18 Weeks Pregnant

Well, 18 weeks and 1 day today. It's been a long and tiring week after traveling back from Lincolnshire on Sunday. In hindsight, I probably should have taken Monday off to recover from the journey.

All the same, I've slept really well this week, aside from the middle of the night trips to the loo. And I'm spending my Saturday morning chilling in bed with Tara and Bo watching 101 Dalmatians. Tara likes it because there's a black Labrador in it; Bo is still forming an opinion.

Despite being tiring and busy, it's been a fantastic week.

The first highlight was surprising everyone by returning to work with a bona fide bump.

This photo is actually from 17+3 because my bump yesterday looked smaller. I think it was a combination of the trousers I was wearing and the angle I was standing at.

Of course, I've been aware of a bump for a few weeks now, but it was fun to have other people spot it at last. I even got my first unsolicited bump handling, it was from a friend who is generally touchy feely so I didn't really mind. I may slap the first stranger who touches my tummy though!

Second highlight was definitely my midwife home visit on Tuesday. Everyone else I've spoken to has their home visit much later in the pregnancy, with the exception of a few who have had their booking appointment at home. Here on my little island home, that's just how we roll, I guess.

The midwife also brought a student midwife with her. I'm a teaching case, apparently. She went over my notes with her to show that just because a pregnant woman has no ketones in her urine (because she's only able to stand sucking on sweets, rather than eating or drinking) doesn't mean that she can't be dehydrated and going into liver failure. I'm guessing the consultant at Inverclyde may have been in contact with them.

Most of the appointment was spent filling in a rather repetitive form about my Strengths and Pressures both now and when the baby arrives. It seemed largely geared towards women who are maybe having an unplanned pregnancy or who or younger and having been trying to start a family for upwards of seven years. Yes, I'm taking my vitamins. No, I don't smoke, drink or take drugs. Yes, I understand the baby will need love and care once it's born.

Then there was the pee test in a leaky pee pot.

I was given one of those foil containers which always remind me of Chinese takeaway tins. I was instructed to use it to fill a sample bottle and leave some in the container so the midwife could do a dip test too.

I set it all out on the bathroom floor on folded up toilet paper, in case of drips, which was just as well because between filling the pot and going to empty it into the sample bottle there seemed to be a lot less in the container. Then I noticed the sodden toilet paper beneath it. I'd basically peed all over my own bathroom floor!

Luckily there was enough left in the pot to dip (all good there, yay!). And our bathroom floor is wood rather than carpet so it was easily mopped up and disinfected.

But that obviously wasn't the highlight of the visit.

At the start of the visit the midwife mentioned that we could try listening with the doppler if we wanted, with the heavy proviso that it might be to early to hear anything. Right at the end of the visit she pulled out the doppler, invited me to lie on the sofa and we could give it a go.

For a long moment there was nothing, just swishing and gurgling noises. Then the wonderful WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP sound started. We listened for about a minute until Bo had obviously had enough and kicked away from it. I felt a little ripple and we actually heard the movement on the doppler too. If I'd had any doubt about what I'd felt last week after the chilled orange juice, it was completely dispelled, I'm definitely feeling Bo now.

This week I also feel like I'm becoming more aware of Bo's movements. I guess since my bump has popped up, he's in a better position to feel them regularly.

Mostly I feel him after I've eaten. Especially at tea time, when I recline slightly. The flutters are also giving way to the occasional definite 'pop' sensation which I'm guessing are definite kicks or punches. Bo is certainly an active little bub.

I've also had a crazy craving for Philadelphia this week. Normally a tub will last me four or even five days for lunch at work. On Thursday I polished off half a tub in one go. I was restrained enough to spread it on Ryvitas but that was only really because I was in public; if I'd been at home I'd have just gone to town on the tub with a spoon!