36 Weeks Pregnant and in those final stages of the third trimester now where everything is persistently getting a little bigger, a little harder and more uncomfortable. I have to admit this week I have struggled and it’s been really hard. Not because I want to not be pregnant but because I’ve felt very restless and really quite bored however I can no longer sit at my desk and write for periods of time without getting uncomfortable. Walking around outside with no access to a toilet and not being able to keep up with my daughter is all just becoming a bit more frustrating. I have had to come to terms with the fact that I can no longer keep up with my own old pace and that has been difficult. However, on the plus side Baby F will be here at some point in the next six weeks, I am just one week away from being considered full term and everything we need is ready in our home. Have a read of my 34 weeks pregnancy update here if you want to see how I’ve been getting on before this week!
Today I am going to start eating six dates a day as apparently that can help speed up the first stage of labour. I’m also upping the amount of raspberry leaf tea in drinking as apparently that can help speed up the second or pushing stage of labour. I don’t know how much truth there is to these things but it’s worth giving them a go for sure. I am also going to try listening to my hypnobirthing tracks at least once a day to help me relax and of course prepare better for birth. I am seeing my Doula next week and we are going to try out some positioning too.
36 Week Midwife Check
I am now seeing my midwife every two weeks until 40 weeks and then I imagine I will have a 41 week check too. Our due date is 21st September but as Evie was born at 42 weeks I estimate this baby will be born after 41 weeks too so I am asking friends and family not to ask “is the baby here yet” because we honestly won’t forget to tell people when he’s born. Being constantly asked is just going to make me feel stressed and it is very unlikely he will be here on or before his due date. I am feeling myself become more drawn in to myself now and not really wanting to make any plans that take me too far from home.
My midwife did all the usual checks except fundal height measurement because we had a growth scan yesterday and it looks like he is currently weighing in around 7llbs9 which is now raising concerns as he’s also along the 95th centile. Evie, however was measuring on the 90th centile during my growth scans and was then born on the 35th centile. It also gets harder to measure the bigger you are and closer to the end you are. We have had a long discussion about the best place to birth now because the biggest risk factor is shoulder dystocia and that is a very real concern. I had a conversation with my consultant over the phone about it and I’m now in two minds about whether I will continue at home or attempt a VBAC in hospital in the most homely environment I can possibly create.
I have had no signs at all of impending labour and I’m not expecting any until we reach that 40 week mark. He is still head down, moving well and growing. He is laying on the left side and the midwife doesn’t think he will shift position. Our next appointment will be at 37+5 days where we will talk a bit more about the best place to birth. I’m going to discuss it more with my Doula when I next see her and go from there too. It’s hard because I really want to have a positive experience and I do feel like I would feel better at home but ultimately I don’t want any harm to come to either of us. There are still a lot of positives I can take from a hospital VBAC it would just mean I can’t use the pool which is something I am okay with. We also talked about likelihood of the length of labour and that actually he might come quite quickly as my established labour stage from 4cm-10cm with the syntocinon drip took around five hours which is actually pretty quickly for the drip. This pregnancy is becoming a bit complicated because there is so many risks that we just can’t accurately assess.
Antenatal Classes
We are booked in to do the NHS run Confident Birthing class tomorrow and we are going to an antenatal breastfeeding information session on Monday.
For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.
Travelling when pregnant can be really quite tough. We have just come back from a lovely holiday to Landguard on the Isle of Wight which was a four night, five day break. I think too much longer without my home comforts would have been quite tough and I think holidays in the later stages of pregnancy wouldn’t have been enjoyed as much. We are non drivers and so doing a lot of walking when pregnant can be really tough. As well as relying on public transport and the no guarantee that you’ll get a seat on the train to your destination.
To get to our holiday park on the Isle of Wight we had two short walks to and from train stations, three train journeys and a ferry to catch. This in itself is a long process and can be really uncomfortable. I get hot really quickly too and find I need to dress in light, comfortable layers that can be removed easily. Wearing dolly shoes or flip flops help a lot to keep me cool as I don’t need to be wearing socks for this. I also opt for dresses and leggings which keep me relatively cool.
For the actual holiday I find having plenty of rest breaks and staying out of the sunshine helpful. I also think it’s important to stay active during pregnancy so have done a lot of walking and swimming during out holiday. Some places have gyms and exercise classes as well if that’s something you frequently attend during pregnancy. However, remember it’s also time to get away from the daily grind and recharge your batteries. This has been our last holiday as a family of three too so it was really important to me to just spend a bit of quality time together.
