving a car. Today I fell asleep whilst watching car racing on the television - and it wasn't like it was really quiet either. I find that if I stand up for too long I get a lot more brackston hicks contractions so I need to lay down a fair bit to help them settle down. They are definitely getting stronger too so I don't think my body is going to have any trouble when it comes to the real contractions.

I'm trying hard not to think to much about the actual birth. I'm not in denial or anything I'm just so scared that I'm trying not to focus on it. I keep reminding myself that it is only 24 hours of my life and that I can cope with anything that may happen in a 24 hour period. What really gets on my nerves though is the people who tell me about all the other women who have done it etc. The only problem with this is that those people are not me.......!!!!!!!! I have never experienced it and although I have done lots of reading to understand the process no one can predict what a birth will be like before hand. It is that unknown that scares me so much. I wish we were designed with a zip... that would be so much easier.

Just after 36 Weeks

Saw Dr Simon again today and everything is still going well. Got the ultrasound results back and she is 'average' for her gestational age - I was very happy with average. Don't need an 'exceptional' or 'huge' - average is just fine by me. I heard her heart beating as usual and it is such a lovely sound to hear, my uterus is was measuring about a week behind, not that this seemed to worry Dr. Simon at all, so I'm not worried about that either. I asked him if he was able to tell how big she would be roughly at birth and he said that depending on when she came she would probably be between 7 and 8 lbs. Arhhh that seems awfully big to me..... And finally my blood pressure is still good at 100/70.

I met the student midwife who looked after Sharon when she had Sienna and I can understand why Sharon said she was so good. I think that I have now met everyone now that Sharon had helping her during the births of both of her children which is very funny as apparently there are about a hundred different midwives who work there at various times.

As I'm now on to the weekly rather than fortnightly visits I get to see Dr Mirza again next week. I'm looking forward to that as he is just so lovely, he well and truly has a much better bedside manner than Dr. Simon and I think deep down I hope that when it comes to the crunch that he is the one in the hospital looking after me.

Another Hospital Visit

But don't stress everything is fine.....

Yesterday I woke up at 3.30am and was really sick. It continued again at 6.00am, 8.00am and even at 11.00am after having taking some anti nausea tablets. Jochen was getting a little bit concerned but I wasn't too worried, figured that it was probably just something I ate or a 24 hour bug of some description.

By 3.30pm when I still hadn't managed to keep any liquid down and was having quite strong bracksten hicks contractions, I thought that it was probably time to give the maternity ward a call and see what I should do. I was told to put in my hospital bags and come straight to hospital.
So we arrived at the emergency department and they send me straight up to the maternity ward to make sure that the little one was okay. So we met Elenore the midwife, who looked after my cousin Sharon when she had her son Zac. Elenore was lovely and very reassuring - I hadn't overreacted by going to hospital. I was having the occasional 'proper' contraction which was a bit of a concern as was my state of dehydration but luckily my cervix had not dilated. So I was admitted, put on a drip, actually ended up having two full drip bags and was given an injection of an anti nausea medication. Thank goodness the medication worked and I stopped being sick which stopped the contractions, which meant that I wouldn't have to have further medication to stop the contractions. By about 5.30pm I was able to eat a bit of food and keep it down. They were going to keep me in overnight but I really wanted to be at home where I would be a bit more comfortable. Because I wasn't sick anymore and had eaten Dr. Pearson (coincidentally the doctor who had been on duty when Mum gave birth to me) let me come home. So at 9.00pm after a long and tiring day of feeling absolutely awful, I was on my way home again feeling a little better

I didn't sleep well last night, even in my own bed. Was too sore and uncomfortable. Got up finally at 2.00am and had a bath but that didn't really seem to help very much. I finally managed to get some sleep on the couch between 3.30am and 5.00am when I woke up and went back to bed. I probably should have stayed on the couch as I didn't sleep anymore after that. So I've been really tired today but I've been at Mum's being looked after, as our floors are being polished and I don't want to be around all the smell. I've been able to come home tonight though but probably won't be home much over the next few days.

OB Visit

So today we had an OB visit but not with Dr. Simon, who was away. Instead we saw Dr. Mirza who is the hospital maternity department resident or something similar. I have to say he was absolutely lovely and Jochen and I both agreed that we probably like him better than Dr. Simon who doesn't seem to have much of a bedside manner, although he does seem to know his stuff. If we end up having Dr. Mirza look after us when she does decide to arrive I won't be unhappy about it, he is just really quietly confident but explains things really well.

Anyway as for the little madam, she is still head down, kicking around with a good heart beat. I still seem to be measuring right for weeks and my blood pressure was even a little better at 105/70.

It is funny but I have this strange feeling that she might decide to come a little bit early as my body seems to be really getting ready, practicing contractions with a lot of bracksten hicks contractions still and the leaky breasts. I mentioned it to the midwife that we saw today, I think her name was Pat (couldn't quite warm up to her but I'm sure she would be fine) and she said it sounded like I might have an irritable uterus. Irritable is it? Well I would be irritable too if I had someone kicking the life out of me all the time.

Only 42 days to Go.....

Am I ready? I don't think so....

Is the time going quickly? Is it ever!

Am I as scared as hell? You betchya....

Is Jochen having to put up with a weepy sooky bub? Yep that would be me.

So we are at the 34 week mark and in general things are going really well. I'm pretty sure that my hormones are starting to play havoc with my emotions and giving me all the nausea and fatigue feelings again. Also not helped by the 5 or six trips to the toilet during the night and feeling very uncomfortable in bed. I would really have loved to have a soak in the bath the last couple of days to help me feel a little better but this has been impossible due to the fact that our bathroom and ensuite was finally being tiled. Hopefully I can hang out until tomorrow otherwise I might be tempted later this afternoon. It does look pretty amazing though. Just need to put in towel racks and things, which have been ordered and then get the floor polished which is happening on the 26th September. Our house will almost be finished on the inside by then which will be really nice after living in renovation land for the last 12 months or so.

Anyway as for Miss Ernie, this week according to pregnancy.org-

• She now acts completely like a newborn, with her eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. I may also find her settling into more of a routine for sleeping & awake times. Can't say that I have notice this yet.
  
