Baby Number 2 – 34 Week Pregnancy Update

Well, well, well, 34 weeks has creeped up on me! I can now say I’m having a baby next month and I’m one week closer to being full term. That’s nuts.

I’m not gonna lie, things are getting pretty uncomfortable now. These last few days have had me with constant back ache, non stop braxton hicks and a penguin waddle that is just comical.

Sleeping has suddenly become difficult. I’ve always been lucky to sleep well in pregnancy, but recently I have been struggling with back ache and restless legs. If I try to stretch out the restless leg feeling I get cramp, so I’m stuck with achy legs! I’m also waking up with achy shoulders and neck. No amount of pillows seem to help. Boo.

Tomorrow I’ll be calling to doctors for my blood results. It sounds crazy but I’m kinda hoping they say my meds need to be increased a little, although I’m on a high dosage as it is which is rather worrying. I’ve been extra tired this week, to the point of falling asleep on the sofa while Lamb is quietly playing on the floor. I’m sure being heavily pregnant has something to do with it 😉 , but my under-active thyroid makes me so sleepy and when my meds are too low, it can make me feel quite weak and tired.

I had a midwife appointment on Wednesday (34 weeks check) but was actually 33+3. I’m measuring spot on the amount of weeks I am, which I did when I was pregnant with Lamb too. Baby’s head is nice and low and his heart beat was strong. All of my checks were perfect (urine and blood pressure). Lamb came to the appointment with me because my mum was stuck in traffic and didn’t get to us in time. He was such an angel. Well, a chatty angel, but he let me get on with checks etc and sat quietly while the midwife examined me. Once we had finished listening to the heartbeat he said “I love listening to baby”. *Heart melts*.

I’m getting to the point where I feel I need to prepare for the arrival. I’ve briefly looked at the labour plan sheet the midwife gave me and to be honest it will be the same as with Lamb. I’m open to pain relief (I’ll avoid an epidural if I can, hubby isn’t keen on me having one). I’d like a water birth, but won’t be devastated if I can’t have one. At the moment I’m consultant led, but like with my pregnancy with Lamb, I can deliver in the midwife unit if there are no complications with my thyroid levels towards the end.

There are a couple of things I really want in my birth plan and that’s for daddy to cut the cord (as much as this cringes him out) and for baby boy to be handed to me the instant he is delivered – no blanket, no hat, just my baby covered in lots of gunk!

I think I’ll write a longer post on my birth plan (not that I have much of one) so I have it documented. Look out for that in the next couple of weeks.

What else do I need to update you on? Well, I feel fat and frumpy. My anxiety has been coming and going, I’ve cried a few times this week and I’ve got limited patience.

I have a growth scan on Wednesday which I’m really excited about but also a little nervous. They will tell me baby’s estimated birth weight and I’m panicking he’s going to be huge (because I feel huge). I’m not worried at all about him not growing properly. I didn’t have a growth scan with Lamb and he was born at 40+3 and weighed 6lb 12oz, so fingers crossed baby number 2 is a similar size – not too big!

Baby is the biggest wriggler. Seriously, he doesn’t stop moving. Luckily he’s staying head down but boy can this kid move. I think that’s why I ache so much. He’s beating me up from the inside!

It’s a shame that I’m starting to feel so rubbish, especially as I have 6 weeks left. But, hey, I’m pregnant, what else do I expect?!

We are off to Butlins in a couple of weeks as part of the ambassador programme (cutting it fine I know), and I think it will do me the world of good to take a week off and relax. Daddy and Lamb will be spending lots of time together while I put my feet up and prepare for the new arrival.

One thing I’m wondering is, do I need to take my hospital bag with me just in case? Advice on this would be great. We are going on 18th April and my due date is 15th May.

Any tips or advice on this would be much appreciated!

As I’m in the last few weeks of this pregnancy I’ll be doing weekly updates.

So see you next Sunday for my 35 week update!

Ax