I also think picking a place of familiarity has been helpful as we’ve been to Landguard before. We knew how to get there, what to expect and how to get to local attractions. This made planning the holiday so much less stressful.
Top Tips for Travelling When Pregnant
Stay hydrated. Have a big bottle of water with you and sip throughout the journey to remain hydrated. This may mean extra stops to the loo but your body needs it.
Bring healthy snacks to munch on.
Pack layers of clothes, especially when having a UK holiday. You naturally run warmer when pregnant and you will want to be able to cool down.
Take your maternity notes. Just in case. In fact, you should probably just take these everywhere you go in the third trimester of pregnancy anyway.
Have plenty of rest breaks. If you need to sit and put your feet up for a few moments then do so. A family holiday won’t be any fun if you’re in pain and exhausted.
Have rest days in between active days. The journey itself can be uncomfortable and tiring so having a day of rest before getting out and about to explore is important.
Take a pregnancy pillow with you. I got a small portable one to make sleeping in a caravan a little easier.
Reserve seats on public transport whenever possible. If someone is in your seat, tell them to move. Don’t be afraid of confrontation, especially when you’ve booked for comfort.
Can you travel out of term time? We did because being pregnant with lots of crowds wouldn’t have made for a happy time for us.
I can not believe I am 28 weeks pregnant! I’ve been trying to have all my appointments this week so that I can enjoy my holiday next week. So far this pregnancy has been really nice. My blood pressure has been fine, I’ve had no issues with blood tests and I finally met my consultant. I have been a bit warm this week with the heat and trying to keep hydrated, drinking plenty of water and taking precautions. Adam has been doing the afternoon school runs as it’s been so hot and I’ve been doing the mornings where it’s been cooler as it just made more sense, especially now he’s finished college.
Dealing with Heat Waves in Pregnancy
I am so happy we’ve had some sunshine but being pregnant in this heat can be really tough so it’s important to keep cool. I’ve been doing these things to help:
Keep windows open, curtains closed and using fans
Drinking 3 litres of water to keep hydrated
Having an isotonic drink occasionally to top up electrolytes (can also use coconut water)
Trying to stay indoors when sun is at it’s peak
Freezing bottles of water and placing them in front of fans to circulate cold air
Adam has been doing the afternoon school run
Wearing light, cotton clothing. I bought a pair of legging shorts and they have been great.
Cold baths – getting your hair wet keeps you cooler for longer
28 Weeks Midwife Appointment
Well, I had it down that my midwife appointment was on 27th June however, we later found out that I had been booked in for 20/7 which is weeks away and too far for me to do my 28 week blood tests. Thankfully the midwives at the birth centre didn’t turn me away and I did a full check with a really lovely student midwife who is really passionate about individualised care and women birthing where they want. We chatted for quite a bit which was really nice. As usual she checked my blood pressure and urine which was all clear before taking my blood. We then had a good listen in to babys heartrate which sounded absolutely perfect. I love feeling him kick around and move but hearing the heartbeat is just really special. She had a good feel and thinks baby is head down although we all know that could change over the next couple of months.
She then did my first fundal height measurement of which I am measuring pretty massive. I’m 27+5 days and measured 37cm when they would expect me to measure at around 27cm. However, most of my fat is on my tummy so I really don’t think my fundal height measurement is going to be a clear indication of the size of the baby. I’m not worried as Evie measured large across my tummy but was born at 8lb3oz at 42 weeks so I really can’t imagine this one being any bigger than 10lbs. The best thing was if I continue to measure as high as I will with fundal height it looks like he will be something like 14lbs…I can’t see that being accurate at all however I will have growth scans in the third trimester and that will be a much better way of measuring baby than fundal height. The only thing I am a bit concerned about is how the graph will portray with varying fundal height and growth scan measurements. I imagine there is going to be a lot of spikes with this because I just don’t think fundal height will measure me accurately with the amount of extra weight I have. However, it is really obvious I have extra fat so I hope when we are considering the measurements with midwives they do take the very obvious into consideration.