• She has learned to blink. She can also see more clearly when there is a bright light on my stomach and probably has the outline of all my organs memorized so she knows just where to kick me to have the greatest effect.
• Antibodies from my blood are being transferred to her. These immunities continue to build until birth. Then breastmilk will add even more protection against disease.
• Our little girl may have already turned to a head-down position in preparation for birth - yep we know she has been here for the last four weeks. As she is our first baby, she may be settling into the pelvis with her head pressing against my cervix. It wouldn't surprise me if she is doing this too as it is getting mighty uncomfortable down there sometimes.
• Ernie's fingernails have reached the end of the fingertips now. She may scratch her face even before she is born.
• She is now about 45cm from head to toe and weighs about 2146 g.
  

Funnily enough according to information provided by Oxygen in about a year from now Ernie will be about 46 weeks old. She may be developing her motor-skills with games like patty cake, peek-a-boo, and waving bye-bye. She will probably also like pulling herself up, standing or even walking. It will be interesting to see where she is up to.

Today's Ultrasound

Today we had an ultrasound to check on Ernie's growth and it looks like everything is going well. The ultrasound lady Marion wasn't very forthcoming with information but it looks like she is fine developmentally for her gestational age and that importantly she seems to be surrounded by enough amniotic fluid. I still suspect that she is going to be a smallish baby as she was only measuring 32 weeks for some of the measurement. Although I have to say that the measurement for the top of her head was measuring 36 weeks, so hopefully that means she is going to be a real little smarty, just like her mum and dad (smile). We got Marion to double check that she was a girl and yes she is, got another good close up of the area in question and there was no doubt about what we were seeing. I just wanted to confirm it as I know that sometimes they can get it wrong..... I think the chance of us now being surprised with a little boy is pretty low now. At the end of the ultrasound Marion kept it on her face and let us have a really good look and I have to say that I think she looked absolutely sweet. But I'm just biased I suppose. Jochen thought she looked like me as a baby - we will have to wait and see.

Anyway I know it is hard to work out what you are seeing but this is a picture of Ernie aged 33 weeks and 6 days.

Most of what you can see is her head, the round circle in the middle towards the top is an eye, just left of the white patch is her nose and further left is her mouth. Further left of these is part of her arm which is pointing up.

I loved seeing her again. The next time that I see her will be in person.... how exciting is that.

General Update for 33 Weeks

So I've shown you Ernie's room but thought I should do a general update for the 33 Week and 3 Days mark as I haven't done this for a while.

Ernie has really grown and should look something like this at the moment.

Also according to pregnancy.org -

• The Amniotic fluid surrounding Ernie is at its highest level that it has been during my pregnancy.
• Ernie's head size has increased due to rapid brain growth.
• Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your Ernie's brain which will give her all the skills she needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, she may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing. What a big achievement that will be.
• While most of her bones are hardening, Ernie's skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier. I'm for anything that makes birth easier.
• Ernie takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development). She also has the hiccups a lot.
• Ernie is now about 43.7cm long from head to toe and weighs about 1918gm.
  

As for me, I noticed the strangest thing when I got up to go to the loo at 6.30am this morning. I knew it could happen but didn't know if it was going to happen to me. Some time during the early part of this morning my right breast started to leak and there was a great big wet patch on my tee-shirt. It looks like I may have been leaking a little bit for a few days already (out of both breasts) but I hadn't noticed until this morning. I think it can be said that I am now a colostrum making machine - good to know that my body is able to do this - although it could have waited until after she was born.

I've been on the look out for stretch marks on my belly or anywhere else for that matter but luckily there aren't any there yet and my innie belly button has not yet become an outie. Neither of these may actually happen but I've been on the look out. Thankfully I don't seem to be retaining fluid either, no swollen hands or ankles. If it is just this continuing nausea and fatigue then I think that I'm doing really well.

Jochen finally felt the full power of Ernie's kicks on Sunday night and it amazed him just how strong they were. We were in bed and he had his hand resting on my left side which is often where I feel her kicking. She gave a good kick and for some reason Jochen thought that I had done it (although how I could have done it I don't know). He seemed to be a bit surprised when I told him that I hadn't done anything and that it was his daughter giving me a kick or two as she often does. I think he can understand a little better why it hurts at times now. I have offered to give him a demonstration of how it feels on his ribs but he has yet to take me up on the offer.

I'm also getting better at being able to feel what is what down there. I'm sure I can feel her head which is already down. Sometimes depending on how she is laying I can feel her back then continue up and feel her bum, which is often located just under my ribs which I have to try and push down to a more comfortable position. We even get a foot kicking out at me on my left side, which looks really weird as does the general squirming and wiggling we get in the middle of my tummy. I love to lay in the bath and watch all the weird movements happening, it is something that I will never forget.

And finally, we were meant to be having a 3D ultrasound this Friday but I changed this to a normal ultrasound when I found out that we would only get pictures and not any video. I can't see that 3D photos would be much different from 2D ones especially at this late stage when there isn't much room to see anything apparently. Jochen and I talked about it and decided that having the video and pictures in 2D would be better than just having pictures in 3D and that Ernie might get more out of it when she has grown up. I am however looking forward to it anyway. It will be great to see how big she is and see her face in more detail. Hopefully we will also be able to confirm that she really is a girl - it still seems funny sometimes. Anyway I'll definitely post some pictures when we get back.

Ernie's Room

So I've been slowing working on making Ernie's room look nice and cozy and suitable for a little girl. The bookshelf just arrived last week and I've already filled it up with kids books and some of my old teddy bears, including Ernie. I bought a nice colourful rug for the floor and yesterday whilst we were in Melbourne looking for things for the house we dropped in at Baby Bunting so that I could get more wall decorations and the flower pot book ends. Actually they look so good I wouldn't mind another pair.

As you can see from the pictures the room isn't quite finished yet but it is getting there. We still need to stain and varnish the cupboard and bedroom doors, add shear curtains, the new light fitting and dimmer switch. This will happen in the next couple of weeks hopefully. At some stage we will also be adding picture rails but as we are having trouble finding what we want this may not happen until after she arrives.

The pram, car seat and bouncer will come out of the room and it will look even better. Take a look at the change table and bath - that bugger took me hours to put together with all its little bits and basic instructions.

Overall I'm pretty happy with the way her room is looking. Oh yeah and if you think the cupboard may be hiding all the junk - check this out.

All the clothes are washed and ready to go. The second car seat is ready to go into the Jackaroo and her bag is packed with everything that the hospital has said she will need during our stay. And just in case you are thinking it - yes I am probably nuts.

