14 Weeks Pregnant - the second trimester
So when does the second trimester start? There’s quite a bit of variation here. Some people say the first trimester is weeks 1-12, some say 1-13 and some say 1-14. Logically, since “trimester” means 3 months, I think 13 weeks would have to be the closest (there are a few days more than 4 weeks in a month, so over 3 months it adds up to an extra week). But I can also see the sense of going with 14 weeks, since that is only about 12 weeks from conception... But you know what? I don’t really care any more! For me, the first trimester ends when the placenta takes over and I start feeling more normal again!
13 Weeks Pregnant - the blessing of health
This week we had a visit from our midwife, Haylie — the official booking-in visit. She was apparently shocked to see the results of my first trimester blood tests with all levels in the recommended ranges. Apparently I’m abnormal 😂 I have to say I do feel like a bit of a boring character at these booking-in appointments, not having any of the possible medical conditions they have to ask me about! Jokes aside, I am very thankful for good health!! It is such a blessing, and I don’t take it for granted…
12 Weeks Pregnant - the first ultrasound!
We got to see our baby!! Clearly there could be no other highlight this week! The 12 week scan showed a happy health baby, developing well and with a good strong heartbeat. We all went as a family, and the girls were thrilled to see. L (14 months), said “bebè” for the first time (the Italian for baby). She’s not saying many words yet, so that was really special. And then she couldn’t help herself as she watched the baby move around and let out an “Awww!” 🥰 Made my heart melt 🥰
11 Weeks Pregnant - the “in-between phase”
Just an ordinary busy week! It seems a bit crazy to say it so soon, but I feel like I’m already entering what I call the “in-between phase” of pregnancy, where the first trimester symptoms are diminishing or gone, but you can’t feel the baby yet, so you kind of don’t feel pregnant except for the fact that your belly is growing (especially if you’re a third-time mum and everything remembers how to stretch so easily 😂). I wasn’t symptom-free till 13-14 weeks with my last two pregnancies, and technically I do still have symptoms now, but they’re not really impacting my daily life too much. I found this in-between phase pretty challenging with my second pregnancy (first after loss), since naturally the first pregnancy there’d been a negative connotation to loss of symptoms. But last time and this time I’ve been a lot more relaxed about it…
10 Weeks Pregnant - crazy dreams!
It’s crazy how pregnancy affects your sleep! I don’t remember it starting so early my other pregnancies, but maybe that’s just my brain blissfully shutting off those memories 😂 If I wake up during the night, I’m wide awake. And what seems like at least half the time I’m sleeping, my brain is going crazy with calculations. Why calculations? Nooooo idea. Maybe this baby is going to love maths? A couple of nights ago my brain was figuring out the right sizes for wedding cake tiers to serve all the guests (an actual thing I was working on during the day in preparation for making a couple of family wedding cakes). All while I was asleep. Last night my we took it up a notch and invented a new client who lives 2 hours and 20 minutes away (yes, I remember looking it up on Google Maps in my dream, and seeing the exact travel time!), and I was trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fit in a home visit of an afternoon with all the driving time factored in as well. For the record, I do not take clients that far away, it was just my brain having fun 😂
9 Weeks Pregnant - a milestone
9 weeks is always a bit of a milestone for me as a mum who’s experienced pregnancy loss, since I was 9 weeks when my body let go of my first baby. So to get to this point knowing that the pregnancy is going well is always a relief. And yes, I know pregnancy loss can happen any time, earlier or later, but I also think it’s normal to have our own milestones based on our own experiences. We just can't take life for granted, and I am so thankful for the growing life inside of me 🥰
8 Weeks Pregnant - meeting the midwife
We met our midwife this week! The local private midwife we'd contacted came over for a face-to-face meeting and we asked all our questions and booked her on the spot! So excited to have this support in place for the pregnancy and birth. The next big exciting thing to look forward to is seeing our baby at the 12 week ultrasound 🥰 I'm trying not to be too impatient! The weeks do pass quickly when you're busy (which is always with toddlers!), so I'm sure we'll be there before I know it.
7 Weeks Pregnant - a bit of a scare
I kind of expected to hit my first trimester exhausted phase by now, but so far to be honest I’ve felt reasonably normal. It’s more the nausea that’s been knocking me around a bit, but even that has been mild, usually settles if I eat, and definitely isn’t constant, though daily. I’ve been chatting with mums who experience hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) in pregnancy (severe nausea and vomiting which can last well beyond first trimester, for some even the whole pregnancy). Often they’ll need medication to manage their symptoms, and it takes a huge toll mentally as well as physically. I can’t even imagine that level of sickness, WHILE experiencing "normal" pregnancy symptoms and often having older kids/work/other commitments you feel responsible for. These women are so courageous!!
6 Weeks Pregnant - teaching my toddlers about birth
One of the highlights of my week was when I went for a regular check up with my pelvic floor physio and got to tell her that I'm pregnant. She was thrilled for me, and proceeded to give me all the exercises she gives pregnant mums to do, telling me to come back at 26 weeks unless I have any other issues meantime which need physio. It made it all seem just that bit more real! 🥰
5 Weeks Pregnant - feeling vulnerable
If I'm being honest, I've had so many moments this past week where I've thought... What on earth am I doing writing a blog about this and making it PUBLIC?! I mean, I'm only 5 weeks, it's very early, what if this grand plan of a weekly blog through to birth in March becomes a 2-3 post series which winds up in pregnancy loss? 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. I've had one before, I could have one again. But then I remember…
4 Weeks Pregnant - a positive test!!
I'm pregnant!!!!!! 🥰 Come and join me on my pregnancy journey as a childbirth educator, doula and mum to 2 little girls. I'm hoping to share weekly how the pregnancy is going, what I'm feeling, how baby is developing and what I am doing to prepare for birth and postpartum.