Meeting My Consultant
I met my consultant for the first time today as well which I was, initially, very nervous about because I didn’t have a brilliant experience with my consultants during my first pregnancy. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you there name. This time around the meeting wasn’t rushed, we went through my previous labour, we talked through my ideal birth plan, my concerns with the fundal height measurements and what I would like to happen during a planned or, even an unplanned, c-section. He was absolutely happy for me to have a VBAC birth as well as happy for me to plan the section in place of induction. I came away feeling really positive about the last trimester of this pregnancy. He had a feel of my tummy and baby boy is head down with his back slightly to the left. We had another hear of the heartbeat and he is absolutely fine.
I do, however, have a lot of appointments coming up to track the measurements and as long as baby boy follows a steady curve or centile on the scans and my fundal height measurement shows a steady growth, all will be well. To be honest I am sure all will be well anyway. My next appointment is with the health visitor who is visiting at home, then the consultant midwife and then an appointment with my midwife. I then have a few more growth scans booked in at my local hospital, an appointment with the anaesthetist clinic to check my back for a spinal and seeing my consultant again at 37 weeks. This will be after my scans and I should have a good few measurements to talk through as well as being much closer to my due date. Alongside all of this I have some hypnobirthing sessions booked in and some more chats with my doula to go through a few things closer to the birth. I am also trying to book in a confident birthing antenatal class which is run by the NHS as suggested by the midwife I spoke to at my last appointment.
For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.
Now I’ve finally announced our exciting news and that we are pregnant I wanted to give you a little run down on those first twelve weeks. I am 13 weeks pregnant today and that marks the end of the first trimester and whilst it’s been exciting it’s also been full of anxiety right up until I walked into the ultrasound room. Until I saw my baby and heard the sonographer say there was a heartbeat I was just really worried. It’s been a very long time since I was last pregnant and I really sort of forgot what that first trimester is really like! We actually found out on 17th January which is apparently the day that a lot of women find out they’re expecting. I’m sure you can guess why…and calculating from my last period I was around five weeks pregnant. I took a standard home pregnancy test and then called Adam in the middle of his Psychology class because I couldn’t wait until he got home at 1.30pm. We both were really excited and in turn told our mums.
How Have Things Been Going?
The first trimester is never the easiest. You can’t really feel any movement so other than a test and no period it’s not really been very obvious. I’m overweight too so there will be no bump to speak of because I already have a lot of fat around my stomach. Perhaps when we get to July or August I might actually look pregnant but I don’t think I really did when I had Evie and whilst I was a bit smaller than I am now, I still had a lot of tummy fat. Being pregnant with another child is harder but I’m really glad Evie is just that little bit older. Adam has also helped a lot with some of the school runs where I’ve just felt really exhausted. Having half term and the snow days helped a little too because it was a few more days I didn’t have to leave the house. We are all really excited and the family are too which is really nice. Adam only has his mum, nan and sister close by but they were so happy for us when we told them the news. I’m really glad to have my family much closer to me this time around too as I was 100 miles away from them when Evie was born.
Any Symptoms?
The first trimester is usually full of uncomfortable symtoms. Now this is what hasn’t really helped my anxiety very much because I’m one of those annoying women that don’t seem to get morning sickness. It hasn’t helped my anxiety because so many people say things like “Well at least with morning sickness I know the baby is there.” which has really been playing on my mind. However, not getting sick is completely fine with me as I suffer with emetophobia which is a really horrid anxiety around vomit. I am incredibly glad I don’t get morning sickness because just the feeling of feeling nauseous has been enough to set off my anxiety. I truly can not deal with sick at all. It causes horrible panic attacks for me. I know it seems really strange because no one likes being sick but it is so much worse when you have an actual fear of it. The nausea, thankfully, went around week seven and has stayed away since although there has still been some dry retching thanks to nasal congestion and how sensitive my sense of smell has become.
I’ve also had a few of migraines and a lot of headaches which is not uncommon for me. I did think at first it might be caffeine withdrawal as I was drinking a lot of diet coke alongside tea and coffee. It’s really horrible when you’re so restricted to just paracetamol and I’m really trying not to take it for every headache but it can be quite tough. Other than that I have again been really tired. I’ve had a few afternoon naps and have been often drifting off to sleep around 8pm most nights. This is starting to fade a little because I am waking up at really silly times in the morning and that isn’t helping the problem so I’m trying to keep busier in the evenings now I have a bit more energy back. Thankfully there has been no constipation this time around but I have felt really bloated and had some indigestion. This has been in the last few weeks more than throughout the entire first trimester but it’s very uncomfortable. I’ve been trying to drink 3 litres of water a day and have added in some herbal peppermint tea which has actually helped me quite a bit.
