Week 35 Pregnancy Update

35 Weeks @ Aerosmith in Clapham Common

Once again I'm a little slow with the updates but to be honest I've actually just been really busy the last few days visiting friends and family and making the most of my maternity leave whilst I can!

Although it felt a little strange last week to suddenly have all this time on my hands I have been easing myself slowly into my soon to be new role of a stay at home mum. My exhaustion has definitely returned so I am so glad I can just take things easy without having to worry about going to work. The problem is I wake up about 4.30 every morning and then am unable to fall asleep again until about 7. For someone who used to be unable to sleep at all during the day I am now a pro napper and love having a little sleep after lunch just to refresh myself.

I've been keeping myself busy by organising the house and making sure everything is nice and tidy. I've also taken up antenatal yoga classes which I'm attending Mondays and Thursdays. They're a really nice way for me to get out of the house in the afternoon and de-stress my body. You don't realise how much tension you end up holding onto carrying around all the extra weight, which I imagine is around 2 - 2.5 stone by now (oh well!)

The weekend was spent attending our last antenatal class at the hospital on Saturday morning. We were shown around the birthing suites and told about what to expect after the birth. Even though we are deciding on a home birth we felt it was still important to check out the facilities at the hospital as you never quite know what's going to happen!

My idol Steven Tyler :)

With my Sister & the one watery beer I consumed.

Saturday afternoon we went to Clapham Common to see my favourite band of all time, Aerosmith! I have literally been in love with Steven Tyler since I was about 12 when the Cryin' video came out with Alicia Silverstone and inspired me to get my belly button pierced (yep that'll show my age!) I've seen them before and they were absolutely amazing although I have to say it's a completely different vibe going to a festival when you're pregnant and unable to get off your face! :O 

Sunday we spent meeting friends for brunch in Brixton Village and then more friends for dinner to meet their new little boy who is now 8 months old. He is so adorable and just making me so excited to meet our own little boy now!

Brothers, so cute!

Symptoms wise apart from the tiredness returning I have to say the heat is getting to me a little. I can no longer remove my wedding rings from the swelling - still wearing them though, and I just find I get hot and sweaty so easily, so although I'd love more than anything to be out sunbathing in my garden now I just cant bear it to be honest. 

My stomach has also been contorted into some of the most bizarre shapes this week by baby moving about. I do wonder what he's doing in there some times!

xxx

Baby Boy Haul!

So, I thought I would do a haul post on some of the things we've bought for our little boy. I haven't really gone too crazy and have just tried to get things I think will be useful and that I really like. Although I did have a little designer splurge...the only things I bought in the sale!

M&S

My mum picked up this cardigan and trousers from M&S. They have some really nice good quality things and I want to get the trousers in the beige colour as well.

M&S

M&S

Some multi pack items from M&S. Really good value. I think we got a mixture of up to 1 month and 0-3 months. I love the long sleeved vests and figure they'll be great in Summer when he is born so he can stay warm but keep his little legs free!

John Lewis

I love this chambray denim onesie from John Lewis. It's so soft and lightweight and you can roll the legs and arms down which is great with the different weather we get here sometimes. Also got these socks in the sale. I love the colours and the seaside theme. Dad bought the sleepsuit when he went shopping on his own which I thought was super cute :)

George @ Asda

Sun hats and leggings from George @ Asda. Cheap and cheerful, I mainly love the camper van on the bum of the grey leggings which says "surf'" :P

Kenzo

And last but definitely not least...my Kenzo goodies!!! My mum treated us to the blue romper ages ago but I waited till the sale to get the shirt and the jumper from Liberty's. I know it's ridiculous but I absolutely love them and I know he's gonna look ridiculously cute in them. The jumper is for 6 months so hopefully he'll get lots of wear out of it going into winter.

So that's pretty much it. I still need to grab a few basic vests and some tshirts but otherwise I'm done. I have no idea how big or small he's going to be so I didn't want to get too much to start off with.

I haven't bought any shoes...seems like a non essential, although I do like the converse booties so I may order them once he's here!

Week 34 Pregnancy Update

34 weeks 

Well it's safe to say I have been a rubbish blogger.

I think when I got to 20 weeks and had my scan and everything was ok, I just finally relaxed and began to enjoy my pregnancy. I must say I did find work stressful and after a scare during week 22 when I woke up in the middle of the night with the most painful cramps and had to call the hospital to calm me down, I decided I was just going to try and take it easy and do as little as possible that would stress me out. This meant listening to my body and trying to relax on my days off and not force myself to do things if I wasn't in the mood. I did however finish work on Friday so I have plenty of time to do things like blog now. As well as get everything ready for baby's arrival!

How far along?
34 weeks and 1 day

Total weight gain?
No idea, I imagine I've hit the 2 stone mark by now but not really sure and not really that bothered any more.

