We made it!!

Happy V day little guy! 

A year ago today I was 2 days post gallbladder removal and now here I am. Currently being kicked by this little wriggler who is probably quite pleased he has the extra room removing my GB has provided.

Other, light hearted, things I miss;

1) My vulva. I haven't seen her for weeks, I'm sure she's still there albeit very untamed. (Edited for nurse Rieckmann:) )
2) My legs sans cellulite
3) Being able to leave the house without wearing a panty liner.
4) Lazy sex. My hips and back are painful, once I'm laid down try to avoid getting up if I can. Lazy missionary sex has been very good so far, now the little one is just too big to allow this to happen. Nothing stops the throws of passion quicker than baby B giving dad a swift kick after mounting...
5) Steak. Anything other than rare is a waste
6) Baileys. Ok not yet, but Christmas without Baileys is unheard of!
7) The normal colour of my nipples. I don't remember what colour they were before pregnancy?!
8) Sleeping on my back without the fear striking
9) Being able to watch TV without bursting into tears at something completely bizarre like a toothpaste advert
10) A grande Starbucks coffee of any sort - the higher caffeine content the better
11) Having fully functioning nostrils

I still have to pinch myself

I've avoided these so far and most photos of baby B have remained strictly private. However today I managed to capture one that I love as it's our first photo 'together'

Me and my boy

Fetal Echo

Was perfect. All chambers, arteries and blood flow as it should be. Little guy was as fidgety as usual and kept moving just as the sonographer wanted to take a photo of his heart. In the end it took lady to hold the probe and follow baby as he moved and another to take the photos. 

I've been slightly worried about him the past few days as he's been quiet kick wise but this certainly eased my mind. The minute any probe or doppler is put on him he kicks it away, I don't know if he hates it or is playing with it?! 

It's happened....

There it was. Staring me straight in the face. I took of my bra and it revealed itself.

The first pregnancy stretch mark.

Nestled right at the top of the book near my arm pit, all shiny and new. You sneaky bastard.

I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner to be honest, the girls have grown from a 34DD to a 36FF in the past 4 months, that's some impressive growth right there.

I use bio oil daily but I expect my growing belly will soon follow my boobs and betray me, leaving me with brand new tiger stripes.

I already have plenty on my thighs, bum and hips from puberty so they'll have plenty of company.

Good growing little guy

22 weeks

Wow.

How is it 22 weeks already?

Anatomy scan last week revealed all was perfect with the little one. Legs, arms, head and everything in between. We even got to see his rather full bladder which was bizarrely interesting.

Met with the consultant a few days later as my new health trust class ivf pregnancies as "high risk". I was informed of the following;

- we would have growth scans at 28,32,36 and 38 weeks to see how baby is doing. This is due to IVF babies often being on the small side, even though scurrently he's in the 90 percentile for most measurements.

- wouldn't be allowed to go past my due date. In fact they monitor and would recommend inducing labour anywhere from 38+ depending on how baby is doing. I also have the added complication of my heart condition which is even more reason for them to induce early, if he doesn't arrive early himself.

- baby needs a fetal Echo to check out his little heart and make sure he hasn't picked up my murmur. If he has he'll be born at the main hospital in the area that has neonatal cardiologists on hand. This is great as I know they'll be there, but this hospital also happens to be the same one I work in with the medical school which means the chances of me having colleagues on hand to experience me giving birth is quite high.

Fetal Echo is scheduled for Monday morning. Fingers crossed