Monday's Meltdown and Wednesday's Wobbly

Everyone now and then when stupid little things get to much for me I have the occasional meltdown or wobbly. This week has been a bit of a ripper in that department.

Monday night after Jochen got home from work he had to deal with a pregnant wife having a meltdown. So what was I so upset about? Well it was simple really and can be summed up in one word. FOOD!!!!!! I was hungry, starving in fact. But I couldn't think of anything that I felt like. I was also suffering from heartburn and thought that more food would make it feel worse. Add in the extreme nausea and tiredness that I was feeling and you have a meltdown waiting to happen. Yes crying was involved as was feeling sorry for myself that food was such a problem for me. I just wanted to enjoy and want food again and not be so picky. Anyway Jochen found me crying in our room, looking miserable. Being the wonderful husband that he is he gave me a cuddle, let me cry some more, got me to laugh at myself and finally got me to go with him to the kitchen where I ate more of what I had been eating all day - some of mum's lovely nutloaf, a piece of toast with tomato on it and a drink of milo. Okay so it wasn't the most nutritional dinner that could have been eaten but at least I ate something. End of meltdown - for the moment.

Tuesday came and went.... everything was fine.... then Wednesday struck. Not food this time but my BIRTHPLAN. I'd been working really hard on it and had not had any interest or input from Jochen (or that is what it had felt like anyway.) I thought I'd covered most of the main points and asked Jochen to look at it to see if he agreed with what I had written. I felt like all I got from him was criticism which really hurt when I had put so much thought and effort into it. Needless to say the highlights of the Wobbly were screwing up the plan and putting it in the bin and locking Jochen out of our bedroom when he wanted to talk about it. Okay so I knew he could get in with the little latch on the outside of the door, so children can't lock themselves in accidentally - but it was symbolic. I've never done that before but I just needed some time to myself as I had I worked myself up into quite a state that I knew wasn't quite rational. Jochen gave me a little time to myself before he came in, gave me a hug, let me cry some more, and then together we sorted it all out. He wasn't criticising what I had done or disagreeing with what I wanted for us, he just thought the tone that the plan had been written in, which I had got the basis of from the internet, was very condescending to the midwives who may be helping us, which was something I definitely did not want. After re-reading it I had to agree and although the guts of it has remained the same I've now re-written it in my own words and we are both happier. What a silly thing to have a wobbly over but I suspect it may have been related to still being quite scared about the actual birth which is getting closer day by day and trying to control with a birthplan, the uncontrollable.

Thank goodness we have had Friday without any freakouts. Think I was having a bad couple of days and I'm glad that my hormonal madness seems to have subsided. Thank goodness Jochen is such a wonderful and understanding husband, he has really copped a raw deal lately.

Off to the Maternity Ward

So last night we went for a quick trip to the maternity ward.

All day I had been having lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, I get them quite frequently normally but nothing like what I was getting yesterday – particularly last night.

At nine o’clock after having had at least 15 Braxton Hicks in the previous hour, some that appeared to start just after the last one stopped, I thought I had better ring up the hospital to see if that was normal. I was a little surprised when they said that I should come down and get it checked out to make sure that I wasn’t in premature labour at 32 weeks. So we jumped in the car and headed to Warragul where the lovely midwife Helen put me on a monitor that measured but Ernie’s heartbeat and the pressure of the contractions. Of course I hardly had any contractions then, did I – which was typical. After about half an hour and only one or two contractions that were even remotely close to the pressure required for a proper contraction, Helen told me that it looked like everything was okay and I was allowed to go home. If I had been having normal contractions every 5 minutes or so I would have been sent to Melbourne where they would be better equipped to handle an 8 week prem baby. Needless to say the midwives who were there all suggested that I may want to get my bag packed ready just in case.  Let’s hope that we don’t need it.

On the positive side we got to finally see the new maternity ward which hadn’t been opened when we were having our tour of the hospital a few weeks ago. I can now also say I’ve actually been in one of the birthing rooms and know what to expect now when I really do need to go there. This makes me feel more comfortable about what needs to happen.

OB Update

Today I went to see Dr. Simon by myself as Jochen was on day shift, luckily it was pretty uneventful. So just after the 32 week mark I can report that everything is going just fine.

My uterus is still measuring right for weeks - which is always good to know, my blood pressure was 90/60 which is good for me.. not too low and the little Miss is still head down (as she has been since Week 30).

At our next OB visit at just after 34 Weeks Dr. Simon is going to be away so we will be seeing the hospital registrar who could possibly be on duty when I go into labour. I think that it is better to meet him now and not for the first time when I'm wearing very little and feeling pretty scared and vulnerable anyway. Also the Maternity Department should have moved into the new area by then so I'm going to see if we can have the tour that we weren't able to do during our last Antenatal class as they hadn't finished it yet.

Overall though I can say I'm feeling pretty good although I'm still suffering from nausea. I have come to the conclusion that this is just the way it will be for me, especially when I am tired. So I'm trying to get lots of rest. Which of course everyone is taking great delight in telling me to "do this while I can, because I won't get any after Ernie has arrived". It is like everyone is almost rubbing it in and laughing at the sleep deprivation that we have yet to experience. Yes I'm sure it will be hard, very hard, but I'm just as sure that like everyone else, Jochen and I will get through it.

So the Cot has Arrived

So this afternoon at about 4.30pm I got a call from Anne at Generation XY Plus to let me know that the cot had arrived from Brisbane. I was so excited that we jumped straight into the car and headed to Warragul to pick it and the mattress up.

Once we got it home Bennie decided that he would like to help me unpack it from all of its wrapping.

He was perhaps more of a hindrance than a help.

But finally I had all of the bits out ready for Jochen and I to put them all together.

It was so easy to put together, next thing you know we had this.

I think Jochen looks pretty happy with his handiwork too.

Hopefully Miss Ernie will have many nights of peaceful sleep here.

The OB and Breastfeeding

So today we had another appointment with the OB - Dr. Simon. Everything is going really well, Ernie is measuring right for dates, has a good heart beat and seems to be developing normally. Dr. Simon even managed a bit of a laugh today, normally he is so serious.

After our appointment we wandered around Warragul and decided to have lunch in a Cafe before our Breastfeeding class. Arrh I wish we hadn't. It would have to have been some of the worst food that I have had in a long time and Jochen's wasn't that much better either. We both thought that a hamburger for Jochen and a hot potato with sour cream and colesaw for me, couldn't be that hard to make and would be very hard to stuff up. We were wrong. Apparently it is much easier to make it look uninteresting and unappertising than we had given them credit for. Let's just say we certainly won't be going back there again.