Maternity clothes?
None. I've lived in XL American Apparel leggings and long stretchy tops from H&M. I did get an amazing dress from The White Company which although is not maternity wear is great for now and will be great for after the birth.

Stretch marks?
Not yet, and I've been really lazy about applying lotions and potions to my bump.  Hopefully I wont live to regret that.

Sleep?
I wake up about 2-3 times a night to pee but usually fall back to sleep. I do however keep waking up about 4am and then not being able to drop off again although I put that partly down to the sunlight in the morning. We will definitely be investing in some black out curtains!

Best moment this week?
Finishing work is definitely a relief as it has been quite difficult being on my feet all day in the heat, however I do think it's helped loads to be active. Our cot also arrived from John Lewis this morning and I can't wait to get it set up!

Worst moment this week?
I honestly can't complain although it is annoying me that my feet seem to have gone up a size and none of my shoes are comfortable :( I also hate feeling like a hot sweaty mess in this sunshine as I'm usually the first to be out there sunbathing in the garden. A little too much to cope with at the moment.

Miss anything?
My summer wardrobe.

Movement?
He is definitely hanging out more on my right side than my left. He tends to squirm about more with a few gentle kicks in the ribs, but nothing too painful like I've heard some people report.

Food cravings?
Nope, just trying to eat a healthy balanced diet.

Anything making you feel sick or queazy?
No!

Gender?
Baby boy!

Symptoms?
I've honestly been so lucky. I have felt a little down at times this week but sure that is just down to hormones. I have been suffering from a bit of swelling but I wouldn't say it has been that horrendous - certainly not Kim Kardashian style! Although I can't take my wedding ring off now most of the time and I would say my legs look fatter in the evening than they do in the morning????

Belly button in or out?
So out!!!!!

Happy or moody?
I can switch pretty quickly from one mood to the next but I generally just try to laugh about it. My husband certainly does.

Looking forward to?
Getting the cot set up. Also I start my antenatal yoga classes this evening which I'll be doing twice a week up until the birth.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope to be doing a lot more posts now that I have the time. We are also considering a homebirth and have the midwife coming round to discuss on Thursday so I will definitly be doing a post on that.

Bye for now xxx

Week 20 Pregnancy Update + Gender Reveal

20 weeks 1 day

How far along?

20 weeks and 1 day

Total weight gain?

Still don't know. I'm guessing about 1 stone but I really should weigh myself. I thought the midwife might do it today when I went for my appointment but she didn't. I might force myself to find out when I go to the gym tomorrow morning.

Maternity clothes?

No more at the moment. Doing fine with what I have. On the look out for some comfy shoes though.

Stretch marks?

Only on my boobs :( not on my belly :).....yet!

Sleep?

I've been quite stressed out with work recently so haven't ben sleeping all that well. I seem to spend the entire night dreaming about work...not fun really.

Best moment this week?

Going for a walk in the sunshine on Sunday with my hubby in Epping Forest. Why can't the weather be this nice all the time!

Worst moment this week?

Being stressed at work and bursting into tears because of it. I then fell over in the street on my way home and burst into tears so spent the whole journey home on the tube wiping my eyes and feeling like a right idiot. It's like when I start I just can't stop. Anyone else have this problem? 

Miss anything?

Kind of miss being able to have a few drinks with my friends when we go out in the evening. Especially after a stressful day sometimes you just want to kick back with a couple of glasses of wine.

Movement?

Starting to feel it a lot more regularly now. When I'm feeling down a little kick from my baby always cheers me up.

Food cravings?

Loving a good Hamburger at the moment! Tommi's Burger on Marylebone Highstreet is great and my hubby had an amazing looking one at the The Diner in Spitalfields Market the other night.

Anything making you feel sick or queezy?

No

Gender?

We had our scan today and are super happy to announce that we are having a little BOY! Everyone seemed to think it would be a girl but I had a feeling... :)

Symptoms?

None really, I've been feeling more or less like myself. However I have started to notice that when I sit down my coccyx (tail bone) feels slightly painful. This only bothers me when I sit down but is absolutely fine when standing up. 

Belly button in or out?

Half in half out!

Happy or moody?

Generally really happy. Although my recent stresses at work have caused me to have a couple of emotional outbursts

Looking forward to?

Meeting my baby boy! and to more sunshine. Clocks go forward soon...always love the lighter evenings!

"Working" or "Stay at Home" Mum?

When my good client and friend called me at the store near the beginning of the week to say she wanted me to call in a load of pieces for her to try on I was super happy.  She is absolutely lovely, and the last time I saw her was about about a year ago when she was nearing the end of her pregnancy and waiting to give birth to a baby girl. 

As she is a successful fashion journalist and therefore working mother, I couldn't wait to find out how she was doing and also pick her brain about the subject of having a career and bringing up children at the same time.

The question has been put to me often recently,  will I return to work when my maternity leave finishes? 

