Pregnancy Diary

I am starting to feel a little sick. I am really really tired and am going to bed at 8pm most nights. A friend of mine and I were discussing the tiredness you feel when you are in the early stages of pregnancy and she described it perfectly, you feel so tired you face and eyes hurt. Its true. I have no energy and cant be bothered to do anything. I think my waist is starting to disappear but I could be imagining it!

I went to the doctors this week, she has written off to the hospital so a midwife contacts me to "start the proceedings". The procedures will be slightly different this time as am going to a different hospital. The hospital where I last gave birth was awful, no care, before, during or after birth so I wont be giving them the pleasure of seeing me in stirrups again.

What can I say, sickness, tiredness, tiredness and sickness. I haven't actually been sick, in some ways I wish was, that might make me feel better.

I am being very moody and miserable and not very nice to be with. The nausea seems to come in waves, one minute, I'll feel fine, the next, I feel dreadful. Next thing it could disappear but sometimes it stays for hours. Last time I was pregnant, I tried ginger in every format possible, in capsules, raw ginger juiced into a drink, ginger ale, ginger biscuits and it didn't make a scrap of difference, though this doesn't mean it wont work for anyone else. Everything is worth a try. All that I find helps is eating little and often.

My nipples are so tender that even if something lightly brushes passed them, its painful. I am not putting on any weight as my appetite hasn't been that good due to the sickness.

I had 2 days where I felt great, no sickness, only a little tiredness and I thought, great, maybe it didn't last as long this time. Wrong! Must have been a blip as still feel bad.

At this point in time, I can't look any further down the line than trying to get through this awful sickness.

I have felt so awful this week. I nearly throw up just brushing my teeth. I still haven't heard from the midwife and I should be having my first scan around 11/12 weeks. If they don't call by the end of this week, I shall chase the doctors up. There is nothing wrong particularly but its just nice to know the ball is rolling.

My husband thinks I am the devil in disguise, I just snap his head off all the time.

I am very wary of my daughter climbing over me, she is too young to understand that she has to be careful of Mummy's tummy. She kisses my tummy a lot and tries to put her dummy in my belly button which is funny. She does keep pulling my top up in public and saying "baby kissy" and trying to kiss my tummy, slightly embarrassing!

No bump yet, but my trousers are starting to feel uncomfortable around the tummy area. Once the baby moves further up, it should be okay. I am hoping to stay in my regular clothes as long as possible. Last time I was pregnant the most decent maternity clothes shop was an hour away, now I have H&M and Top Shop just to name a couple.

It seems now I have the odd afternoon where I feel okay. I then start to think maybe this horrible nausea is lifting. I wake up the next morning and think I feel okay, until I move and then the sickness hits me again.

I am still going to bed really early like 7.30 pm. I feel like my body just needs to rest, I guess its tired from making this baby!

I feel sorry for my poor husband who has to spend every evening on his own, still I think he makes the most of it, watching all those action films, it sounds like World War 3 is going on downstairs sometimes!

I got my scan appointment through this week, for 29th November, that means I will be 12 weeks. The appointment is 2 hours long, apparently I will be having blood tests and everything. I haven't seen a midwife yet which feels odd. I saw a midwife at 8 weeks last time, so this time it feels like I am not being looked after as much. I guess they think I'm a pro now after already having one!

My appetite seems to be coming back. I have had my first proper meal this week. Up until now I haven't been able to eat full plates of food, I have been having soup on its own or just a small saucer of food. I couldn't even look at a plate of food without feeling sick.

I now have more days where I feel almost normal. The sickness and tiredness hasn't gone completely but it has started to ease considerably.

When I lay down in bed, I can feel a hard lump just above my bikini line, in the mornings it seems to have moved up but then moves back down as I get up and move around. I am still now showing yet but I don't know how much longer I will be in my regular clothes.