Anyway after our awful lunch, I visited some of my old work colleagues, Vicky and Brooke before we headed off to our breastfeeding class. The class was really interesting although the way the woman who was giving us the information talked.... all with the same tone of voice... I found myself thinking about other things at times and really had to force myself to concentrate on what she was saying. We got to practice how to hold the baby whilst feeding, using little stuffed dolls, which was really funny. Picture Jochen holding a stuffed doll to his breast whilst he was busy fashioning a nipple with his tee-shirt. I had to try so hard not to crack up laughing... and off course the more he saw me trying to get myself under control, the more he continued doing it. Though all this I was also meant to be listening to the presenter give further information - let's just say it was quite difficult. By the time the class was finished - a half an hour or so later than it was meant to I was past concentrating on anything.

I already knew before this class that I was going to try and breastfeed for as long as possible, this class just confirmed my decision. It was also great for showing Jochen that breastfeeding is a skill that needs to be learnt by both the mother and the baby, he was under the impression before the class that it was as simple as just putting the baby to the breast and away you go. I know that it can be that simple for some women but that a lot of women also have trouble and having his support, if it is difficult, could make all the difference between being able to persist or giving up if it just feels too hard.

A little bit of sun....

We are having the most beautiful warm day here today. Considering it is still winter it actually feels very mild. So Ernie and I sat outside on our deck for about half an hour, enjoying the weather and the feel of the warmth of the sun on my exposed belly. I’m pretty sure that Ernie liked it as there was lots of kicking and movement happening. It was funny watching my belly quiver with each movement. I’ll have to try and video it for her soon so that she can see it when she grows older. I can only imagine how it would feel for her to be able to watch a video showing her kicking inside my belly.

I've been meaning to post this for ages.

This is the cross stitch that I have been working on for Ernie. I've been doing it now for a long time. Throughout all the failed IUI's and this first IVF cycle, it was something that I used to do to help me stay positive when I was feeling down or feeling like I would never be able to have a baby.



I've done the bottom corner now as well and am working my way up the side. I think by the time Ernie arrives in another 11 weeks or so I will well and truly have it finished. All I will need will be her little tiny footprints and then I will be able to get it framed to put in her bedroom. I have to say - I'm pretty pleased with it.

The best news...

This morning I received a call from one of my best friends, Nicole. She had the best news to share with me - she and her husband Sean are expecting their second child in March of next year.

I am so happy for them both. Nic sounds like she is having a bit of a hard time morning sickness wise and when we compared notes, if symptoms are anything to go by, I think they might be having a girl. It will be interesting to see if I am right. Could be another little playmate for Ernie.

Anyway, congratulations to you both.

At the 29th Week.....

According to Birth.com, our little Ernie will be looking something like the following at the moment. I've found it hard lately to find any photos and although this isn't brilliant, I thought it was better than nothing at all.

So what according to Pregnancy.org has Ernie been up to lately -

• Ernie's head is in proportion with her body now and she appears more like a newborn each and every day.
• Fat continues to accumulate under her skin, only now preparing for entering the real world.
• Ernie's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures.
• Her eyes can move in their sockets. Soon she will be able to follow a blinking light.
• Our baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell, with various studies showing that she may indicate preferences or dislike for particular tastes or odors at this stage.
• She is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, Ernie will move to the head down birthing position. At times I may feel as if she is performing somersaults for a circus act or in her case practicing many of her now famous sporting moves and new games.
  
• Ernie's length is now approximately 38.6cm from head to toe and she weighs about 1153gm.
• If born now Ernie would have about a 90% chance of survival with medical assistance. Those odds are getting better every day.
  

As for me, after my antenatal class which started to answer some of my questions I started work on my birth plan. Not that you can really completely plan something that is so out of your control, but at least I've started to think about what I would like to have happen in an ideal world. Unfortunately I think it is a bit long and no one will want to actually read it to see what I would like and not like, but basically it goes something like this -

• quiet, relaxed and darkish environment.
  
• try for no painkillers and use non-medical forms of pain relief as a first course of action.
• free movement during labour.
  
• if painkillers are required try anything that will not effect Ernie first.
  
• avoid epidurals, general anesthetics, episiotomies and caesarian sections if possible.
  
• skin to skin contact after birth.
• breastfeeding with no supplementation.
• and so much more.......
  

Now all of you reading this who have already had children are probably thinking, hah... wait till she experiences the pain then she will be begging for painkillers, but I really want to see if I can manage without a lot of medical intervention. It is something that is very important to me but if it doesn't turn out that way, at least I would have tried. This is not just for me but for Ernie as well.

Our first Official Antenatal Class

So today we had our first antenatal class at the hospital with Livia one of the midwives. Have to admit it was pretty interesting.

It was really great to be around so many other pregnant couples. Some of the people there were also at the physio class that I did a few weeks ago but there were some new faces as well. Of the eight other couples that were there I was due the latest, the earliest was due early September - which would have been cutting it a little close if it was me. We compared notes on how we were feeling both physically and emotionally and the positives and negatives of pregnancy. It's nice to know that I'm no different from anyone else and I'm so incredibly normal.

After this we discussed a 'normal' birth and what we could expect. I had never seen a doll with an umbilical cord and placenta attached before - it was pretty funny. Then it was time for the video of both a natural and a caesarian birth. It was the first time that I had seen a baby being born and it bought tears not only to my eyes, but I noticed to Jochen's as well. It is all starting to get incredibly real. It really sunk in that in no time at all that will be us. Arrhhh.... very scary thought.

I had to laugh though at one of the videos that was used... it was a little old (late eighties I guess) and made in the U.S. which makes some things not relevant to over here. There were two men who were meant to be helping their partners during labour - but I'm telling you now that if Jochen did what they did - well let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. One guy got so up close to his partner's face whilst she was having contractions that he wasn't just encroaching on her personal space but I'm sure he was trying to get inside her body. Apparently he really thought he was helping - hmm... that is definitely help that I could do without. The other guy kept pointing his fingers right in his partner's face as she was having contractions - I don't think I have to worry about that one though, as Jochen whispered to me as it was being shown "I'd bite that idiots fingers off" or something to that extent. Actually one thing I'm not worried about it how supportive Jochen will be, he knows me so well I don't think I could get anyone better.