Being Overweight and Pregnant isn’t ideal…but I’m dealing with it and want to have as healthy a pregnancy as I can.
Any Cravings?
Sour fruit. Or just really juicy fruits which to be honest isn’t that bad a thing to crave. At least I’m getting in some extra vitamins although I’m trying not to have too much. I haven’t eaten as healthily as I would like but I am working on changing that and making our meals fresher and full of colour instead of opting for quick and easy options. I’ve got lots of slimming world recipes to use although I’m not going to be actively trying to loose weight but I am going to try and swim and walk more. I think this will really help a lot. My plan is to avoid putting on too much weight and hopefully lose a bit of body fat in the meantime. I’ve been completely put off sausages and bacon again which is something I had with Evie. Anything that smells really fatty when it’s being cooked makes me feel awful and I just can’t eat it. I was exactly the same with Evie, is this a sign I’m having another girl? Who knows. One thing I have noticed is I’ve gone from feeling nausea to super hungry in moments to the point I’ve had hunger pains. I’ve given in to a lot of junk food which has annoyed me and it’s something I want to avoid from now on so we aren’t buying it. I’ve written up my Pregnancy Wishlist.
Telling Evie
She was obviously the most important person to tell besides Adam. We had to tell her that sadly we wouldn’t be able to go on holiday to Greece with my mum now which we had planned to do at the start of September and she was really gutted about it. However, when we told her why she completely switched and was super excited. She has been so good at keeping the news a secret from her friends at school too and now she has finally been able to tell them and share her excitement with her teachers. I believe she actually said “Finally, I’m going to be a big sister!” before giving me a big hug. She’s going to make an awesome big sister.
Booking In Appointment
After finding our your pregnant the standard procedure is to book yourself in to the GP for your booking appointment. This is usually around 8-10 weeks and I was 9+6 when I had my appointment. Going through so many weeks of the first trimester without speaking to anyone was really hard though. Before the appointment I went and collected my Bounty pack which contained my notes so I could fill some of the details in before my appointment. My midwife is really nice. She was really reassuring and wasn’t negative or horrible about my weight which I was worried about. We talked briefly through my first pregnancy and labour with Evie and that I’d had an emergency c-section before. I’ll be under consultant care again because of my c-section and a high BMI of 45. I was expecting my BMI to actually be nearer 50 to be honest so I was glad it wasn’t that high. There is so much paperwork to fill in and then the blood tests. All of which have come back absolutely fine which I’m glad about.
I encourage new mums to be as informed as possible so I’ve written a post on books I think you should read when pregnant.
First Scan
I had my first scan at 12+5 weeks at my local hospital although that won’t be the hospital I’ll be giving birth in because it only has a birth centre and I need to be on a site with a theatre. Where I live I had two hospitals to choose from and I’m happy with my choice. My appointment was early in the morning which I was glad about. Being so overweight for the scan I had to hold my tummy up to give them access and the sonographer was pushing down really hard. This actually lead to a little bit of a bleed from my c-section scar which is 7 years old. The bleeding stopped within a day and there’s no infection apparent, I’m not in any pain and I’ve cleaned and dried the area a few times since having the scan with salt water baths. I think it was me maybe holding too tightly, being anxious and the pressure that caused the scan to be quite painful which I wasn’t expecting. I did get a photo although it isn’t very clear because of the restricted view due to my BMI. Having a full bladder did help and the sonographer saw the baby move the head, measured from crown to rump and from what they could see there were no issues. However, I could not have the nuchal screening because the view was so restricted. I’m going back in two weeks for another scan so that the sonographer can get the head circumference and take some more measurements. I’ll be 14+4 weeks at that point so hopefully with a slightly bigger baby things will be easier to spot and it won’t be as uncomfortable.
So there you have it, my mammoth update for the first trimester. I’ll be writing a few updates around my pregnancy and how I’m getting on over the next six months which probably won’t be as huge as this one! I’m now looking forward to enjoying my pregnancy and meeting this new baby. You can now catch up with my 16 Week Check Up too.
For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.