My answer? I have no idea. I think the question I find me asking myself more is will I return to my current job? 

I know there is a hell of a lot more I would love to do with my career but I've been feeling a little stuck in the past year. Right now I see having a child as the perfect opportunity to take some time out and  decide what the next step should be. My ideal situation would be to have my own business so I can still spend time with my child as I need to, and earn money doing something I love.

After talking to my client this is what I learned. She admits that she is a major workaholic, example...she just did 26 days in a row for Fashion Week travelling from London to New York to Paris! She obviously missed her girls terribly but she also see's it as important that she still holds true to who she is. Thankfully Fashion Week only happens twice a year and the rest of the time she is home by six and manages to get some time in with her girls before bedtime and then obviously the weekends.

She said even after just 9 months at home with a baby, when you go back to work it is scary and you can really lack confidence. She advised me that even if I go back and do just 2 days a week it will be worth it for my own self esteem. This I have to agree with. 

I really can't tell how I am going to feel this time next year, but at the moment I think I will definitely go back part time. I already love what I do but I am thinking after 6 months at home I will do a short further training course in an area that I love that might allow me to start my own business on the side while I do my current job 2 days a week. Whatever I do though will be what is best for me and of course best for my child. 

At the moment I can't even decide how early I should leave work! Being in retail and on my feet all day running up and down stairs collecting garments for clients is harder than imagined, and I reckon it will only be made harder carrying a big bump around in the summer months.

If you worked in retail how early did you take your maternity leave?

How do you feel about returning to work?

As a mother, how do you feel about leaving your child in other peoples care while you work?

I would love to hear your comments and advice :)

Week 18 Pregnancy Update

18 Weeks + 4 days :)

How far along?

18 weeks, 2 days :)

Total weight gain?

Not sure at the moment. Will probably find out in 2 weeks when I see the Midwife after our scan. I'm trying to chill out about the whole weight gain thing...

Maternity clothes?

None! I went shopping for some with my mum the other day, we went into Seraphine and I have to say there was nothing I really liked and it was all far too pricey for something I'm never gonna wear after 5 months. A Tshirt for £45??? errr....no. In the end I got some printed tops from H&M £12 each and some basic vests £4/5, Leggings from American Apparel because they're my fav. Everything just in bigger sizes, at least my choices don't feel so restricted anymore and I'm actually looking forward to doing more shopping for my bump when the weather gets nicer.

Stretch marks?

Nope

Sleep?

Sleep is still good although my dreams have gotten progressively weirder and I even had a nightmare the other night which wasn't too pleasant :(

Best moment this week?

Just enjoying feeling more like myself at the moment. I had a lovely day out with my mum and even picked up a few baby things (unisex as we still don't know the gender). Also spending time with my hubby has been lovely and trying to do up the house a bit more before August. I'm very excited to have ordered our new sofa, no more being cramped on our dingy old two seater.

Worst moment this week?

Nothing its all been lovely!

Miss anything?

I was missing my runny eggs...but then I discovered that as long as they have the British Lion stamp on them then they are perfectly safe to eat runny, Win!

Movement?

Loads of movement on Sunday. It still feels like gentle flutters but it's definitely baby. I feel it most in the evenings or when I'm sitting down after eating.

Food cravings?

I've definitely got my craving for chocolate back! Other than that I could just eat anything. This week I felt like whatever I ate I just constantly felt hungry...annoying.

Anything making you feel sick or queezy?

No

Gender?

2 weeks!

Symptoms?

Weird dreams and constant hunger. Stuffy nose hasn't been as bad though recently. Oh and I constantly seem to have a few spots on my chin. They're not noticeable really but still there all the same.

Belly button in or out?

In. Actually looking forward to it popping out although my husband thinks it will look gross. Ha!

Happy or moody?

Super happy!!!!! Long may it continue!!!

Looking forward to?

Buying more things for peanut when we know the sex. It probably shouldn't matter but it does to me :)

Sunday Funday - Lunch at the Clapton Hart

Since I found out I was pregnant I have taken little pleasure in spending time at pubs and bars with people drinking. Downing endless pints of juice or water somehow isn't as fun. So my most favourite thing to do now when I venture out the house to be sociable is to go and have a lovely meal somewhere.

Today me and the hubby decided to go for a nice Sunday roast at the Clapton Hart pub in Hackney, only a short bus ride away from us.

This place is huge and although there were tables when we arrived at 1 PM it filled up super fast. There were lots of yummy mummies with their cute little babies and it made me so excited for our peanut to arrive, who incidently seemed to be moving around a lot today! I think he/she must have approved of the delicious lunch we had.

I had a "virgin" mary, roast beef, and rhubarb crumble and custard for dessert. Yum! I'm definitely looking forward to going back there in the summer when peanut is born as they also have a huge beer garden to relax in.

How do you enjoy spending your Sunday's? and can you recommend any interesting none alcoholic drinks?