Tuesday 29 December 2009

Weaned...

That is myself from my variety of herbs I was talking. Finally and fully weaned from the Burdock Root and the Agnus Castus (vitex). I did it slowly as I figured that was the best for my body so they both took a few weeks each (and I also did them seperately - weaning myself from the BR first and then the AC).
I will then be weaning myself onto red raspberry leaves (RRL) once I hit the 30 week mark in preparation for labour as RRL are known for toning the uterus. Will probably start off with a gentle tea and then just buy the capsules closer to the end.
Off one herb - onto another! hehe

Monday 28 December 2009

This weeks photo - 24+1....well...

No photo this week (Christmas, being away, all of that - etc) - but I am now over 24 weeks pregnant!
You know what that means?...Viable! Apparently, if baby were born today, they would have a 30% chance of survival. At 24 weeks, they are offically considerd 'viable'. And even more amazingly - at 27 weeks, they have an 80% chance of survival! It really makes you appreciate how precious and amazing life really is doesn't it?!

What happened this week:

Baby is taking iron and calcium from you. Baby's rapid eye movements begin. 22 weeks' gestation 24 weeks from your LMP. Foetus length: 21cm crown to rump (29cm or 11¼ inches head to toe). Weight: 630g.

Sunday 20 December 2009

This weeks photo - 23+1!

So here it is - and you can see the upward shift. Well - at least I can! Not that attractive from the side - I do like the view from the front though because you can see how it is still very much an 'up front' kinda bump. My bump is looking a bit more up and down rather than sticky-out because of the upward shift...I think...



I wonder if my tummy button will pop out this time. With my pregnancy with DS, it just went very flat! hehe



What happened this week:
Fine downy hair called lanugo now covers baby's body; eyebrows are visible. Testes in boys begin to descend; ovaries in female babies are present against their posterior abdominal wall. 21 weeks' gestation 23 weeks from your LMP. Foetus length: 20cm crown to rump (28cm or 11 inches head to toe). Weight: about 500g.

Surprisingly yummy!

So I opted for the hemp protein powder as it seemed the more 'natural' choice and the much more well rounded choice in terms of nutrience. It was also the cheaper option too - which is always a plus!
It arrived yesterday. And I have to say, it didn't look too yummy - being a baby poo green in colour (as you can see pictured)...But it was very yummy actually - surprisingly so! I just mixed it into a glass of almond milk and drank. Would also be happy to add it to yoghurt, etc as well! It has a very subtle sweet flavour like an apple or banana or carrot does. Its hard to describe, but it certainly doesn't taste nasty!

Saturday 19 December 2009

Moving up!

For the past few days I have noticed a big shift in my bump. It has moved up. The first sign of this was my ability to breath...or lack of! Of course I can still breath but I have deffinately noticed a change in how I breath and the fact that I can no longer take deep breaths. Baby is deffinately squishing my lungs a bit now!...And then tonight I noticed about a three inch shift upwards on the kicks! Whilst the kicks used to be right on my tummy buttom, they are now near to three inches above it! I don't think baby has grow a huge amount neccessarily - just they have shifted up a bit. I base this on the fact of the upward evidence as well as the increased space between my bump and my legs! haha I knew I wasn't imagining that! Can't wait to see what tomorrows picture looks like!

Friday 18 December 2009

Another boy dream!

So it must be a girl! I only ever had girl dreams with DS and he was ...well... a boy! hehe
Last night I had another boy dream. Surprisingly it wasn't about the pregnancy or birth or anything. He was already here and part of the family. I just remember carrying him around in my wrap and people asking about him and me saying I was a mother of boys! hehe

Thursday 17 December 2009

Herbs and stuff!

So I have been thinking about what herbs/tinctures/homeopathic remedies/etc that I will need in preparation for the birth and afterwards. Getting my list together. So far, it is not a big one. I am finished with my Burdock Root and nearly finished weaning myself off the Agnus Castus as well. So onto the next list! So far I have:

RRL - Red Raspberry Leaf tea and/or capsules. I can only drink so much tea during the day so the capsules might just be handier to have around. I will wait though until I am 30 weeks to start this. It is for toning the uterus (that big muscle that will help birth my baby! hehe). So also handy to continue taking after the baby is born (for getting it back down to size and for just keeping it in general good health!).