I am still going to bed fairly early but not as early as I have been. I've been waking up about 4 am some mornings which is what I did when I was pregnant first time round. Hope it doesn't continue as I really need my sleep. I had one really bad day this week where I couldn't even move off the sofa which is very hard to do when you have a toddler to look after. My mum come over to help and it was nice to have some Company.

My boobs have grown a lot. They look like I did when I was 16. Shame I don't feel up to going out and showing them off! Typical isn't it. Well, at least my husband seems to be paying me more attention, funny that.

Dare I say it, I have felt a lot better this week. Admittedly I feel a bit nauseas today but most days now I am feeling fine and have a little more energy.

I have done some Christmas shopping and run a few errands I have been meaning to do for weeks. I am still tired but not exhausted like I was and am going to bed a bit later. I am sleeping really well so that's helping.

I seem to be drinking loads, I get through pints of fresh orange and squash every day.

I have the scan in 4 days and am excited and nervous too.

My tummy is sticking out a little but I don't think it's the baby its probably my insides being pushed up and out by my growing womb.

I think the nesting feeling has started to arise every now and then, I get urges to bake and clean and tidy. I didn't think you got that feeling until the end of the pregnancy when the baby is ready to come. When I was heavily pregnant last time, I had been known to get out of bed at 1am and scrub the kitchen from top to bottom.

Whilst I was shopping this week I had a look at Topshops maternity clothes, I am still convinced that shops think that expectant mothers want to look like frumpy freaks. I only saw one skirt I liked. I will try H&M next time I go, they must have something trendy to wear otherwise I wont be leaving the house until the baby arrives!

Had my scan! It was fascinating, I haven't had a 12 week scan before, so even though I expected to see a tiny baby, I didn't realise how much they moved. When the first midwife did the scan, the baby just moved its arms but when the trainee did the scan, she pressed a lot harder and the baby went mad! It was doing somersaults and everything, it was lovely to see. The hospital was brilliant, very clean, efficient, the staff were friendly and helpful and I didn't feel like I was on a conveyor belt. I have faith that the hospital will look after me and my unborn baby, I feel safe in their hands.

I have felt a lot better, only a tiny bit of nausea. I haven't been eating that well, I know I should be eating lots of fruit and veg, but I just seem to want junk all the time, like MacDonalds and pizzas. I was the same in my first pregnancy so that's why I think its another girl.

My boobs are huge, but I feel like its not worth getting measured for new bras as I am going to keep growing. I am going to have a chat with M&S to see what they suggest. Problem is, it seems once you are in maternity bras, they are they huge great ugly things that look like you have a couple of hankies over your boobs, I actually feel more sexy now I have bigger boobs so I want to wear nice pretty bras, not great ugly ones. I want my husband to call me Jordan by mistake, not Grandma.

My waist is disappearing day by day. I tend to start the day with a flat stomach but by the end of the day, it looks like I have a small bump. Could just be the chocolate and crisps though!

I had a visit from a Community Midwife this week. She was so lovely. I told her that I had a bad experience with my last birth and wanted to make sure certain things didn't happen again. They are going to keep an eye on my blood pressure as I had pre-eclampsia last time.

I'm having my bloods done on Week 14, to check for various things including Downs. The Downs test was an option and I chose to have it. I hate needles but it has to be done. Whilst the midwife was with me, she tried to see if she could hear the baby's heartbeat but she couldn't as the baby was too deep in the pelvis. She said that was perfectly normal at an early stage of pregnancy.

I saw one of my friends whose baby is due on December 27th. She looked very well considering she only has 3 weeks to go, I was almost envious that she was at the end and was close to seeing her baby.

Still feeling fine, haven't felt sick this week, just a little tired.

My boobs are still growing and I think I might be starting to show. People who don't know probably just think I have a fat stomach! I want to wear a jumper saying, I'm pregnant - not fat!

I am still not eating very well. I have the odd piece of fruit and drink loads of fluids as I am so thirsty but I seem to just be picking at bits all the time. I ordered chocolate selection boxes for the family this week, one for me, one for my husband and one for my daughter. There are 2 bars of chocolate left in my daughters, the rest has been demolished.

