24 weeks - and some scary symptoms

Today is 24w1d. The last few weeks have gone well, this last week I've started to realise I need to slow down.

I started having a few dizzy spells last week. Mostly when I was getting up to go to the loo at night. But then on Thursday I was eating a late breakfast and suddenly it felt like everything was tilting to the left.

Then on Friday I scared myself, I was pushing the grocery trolley (cart/buggy thing) and it caught on a bump in the carpark. The trolley stopped but I didn't and it rammed into my belly, just below my ribs. It made me feel sick instantly but it wasn't until I got home and tried to call Tony that I started to worry and panic.

Of course I couldn't get hold of Tony because he was in a meeting and that made it worse. He rang me back and by then I was a mess of tears worried that the trolley had hurt baby. Tony came home from work early reassured me that there wasn't even a red mark or a bruise so baby would be fine.

After I calmed down I went into the kitchen and started baking. I wanted to make jam drop and chocolate chip biscuits for my brothers birthday the next day. I felt really bad that I wasn't baking his cake, and still wanted to bring something home cooked.

But spending all day Friday out, then standing for a few hours in the kitchen made my feet swell up. After we got home from my brothers birthday barbecue on Saturday night my feet and ankles were puffy balloons. I could feel my feet jiggle when I walked and it was awful.

I had my 24 week OB appointment on Monday and told my doctor what had been happening. He checked my feet for swelling and said they were swollen but not too bad. My blood pressure was good, he said it's been a bit low the whole way through this pregnancy so it's more than likely low blood pressure. If it gets worse or happens more frequently I've got to give him or the midwife a call.

But it was scary, my whole family have high blood pressure. Two of my aunts had pre-eclampsia and I was sure I was heading down that path. It's been a reality check that I need to slow down, I can't spend all day and then a few extra hours at night on my feet. And I've stopped driving too, my belly is in the way of the steering wheel and I just don't feel safe anymore. It's not safe for baby, me or other drivers on the road.

Finally onto a few positive things! Baby has been a lot more active. I can see my stomach move now! He's still head down and I see little movements up high which would be his feet and more movements near my belly button which is either elbows or knees. And Tony finally felt him move for the first time last night! Each time I'd say "feel this" and put his hand on my stomach, baby would stop.

I sent off the paperwork to reserve a picnic area and barbecue for the baby shower yesterday. I know ettiquite says you shouldn't throw your own baby shower, but this is just going to be a casual low key one. More of a get both families together for a barbecue than a traditional baby shower. I'm not going to have games, probably just decorating some bibs and onesies and a wishes for baby type activity. My favourite aunty and cousins are flying up for that week and I can't wait to see them!

Still no progress on a first name. Middle name is narrowed down to two names that I switch between. No new stretch marks either. Wearing closed in shoes, bras and pants is awful, I can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit so I can go back to dresses and skirts. I'm craving salted peanuts, Tony brought me home a little bag the other day and they were the best things ever! Still can't eat broccoli but I managed to eat asparagus and green beans in a risotto the other night with no problems. And hormonal meltdowns are still here, I got upset by something Tony said at the supermarket yesterday. I managed to hold it together until we were back in the car but then I just melted down into tears and was a red, blotchy, snotty mess. I'm really ready for the meltdowns and hormonal headaches to stop.

Week.....21 and a catch up!

So I skipped about a month of updates, whoops! I'm well and baby is well. At the morphology scan two weeks ago baby was a perfect little boy! Measuring a few days ahead like last time. Took forever to see get his heart measurements on the scan because he kept rolling around, the same with his lips, he kept pushing his hands up to his face. But he quite happy flashed his bits at the ultrasound wand! There was no doubts about that!

I just felt that I was only writing about my whinges and complaints. But to be honest, I'm not finding this pregnancy easy. I know it's such a blessing that I'm pregnant, without science it wouldn't have been possible.

I also feel guilty complaining about pregnancy and how hard I'm finding it, when I spent years waiting to try to conceive and then even more years trying. When I was trying and I read about someone who'd been through ivf complaining about pregnancy I found really hard. I'd get angry and just couldn't understand why they were complaining about something I wanted so bad.

But now I'm on the other side of ivf, I get it. I totally get it. For me, going through the IUI cycles and then IVF was hard. But it was also only short, each cycle was only for a few weeks at a time. The hormones, side effects and mood swings were there for a few weeks and then there'd be a brief break before starting again. This time there's been no break.

The nausea has finally, finally eased. It only comes back if I forget to eat. But the headaches and migraines are still here. So is the heartburn and reflux. And mood swings, oh boy! The mood swings. I spent most of yesterday just angry at everything but then I cried when I went through the coffee shop drive through and got a hot chocolate because they put extra marshmallows in it for free and it tasted so damn good.

I think this week my belly has popped, I've gone from look fat and frumpy to definitely pregnant. But as a result I think my ribs are starting to expand and hate all my bras. The bands are just too tight and maternity bras are so ugly or expensive. I got teary at Target on Thursday night looking at them but at least I did actually buy one.

We've got nearly all the big items for baby sorted out thanks to the end of financial year sales and the baby and children's expo that was on in Brisbane last month. I got the cot and change table second hand for a great price, I just need to get a mattress and change table pad. My mum bought us the pram (stroller) and we bought the baby capsule (infant carseat) last weekend. We've also got the bassinet to go beside our bed for the first few weeks.

While we were at the baby expo I sat down in a glider chair and it was perfect. I'd be testing glider and rocking chairs out for a while but the arm rests were either too far apart or the head rest was too high or they just weren't comfy. But this one was awesome and it even reclined! So we bought it there and then. It's so so ugly, it's black and looks like a strange desk chair but it's that comfortable I could easily sleep in it now!

I also got a nursing pillow and a starter pack of cloth nappies (diapers). We watched a few demos of different brands and went with a one size fits most. I don't intend to use cloth full time, but even part time would ease the expense of disposables. I also got a nappy bag, but I'm not sure if I like it or if it's going to be practical. But it is pretty!

I think that's about everything. I'm starting to feel movements right down low and can feel when he kicks (or headbutts!) my bladder and cervix, but not from the outside just yet. No new stretch marks. Not wearing my wedding rings because my hands are that dry I'm constantly applying hand lotion and my wedding band was getting all gunky. Last week I was craving oranges but that's passed now. Onions, garlic, radishes and spicy foods are awful and set off my reflux.

I really want to try and write here more regularly. I want to be able to look back and remember what pregnancy was like for me with the good and the bad times.