Nettle - Great for iron! (would buy this in tea form)

Dandelion root - Great if you have water retention. I had loads when I was pregnant with DS, but I also did gain a lot and he was a pretty big baby as well. So I will only buy this as needed. Not too hard to get. Good ol' H&B!

Arnica - 200c. This will be taken every few hours once in labour and after the baby is born. It can help with general aches and pains, bruising and afterpains. I currently have some of this on its own but am considering buying the labour/childbirth homeopathic kit that includes many other homeopathic remedies that are handy to have around. 'Considering' only because I have been offered this twice but have not recieved it as of yet, so may need to splash out and buy it if I still have no news come March at the lastest I feel.

Motherwort - I will buy this in tincture form. I have bought from G Baldwin & Co. before and am pleased with their products and service so will get all my tinctures from them again as well. Motherwort is good for after the baby is born. It can help with releasing the placenta and with afterpains as well.

and

Shepherds Purse - Also in tincture form. This is for after the placenta has been birthed as it can stop any unwanted bleeding (such as hemorrhaging). Might not need it, but worth having around (its not like it is terribly expensive or anything!)

and I think thats about it for now!

Wednesday 16 December 2009

Quinoa!

Just about the most perfect snack for anyone - especially those pregnant I think (and vegetarians, and those trying or having to follow a diabetic diet). It is quick and easy to make and high in protein, and with its naturally balanced set of essential amino acids, it is not just high in protein but a complete protein source!

I made Quinoa Tabbouleh and am very pleased with it. It is super easy to do - and makes a lot so you can save it for days in the fridge and have it as the odd grazers snack (and because it is so easy and quick to do, you can also add other things into it that you may like such as pine nuts and olives!). Perfectly healthy! I am going to try the Quinoa Pilaf next!

Another great MW appointment!...

Had another MW appointment today - my third so far - and all is going well! It was another great MW appointment! She seems really pleased to see me and kept commenting on how well I looked and how I just come across as just really enjoying pregnancy! (I do I do! hehe) - I think she must have had a few appointments that were otherwise! hehe
Everything is fine - of course! Baby measuring fine as well! She forgot her pinard though and was actually rather disapointed about that because she thinks my bump would be perfect for her to listen easily...which will be great for her student as well as she has not had experience in the use of a pinard as most people want doppler use 'these days' (she says).
The biggest thing really is sorting out all this maternity pay. Mostly because I am both employed and self-employed. So that will just make it all a bit more complicatd. Oh well...
So all is well! - Will see her next in the new year!

Sunday 13 December 2009

This weeks photo - 22+1!

So here is this weeks photo! Think I grew and inch this week!
Nothing much else to report! hehe



What happened this week:

20 weeks' gestation 22 weeks from your LMP. Foetus length: about 19cm crown to rump (27cm or 10½ inches head to toe). Weight: about 400g or 14oz.

Saturday 12 December 2009

Gestational Diabetes Diet

I did not have GD when I was pregnant with my son (this was checked many times).
However - I did gain a fair amount of weight (6 stone exactly) - and my son was a pretty big baby (near 10 and a half pounds! lol).
So I have decided that the best thing to do, is to go for a diet plan that is suitable for those with GD - just to be on the safe side!

I am no pro at this at all - it is all new to me. But it looks like the basics are no sugar - non at all. I am using Xylitol as a sugar replacment that is natural (unlike sweeteners) yet suitable for diabetics. High protein (which I should be having anyhow as I am pregnant) - and small meals spaced out throughout the day to keep my metablolism working (preventing any insulin overloads) - even more improtant during pregnancy due to all the mad hormones rushing through my body - diabetic or not! This site is good for some basic info I have found - but its a lot to take in at once so will take awhile reading it over a variety of days for it all to sink and me to feel like I have found my feet with it all a bit more.