Lunch was at the hospital canteen - my first taste of hospital food. It occurred to me when we walked back from lunch to the room that we were in, that with so many pregnant women all together there should have been a truck at the front with a 'Wide Load' warning in front of us all.

After lunch there was a lot of talk about natural pain management methods, and medical intervention that may be needed. I love the fact that the hospital is very focused on trying to manage labour with the least amount of intervention as possible.

It was a long and tiring day for me but I'm looking forward to the next session in two weeks time - we will get to do a tour of the new birthing suites and actually see many of the things that we have talked about. I wonder what those forceps look like - they certain sound scary enough.

The Martial Arts Expert

Early this morning, 4am I was woken by one dog that needed to go outside and my own bladder which was very uncomfortable. All that taken care of I came back to bed and tried to get warm again so that I could go back to sleep.

Luck however was not on my side. There seemed to be a practice session for Tae Kwon Embryo going on inside my stomach. Numerous high round house kicks to the left side of my stomach and a few quick punches where hammered out in quick succession over the course of about half an hour. Finally with all her moves obviously carried out to her satisfaction the frantic pace eased off and I was able to go back to sleep.

Little Dog Update

I received a phone call from Joan this morning, just as we were folding flyers to drop into all the houses in the area, to tell me that little Ali had been found. Jochen and I are both so relieved, we had both been so worried that she wasn't going to be found, although last night I did actually dream that she was found and I was disappointed this morning when I realised that it was just a dream.

Anyway later today we are going to get some flowers from the florist and take them over to her.

I'm just so glad that it is over. I've been developing a stress headache with all the worry.

A Hospital Visit

This afternoon I went to visit Sharon and the newly arrived Sienna in hospital.

Also in the photos is the little present I bought for Sienna - her first denim jacket. Every girl has to have a denim jacket, don't you know.

Last time you saw Sharon she looked like this. What a difference a little bit of time can make to change your life completely. Before I know it, I'll be at the same hospital with our little girl in my arms.


Speaking of which, Sharon's mum made a prediction of when Ernie is going to arrive - the 2nd October, 2005. This would make her prem at 36 weeks but Cathy also said that if she did arrive then that she would be fine. We will just have to wait and see.

It was a lovely day for Snow.. but not for long

So today is my birthday and for the first time in about 10 years it has been snowing. What a lovely thing to have happened. It hasn't snowed very much, not enough to do anything with but it is still very pretty to see the snow flakes falling. I called Jochen at work to tell him and he told me that he organised it just for me. Isn't he so clever.

(Stop the press - someone I don't know has just come to my front door. I'll continue this in a little while.)

I've now had a crazy mixed up sort of day so far. The snow which is wonderful and the not so wonderful after the visitor at the front door. Let me explain.

This morning I got a lovely present of a relaxing massage voucher from Jochen and some bath and hand cream from Mum. I then went shopping and experienced the snow. When I got home I found one big Zakie dog on the front verandah. I have no idea how he got out but I was just hoping that no one had walked past our house with a dog as Zak would have attacked it. Anyway to now make matters worse I've just had a lovely little old lady come to my door with a picture of her dog. She was walking him past our house and Zak came out and attacked her dog. He didn't bite it or anything like that, he just made a lot of noise and proved who was the boss. The poor little thing was terrified (as I would have been), broke its lead and ran away. The lady, Joan, called round to see if I had seen it and strangely enough I had driven past it on my way home. What was even stranger was that I almost stopped to pick it up but as it seemed to look like it was hanging around home I decided that I had better leave it there. We worked out that it looked like her little dog had headed home as that is roughly where I had seen it. I have offered to help her find it and do anything I can, but I feel just awful just the same. Not only did our dog attack hers, which is bad enough, but I left it running around when I should have picked it up. I so hope everything is okay and that it is all right. I'm going to be worried about it now for the rest of the day.

Oh Drat

Just rang up for my ultrasound appointment at the 3D Imaging place and their sonographer is away until the 15th September. Arrrhhhh. That is only 2 days before I reach 34 weeks.

Anyway I've made an appointment for the 16th so that Jochen can come too. I hope that it isn't so late that we can't see much.

Looks like my OB might have won after all and my next ultrasound will be when he wanted to have one anyway.

Now for the positive side - I can't wait to see her.

I'm thinking of you Sharon G.

Today is the day that Sharon is being induced. I'll be thinking of her all day until I hear from her husband Andrew that everything is okay and the baby has arrived safely.

If she holds out till midnight tonight, the baby and I will share a birthday which would be pretty cool.

I can't wait to find out if it is a boy or a girl.

Now for the Good News

After my appointment with Dr Simon I have excellent news.

Firstly, I do not have gestational diabetes.... Yey it is such a relief. I didn't realise how worried about it I was until after he had told me that I didn't have it.

Secondly, my iron levels are fine. Those pregnancy vitamin tablets must be doing their job as I've hardly had any red meat in ages so I'm not getting much in the way of iron from that source.

Thirdly, I told him about the weird heart beat thing and he confirmed what I thought about the reason. An extra 40% in the way of blood and the other organs moving up. He was not concerned in the slightest and said that it was pretty common, especially in pregnancy.

As for Ernie we heard her heart beating, and a very nice little heart beat it is too. I'm also measuring a week ahead with the size of my uterus. I don't know that it means anything much other than she is obviously growing well. It would also explain why today I have felt like I have had indigestion all day sitting just under my breasts. It's so uncomfortable but it's perfectly understandable when she is growing so much she is taking up more and more room in there.

The best news was that I convinced him to give me a request form for an ultrasound earlier than the 34 weeks than he had planned so that I can go and have a 3D image of our little Miss. He wasn't that keen I have to admit but I got my way in the end, so I am happy. I'm so excited. I'll make the appointment tomorrow and hopefully there will not be a big long waiting time.

Finally, we now go to visits with him every 2 weeks instead of the 5 weeks that it was up until now. It really does mean that we are getting closer. I think that I will be totally freaking out by the time it goes to weekly visits at the 36 week mark. There really will be no turning back then - actually I don't think there is any turning back now. (But it isn't as if you all don't know that I wouldn't have it any other way.)

Dr Simon Visit

So today we have another visit with the OB, Dr Simon in Warragul where we will get the results from the Gestational Diabetes Test that I did last Monday. I'm a little bit nervous about that. Gestational diabetes is really something that I do not want to get, but because of my Polycystic Ovaries I have a greater chance. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the results are negative.

