UPPAbaby Vista Jake

Yesterday, your pushchair was delivered. After much deliberation, we decided on the UPPAbaby Vista Jake.



We put it together last night and it's lovely. Hope you like it!

So that's the car seat, isofix base and the pushchair delivered. Most of the other big things are arriving next week. Hopefully we'll have the nursery a little more ready so they have somewhere to live!

Love you precious xx

Midwife 31+4 weeks

We've had a lot of snow and it hurts my pelvis to walk on it and the roads aren't very safe to drive on so i worked from home on Monday. This meant Daddy collected me from home in his Freelander to take me to the midwife. It was the first midwife appointment at the surgery that he's attended.

We talked to her about having a homebirth - despite my positive outcomes from the murmur investigation, she still wasn't keen but her manager was happy and she's said that if Birmingham Women's Hospital write to my GP to confirm that I am suitable for homebirth, that they'll plan for a homebirth. My first blood pressure reading was elevated and she did try to use that as a reason why I wouldn't be able to but she checked it again at the end of the appointment and it was absolutely fine - probably elevated initially because I'd be apprehensive about the appointment. Urine was fine, your heartbeat sounded perfect and bump measured fine. You're head down too so that's good.

I was grateful for Daddy's presence - without him, I think I would have been bullied into agreeing with her telling me I was still unsuitable. Thing is, we wouldn't be keen if there was a risk to you or to me so it's a bit insulting to have someone suggest we were taking risks when we've considered and discussed every little thing.

Fingers crossed the letter comes through and says what we need it to say.

Next appointment will be at home on 3 January (a Bank Holiday) and will be with another midwife (Jacqui will be on holiday) and then back in with Jacqui on 17 January (I have to call her on 10 Jacqui to check the letter's come through).

HypnoBirthing

Daddy and I have seen Sarah, my hypnotherapist, to do our first session of HypnoBirthing. It was really enlightening - we have to use positive language leading up to and during the birth (contractions = surges, push = breathe) and by all accounts, the birthing process should be far less painful and stressful with HypnoBirthing. The DVD's were quite amazing.

I need to change my birth plan and let the midwife looking after me know that I'll be having a HypnoBirth and then that's that. In the meantime, I will be practising some breathing exercises and affirmations. I'll also be listening to some hypnotherapy regularly leading up to the birth. Sarah has also left me with a book to read.

I'll be seeing Sarah at the end of January for another session.

Photo: 31+1 weeks

Photo: 28+4 weeks

Ante Natal Cardio Appointment

So having been booked into a cardio clinic that was full, I had a letter come through for an appointment with Mr Thompson (Ante Natal Cardiac Consultant) for today.

This morning, Daddy and I attended the appointment... and were seen an hour and a half after the time on the letter :(

Not all bad though - the lady we saw read through my notes, the reports for you and for me and listened to my heart - and then gave me the all clear. I've got a murmur yes, but it's a tiny hole that's only visible from one angle and shouldn't ever cause me a problem. No great surprise there - it's never been a problem before and it's not a problem at the moment but it's still lovely to hear. The best bit? That means I'm back to midwife care, I don't need additional hospital appointments and I can have my home birth!

So, my precious little one, I can bring you into the world wherever we choose. We're going to have a look around the Birmingham Women's and Solihull Birth Centres but I'm still keen on staying at home.

We shall see - I'll keep you posted xx