I have got the small meals throughout the day thing down as I am naturally a grazer. Big meals a few times a day are not my thing. They never really have been.

Breakfast is also sorted! I am having eggs with fresh fruit and veg and lots of nuts and some yoghurt - topped of course with my favourite veggie condiment of yeast flakes! So all high protein and the carbs are well balanced.

I will also treat myself to Boots range of diabetic goodies because there is no way I can go without something like chocolate or cake for the duration of this pregnancy! hehe

I am also lazy - I have to admit it. I am all about the quick fix! You will not find me in the kitchen whipping up meals all day long. This diet will be hard for me. I like cakes...I like my sugar and I like my ready to eat and go foods! But there are some things that can help me on the way - such as a 100% casein protein powder (or perhaps a more natural based protein powder such as hemp protein powder). I can add this to my almond milk alternernative - a nut milk! Another great way to get in some nut protein. I like nuts, but I don't like munching on them all that often if I am honest! I will also be making batches of easy to make things like bean salads that I can snack on throughout the day.

So...we shall see! Here is to small - or at least normal sized babies! hehe

He felt a kick!

Last Thursday my DH felt a kick!...It was one of many but at least he felt it! He wants to know if I will stop bugging him about it now! Cheeky git! lol

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Early Visable Kicks!

Baby has been going wild all yesterday, and today (woke me up to a wonderful dance)! I got some pretty 'woah!' kicks all throughout the day yesterday...so whilst in the bath, I thought I would try and record what I could see as well...yes! - I could actually see the baby moving!

They are kinda hard to see though, so you need some patience and pay attention! hehe.... I swear they looked bigger with the naked eye that anything this camera caught but they are there...if you look closely! hehe

So here it is:


Sunday 6 December 2009

Bola Ball Necklace

My DH got me a bola ball necklace. It is something that I have been wanting for awhile for any potential 'bump' that I might have. I, of course, have a bump now - and because the package wasn't a quiet one, I got to open it early! hehe

The idea is, the soft chiming sound made by the bola ball (that is worn on a long necklace so that the bola ball hangs over the bump) can be heard by the growing baby inside the womb. The soothing sound then becomes familiar to them if you wear the bola ball necklace often (which I do!). This soothing sound caused by the bola ball will then also be a comforting and soothing connection for the baby once they are born as, like my very own voice, it is a familiar sound to them.


And I don't see why that shouldn't be true. The same is said for the mothers voice as baby can hear it from about halfway through pregnancy and onwards!


I, of course, often forget that I am wearing it and start to wonder where the chiming sound is coming from until I remember! hehe But I like it! :D

This weeks photo - 21+1!

So here it is! I am finally getting strangers asking me when I am due! hehe...It's nice! Though people have interesting views of either 'not long then!' or 'Oh so awhile to go then'....a bit of a contrast! Guess it depends on how you look at it! As I see it, once Christmas has come and gone - then spring isn't far around the corner!


And as always...


What happened this week:
Baby's skin is coated with a cheesy substance (vernix) which protects against chapping, abrasions and hardening. If baby is a girl, the uterus is formed and development of the vagina has begun. 19 weeks' gestation 21 weeks from your LMP. Foetus length: 17.5cm crown to rump. Weight: 390g or 14oz.

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Our Christmas Ornament!

Well - every year we pick out one christmas ornament for our tree. It's a bit of a family tradition we have started and it started with our first christmas together as a married couple - which also was our sons first Christmas ever as well!

I found this online and have to say I am super pleased with it - espeically the service and how fast the shipping was considering it had to come overseas to get to me! (it took only a week to get here! - I am amazed! hehe - So I would highly recommend their site and be happy to use them again!) ...So here it is: I love that it represents us all! I found a few others that were either not Chrsitmasy at all - or did not include a 'Duncan' (so just the husband and wife). I love it! We are putting up our tree this weekend and I can not wait to add it to our collection! :D