I've also got to ask him about my irregular heart beat. It is a little bit disconcerting to hear your pulse in your ear, especially at night when all is quiet. It is even more disconcerting when that pulse decides to skip beats and add in extras late at night when you are trying to get to sleep. It must have gone on for a couple of hours one night as I got to enjoy some late night television including Stargate Altantis and a repeat of the old classic, Tour of Duty. Jochen kept snoring through it all as he was really tired and I didn't want to wake him up and get him to feel my pulse to make sure that I wasn't imagining it. Actually deep down I probably didn't want to wake him up and confirm that it was all very weird. I was worried enough as it was. Finally I was that tired that the noise of the TV was able to block the noise of my irregular pulse and I got to sleep. I'm sure it is just to do with the extra pressure being placed on my heart as not only there is more blood moving around but Ernie is starting to take up more room in my chest. It has also happened years before and they weren't able to find out what it was. I do promise I will get it checked though, to reassure not only any of you reading this who might be a little worried but Jochen and myself.

Anyway I'm sure Dr. Simon is going to say that everything is fine. I'll keep you all posted.

The Intrauterine Soccer Competition Commences

I just thought I would officially announce what appears to be the commencement of the Intrauterine Soccer Competition today.

Round One Results
3 Points - (Result includes one bonus point)

Never heard of Intrauterine Soccer? Read the explanation below.

Equipment -
1 Ball - (Otherwise known as me)
1 Player - (Otherwise known as Ernie)

Opposition Players -
None

Rules -
Player to kick the ball as hard as they can, as many times as possible.
Player to also kick and wave their arms in celebration after each goal scored.

Bonus points awarded for waking the ball from a deep sleep.

Anyone interested in starting a Intrauterine Soccer Tipping Competition?

Welcome to the Third Trimester

As of today I'm 28 weeks pregnant and I've decided I'm considering this the start of the third trimester. Why am I deciding? That would be because from what I've been reading on the internet and in books some have the third trimester start in week 27, others in week 28 and still others in week 29. I've decided to take the middle road and start in week 28. So I'm in the home straight, the last 12 weeks. Oh my goodness. I'm still remembering when I got to the first 12 weeks.

Ernie has certainly changed since then. By about now according to my usual sources on the net -

• Ernie's eyebrows and eyelashes are now very noticeable.
• Her hair is growing longer. Some babies are born with almost none at all, while others appear to be ready for their first haircut! If she is anything like her father she won't have any hair at all.
  
• Ernie's eyes are completely formed now and will be getting quite a view from inside. Glad it is her and not me.
  
• Her body is getting plump and rounded, most of that increase is muscle tissue and bone but essential fat will be added during the rest of the trimester.
• Ernie's muscle tone is improving with the various sporting events that are taking place inside me. (Eg. Poke/Kit and Intrauterine Soccer)
  
• Thank goodness her lungs are capable of breathing now but she would still struggle and require medical attention if born now.
• Ernie weighs in now at approximately 1005gm and is now about 37.6cm from head to toe.

As for me, well I'm getting bigger and bulkier. I love that she is growing and taking up more room - I'm not sure I'll be so happy as I start getting more uncomfortable but that's okay. I can take anything this pregnancy throws at me so long as - yes I'll say it again - she is healthy. I seem to get tired so easily again now. Need a rest day on the couch after every normal day. I think I'll be having afternoon sleeps soon, but I'll try and hold out a bit longer as it then completely stuffs up my sleep at night.

A Sad Day but one left with Promise.

Today was little Hannah's funeral and it was just so sad.

I've never been to the funeral of a little baby before and seeing the tiny little coffin was probably the worst. I don't think it is something that I will forget in a long time and I can only imagine how hard it must have been for Sharon and Darryl and will continue to be for a long time. I'm sure I would have fallen in a heap if it had been us. I even feel guilty that we still have Ernie when they have lost little Hannah.

Every day I'm thankful that everything is still going well with Ernie. Today was a reminder of how tenuous life can be. Each day that passes for us is another day in which we are closer to hopefully having a healthy, happy baby. Ernie's arrival will be a happy time for us but one that will be difficult for Sharon and Darryl as they will only be able to imagine what would have been the imminent arrival of Hannah. Sometimes life and in this case death, just really isn't very fair.

After I got home from the funeral there was a message from Sharon G - due 19th August that she is now being induced on the 9th August, 10 days earlier than expected. After the grief of the morning I was left with the promise of a new life in the afternoon. What a day!

Arhh I hate the Glucose Test

My goodness I had forgotten just how truly horrible that glucose test for gestational diabetes is before I went to do it today. I only had to do the hour long version and did not have to drink as much of that foul tasting drink but even then I was having a hard time drinking it all without throwing up. The poor old man sitting next to me was a bit concerned about my uncontrollable gagging reflex as I tried to drink the last of it in the waiting room. It would not have been pretty to watch.

I'm telling you now if the results are positive or inconclusive on Monday I'm not going to do the 2 hour test, I just can't bare the thought. I threw up this afternoon and felt nauseous all day - arrhhh.... it was horrible. Never again.

Okay that is my whinging over with.

The Pink Kit and Poke/Kick

Today was a really big day, we went to an all day independent antenatal class/workshop. Wow was it good and well and truly worth every cent of the money that we paid. This might sound a bit airy fairy but it was to do with breathing, relaxation and helping to open up the pelvis during labour to assist the baby's birth and also understanding the physiology of what it happening to my body. It was based around the work of a woman by the name of Wintergreen (her whole name) who has created something called the The Pink Kit. We also learnt that Jochen has a really important role to play as my support, not just to sit and hold my hand, give encouraging words and a bit of a massage as I was previously thinking would happen. It will be Jochen's knowledge of me, how I deal with pain and his understanding my body language that will help him to know what I need to do, focus on, breathe through or relax that will be so essential. He will also help me to prepare my body beforehand with massage and stretches so that it is able to deal with the birth hopefully easier and quicker and to use those same techniques during the birth to help open up more room for the baby to travel through. It will be a real team effort and something that we will really be able to share together.

I was so scared of labour before this workshop, actually terrified is probably a better description, but I'm now feeling a lot more confident that we can do this without having lots of intervention, painkillers or an epidural. Jochen and I can do this together to help Ernie come into this world in the best way possible and if for some reason we do need some of that intervention I will know that we have done everything we could. It is nice not to feel so scared anymore, or at least in a more reasonable way. For the first time I actually believe that I can do this and that I will be able to manage the pain in a way that will not harm Ernie.

Anyway, on to Ernie. Our busy little kicker is still busy kicking. Some days it feels like she doesn't stop but I suppose it just depends on what I'm doing as to how much I notice it. Occasionally there has even been a slippery, slidey type feelings - very strange and quite weird. Even more interesting the game that Ernie and her father seem to have developed - a game which I have called poke/kick. A very simple game, with very simple rules - Jochen pokes me in the stomach, Ernie kicks me back. Fun for the whole family. Well those two anyway. Ernie really does seem to be responding to the poking and when you think about it she has done this since the first time I felt her move at 16 weeks. It's not so fun for me when Jochen decides to play this game in bed at night just before he goes to sleep, yes I do mean he. First he stirs her up, then he rolls over, goes to sleep and starts snoring. I'm left being seriously kicked for a good while afterwards and lay there tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable whilst attempting to block out the sledge hammer noises coming from Jochen's side of the bed. Apparently this is all just practice for the lack of sleep that I will have once she has arrived.

Have I mentioned how much I love my little girl lately.... well I do... and I really can't wait to meet her in another 13 weeks or so.

Whose been a bad girl then.....

I'm so sorry that I haven't posted anything for a while, especially as some of you have been a bit concerned about Ernie and I. Everything is absolutely fine. I've started some posts which just didn't get past the draft stage and then haven't been near the computer for ages and they were not finished. I will slowly update everything that has happened over the last few weeks though as I'm using these posts to create a book for Ernie to read when she is older and I don't really want there to be things missing.

Over the last few weeks I have tended to have one good day when I get out of the house and do things and then the next day I seem to fall in a heap and spend most of it on the couch recovering from all the previous days activity. Nothing major, just a bit tired and occasionally nauseous, I am however listening to my body and taking it easy when I need to.

I am really sorry that some of you have been worried though, your concern means a lot to me. I promise I'll try and make sure I get back on track and post far more regularly than I have lately.

25 Weeks and Away we Go.

So today I'm 25 Weeks and whilst I'm feeling so good we have decided to go away for the weekend. We are headed to the Daylesford area as neither of us have been there before. We haven't booked any accommodation but are going to wing it and see what we can find. We are also going to enjoy travelling in the new car.

As for the little Miss, this week -

• The structures of the spine begin to form - joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for her body.
• Blood vessels in her lungs develop.
• Our baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
• The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When she is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
• Her swallowing reflexes are developing.
• Her eyes should open very soon if they haven't already.
  
• Dexterity is improving. Our baby can make a fist and would be able to clasp objects placed in her palm.
  
• She has fully-formed fingernails and the toenails are coming along.
• Our baby's ears are fully functional now, and she may even blink in reaction to a loud noise.
  
• The brain is growing rapidly.
  
• Our little girl has now obtained an approximate length of 34.6cm from head to toe and weighs about 660gm.

As for me, I feel great. I love that I'm looking so pregnant - well I think I am anyway. I'm very proud of my little bump and all that is inside it. I love feeling her kick, even when she gives me a fright. My belly has been a little bit itchy - I think it is because of all of that stretching that it is doing. But apart from that, I can't really complain. I think I love being pregnant.

It's a new car......

Yesterday we got our new car.... Jochen let me be the one to drive it home from the dealership in Traralgon and I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.

It is absolutely wonderful and I love it already. I think Jochen and I will be fighting over who gets to drive it. I don't think I'm going to miss the WRX very much at all.

We have yet to try the second car seat in the back but I don't think it is going to be much of a problem. There seems to be plenty of room. Which is exactly what we wanted.

Slowly, Slowly, Bit by Bit - Week 23

So we have come to the 23 week mark and things are still going well - for both of us. Our little girl is getting bigger and is hopefully doing everything she should be doing. I know - I say that just about every week.

This week -

• The proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since she hasn't begun to form body fat.
• The bones located in the middle ear harden.
• Our daughter is able to hear. (Low-frequency sounds mimicking a male voice penetrate the abdomen and uterine wall better than the higher frequencies of the female voice - so she will be hearing Jochen better than she will be hearing me.)
• The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
• The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. She has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
• Our baby's lungs have begun to develop surfactant, a substance that will help her lungs to expand following birth and therefore be able to breathe.
  
• She now has REM (or rapid eye movement) patterns in her sleep, which indicates she may be dreaming! I wonder what she is dreaming about.
  
• Our baby can now rotate her head and could experience hiccups. Hiccups are caused by the sudden, irregular contractions of her immature diaphragm (the muscle that supports the lungs) and while she may have been be capable of sporadic hiccups as early as 12 weeks gestation, they are generally stronger and more rhythmic by this stage. So far I haven't felt any hiccups that I know of.
  
• If born now, our baby has a anywhere between a 2% - 15% chance of survival, her odds going up with each passing day.
  
• The average baby at this stage weighs about 501gm and is 28.9cm long from head to toe.

If you like a challenge, I found this Ultrasound Quiz where you have to work out if it is a boy or a girl or occasionally another piece of anatomy. I thought some of you might enjoy having a go as well. It does seem to take a while to load the pictures, so allow plenty of time.

On Monday afternoon we have our next appointment with our OB Dr. Simon which will be good and as per usual I'm looking forward to it. Then on Tuesday night I have the first of my antenatal classes which is physio. I'm not sure exactly what we will be talking about but it will be good to chat to other pregnant women, hopefully some of whom might be due around the same time as me.

On to a completely unrelated topic, last night I was getting such a kicking as I was trying to go to sleep that it was virtually impossible. Jochen was snoring away and I was just lying there coping a beating. I get the biggest kicks that she is gives me a fright quite often. I can only imagine what it will be like as she gets even bigger and stronger. But I have to admit I still love it, no matter how uncomfortable it may get.

Bellies everywhere....

Yesterday I met up with my pregnant cousin Sharon, her son Zac and her mother Cathy for lunch at Warragul. It was great to catch up with them all and to see her so pregnant. Sharon doesn't know what she is having and doesn't want to know but she doesn't have that long to go now until she finds out anyway.

Sharon is also seeing the same OB as me and is having her baby at Warragul Hospital too. In fact she was one of the people that recommended that I go there as well and so far I'm really glad that I made that decision.

It's funny, but who would have thought that when we met for the first time, about 5 years ago at a family reunion, that we would now be pregnant together. Things have changed so much in such a relatively short time. It is nice to know that our children will probably grow up knowing each other and having someone their own age to play with when we get together.

Look at the Belly...

We decided that it was about time that we took some photos of my baby belly... seeing as I sort of have one worth looking at now. What do you think of this?


And a close up - yep I think I'm pregnant.

Next thing you know people I don't know will be rubbing my tummy, or so I've been told. Do they think it is good luck or something?

A cruel and unusual punishment?

Do you think it would be a horribly cruel and unusual punishment to give our daughter a first name, two second names and a hyphenated last name?

I think I've found a name that I quite like that includes all of the above. Jochen thinks it wouldn't be fair to give our daughter five names. I don't really have a problem with it. Jochen is also worried that it sounds a bit pretentious. I don't think it does.

Does anyone have any opinions they are willing to share. I need some outside advice on this one and I think our daughter would appreciate your help.

Another Week Over - Another Week Closer

So today I've reached the 22 week mark and things continue to go well. Our little girl will look something like this at the moment -

As per usual she has had a busy week continuing with her growth and development. Pregnancy. Org tells me that -

• She can now hear our conversations more clearly than before. When we talk, read, or sing, she can hear us. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero. Books she has been hearing include "We're going on a bear hunt" and "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", I hope she is enjoying them.
  
• Her eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed although her eyelids remain closed.
  
• Her fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers. I hope she doesn't start scratching me.
• Her brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brains amazing expansion program continues until around her fifth birthday.
• With some help from me, her liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells.
• Her length is about 27.8cm from head to toe and her weight is about 430gm.

Also according to Birth.com by 22 weeks, our baby's nervous system completely 'connects'. The vital link between their brain and spinal cord (the brain stem) now matures and many nerve cells make vigorous connections. When this happens our baby becomes capable of recognising warmth, light, sound and pain. While primitive brain waves have been detected in unborn babies as early as 7 weeks, it is not until 22 weeks that sustained patterns can definitely be recorded. Apparently some women will now notice that their baby 'jumps' with a loud sound- although this hasn't happened to me yet

We do seem to have a very active little girl though, I wonder if that will be any indication of what sort of personality she might have after she is born. This morning I have been coping a major kicking, and even a snakey little feeling - think we may have had an arm, leg or head scrape the uterine wall. It was an extremely weird feeling. Her kicks and punches are also getting more forceful - they even gave me a fright yesterday they were so big and unexpected.

Thursday I did some more maternity wear shopping. Things were getting a little bit desperate especially on the bra front. It is official - I've gone from a C cup to an E cup - I'm beginning to feel like I'm all boobs and belly and it's probably only going to get worse. I also bought some more maternity clothes, a pair of jeans, three tops and a jumper that I can mix and match and get lots of different outfits out of. It is mostly all Ripe stuff but I could only find a couple of the pieces on their site, but you get the idea.

I've been so, so cold as well. I have such trouble warming up at times that I need to have a bath to bring my body temperature back up - oh and that is with the central heating set at 23 degrees. Jochen regularly puts his hand on the tip of my nose to work out if I'm cold or not. The tip of my nose is a great indicator of my body temperature. My nose is also running a bit at the moment and I feel like a have a slight cold. Colds are apparently very normal, the constantly being cold is not - people generally warm up not down.

Generally though things are going well. I'm feeling pretty well and everything is just wonderful. I think those happy hormones have well and truly kicked in. I've virtually forgotten all about the morning sickness and how awful I felt. I'm enjoying being pregnant, having energy and actually feeling like getting out and doing things.

The Challenges of a Name.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"
Romeo and Juliet

A few days ago we knew exactly what the baby was going to be called. We were assuming the baby was a boy. We were wrong.

Now I'm very confused. I'm trying out a name at the moment but I don't have that same sense that 'this is the one' though like I did if she had been a boy.

Naming is such an important thing. What if we get it wrong? What if she hates it? What if she later says 'Mum, what on earth were you thinking?'

I'm constantly looking at baby names books but it is just so hard. I don't want to stuff this up. Thank goodness we still have a long way to go - I think we are going to need it.

Arrrh the Shopping....

So once we had finished with the ultrasound on Friday it was time for some serious shopping. We ended up going to Chadstone Shopping Centre first as we were both starving by that time and needed to have some lunch. After eating I bought my first gender specific clothes for Ernie from Pumpkin Patch and visited a number of other baby shops. Yes I'm still calling her Ernie whenever I refer to her to others - Jochen and I are trying out one potential name at the moment - but that's just between us - everyone else will have to wait until she makes her grand entrance into the world.

After Chadstone it was time to head down the road to the wonderful Baby Bunting Superstore. Oh the joy. The stuff. The fun to be had looking at everything. Well at least for me anyway. We decided to look at the huge range of jogger strollers first as this was the thing that we were having the most trouble with. Jochen liked the Beema Q from Babyco as it was light weight and relatively easy to fold up and I liked the Steelcraft Swivilrite Deluxe as it was well thought out and had really great storage areas. Jochen didn't like the Swivilrite as it was very heavy and didn't fold up very nicely and I didn't like the Beema Q as it was quite cheap and nasty and didn't look like the baby would be very comfortable. In addition I wasn't really happy with the colour of either of them - not that that should be very important but boy were some of the colours bad. So we were at a standstill. Until we tried out the Mountain Buggy Urban at Baby Bunting, I had been reading about it in forums where it had very good reviews as well as being equal favourite on Choice with the Beema Q. Oh it was wonderful. Very, very light and super easy to fold, I can see now why a lot of mothers were raving about it. You could drive this thing with your little finger it is that responsive. Although it was quite a bit more than I thought I was willing to pay we are both so happy with it that we got it, a carry cot, rain and sun shade. So check out Ernie's wheels below.

Funnily enough it also fit in the back of the Rex so there will be no trouble in either of the cars. We also picked up the second car seat which I had already bought from them over the phone a few days earlier - whilst it was still on special.

The rest of the time was spent wandering the store and picking up a few bargain blankets and bunny rugs and looking at some of the other things that I will probably buy next time. Even though I would quite happily have spent some more time there I thought it was about time to let Jochen off the hook at 5.00pm when we put all the boxes into the car and headed for home.

I had great fun that night putting the jogger together and it is now sitting ready to go in the newly emptied baby's room.