At least my exercise is back on track, I am using my treadmill to powerwalk as I don't want to run in case it harms the baby.

I have been looking at maternity clothes again this week as I just wanted a nice casual pair of trousers as mine are all really uncomfortable now. The problem is, I am not showing enough to be wearing maternity but I cant fit into my normal size. Do I buy a bigger size in normal clothes, knowing that I wont get much use out of them? I am going to try and get hold of one of those stretchy things that allows you to wear your normal clothes. You hook it between the flies in your trousers, I guess as long as you wear a long top it will look fine.

My sister in law has just told me she is pregnant today! She is only 5 weeks and her baby is due middle of August, it will be nice for my baby to have a cousin that's very close in age.

I am starting to get a bit of a bump, you can see that from my picture on the left. Its not really that obvious under clothes but it depends what I wear.

I have ordered one of those belts that enable you to fit into your normal clothes for longer, I still fit into my normal clothes on my bum and legs so it seems silly to start buying maternity clothes.

Have felt fine this week, I get tired still but am emotionally feeling a bit more stable. Last week I told my husband to leave and not to come back, we argued over something trivial, I have managed to get through this week without chucking him out!

I am still really thirsty all the time and get through cartons of fresh orange or apple juice. My diet is still not good, I start the week with good intentions but it seems to fall by the wayside by Monday afternoon. I blame Christmas and people forcing mince pies on me.

I can feel the baby squirming sometimes, particularly in the mornings when I wake up, I do sometimes wonder whether its things moving along in my bowels rather than the baby! I guess soon enough I will feel the baby kick and then I will believe it.

I have been having the most weird dreams. This week alone, I have slept with Justin Timberlake and Simon Cowell. My husband thinks I am mad, but apparently you do get strange dreams while your pregnant, it's a hormone thing.

I am having my bloods next week and I hate needles. I shouldn't mind as I have been through childbirth but you soon forget the pain of that and start fearing spiders, dentists and needles again!

p.s. Simon Cowell was pretty good, much better than Justin!

Had my bloods this week. I was dreading it as I hate needles. The nurse laughed at me, she wondered why after I had been through something as painful as childbirth, I was still frightened of injections! It was really easy though, she took about 5 test tubes of blood from me for various tests including Downs. The results should be with my doctor in a couple of weeks.

Now that's over, I can look forward to Christmas. Its pretty tiring being pregnant, let alone trying to prepare for Christmas aswell. I have been trying to look for something nice to wear on Christmas Day, I found a nice skirt with an elasticated waist that I can wear as a hipster skirt under my growing bump. It looked really nice.

My boobs are huge. I really need to go and get some new bras. The maternity bras I have are ugly and boring, I want to get some pretty ones. I will check out M&S to see if they have improved their collection since last time. My boobs are covered in veins and are very hard. Still, its an improvement on the poached eggs I had before.

I can feel the baby squirming around a bit, particularly when I am relaxing in bed. Its still quite early to feel the baby move inside you but this is my second pregnancy and I am still fairly slim so its easier for me to feel.

I have to book an appointment with my doctor for when I am 18 weeks as they are going to keep an eye on my blood pressure due to the pre-eclampsia I had last time, I guess they will give me my blood results at the same time.

I am feeling quite excited about the baby. Up until now I have felt a bit strange about it, thinking that I wont have as much time to dedicate to my daughter, but now I am looking forward to seeing her response when we bring her little brother or sister home from hospital.

Christmas has been and gone. Mince pies, chocolate, turkey, turkey and more turkey. I am now bursting out of my clothes but this is due to excessive eating (which includes After Eights for breakfast!). I promise my diet is going to improve from January. More fruit and veg. I am going to dust my juicer down and I have just brought a food mixer to make my own smoothies and soups. I have to eat all the biscuits and chocolates first that are left over from Christmas. It would be awful to waste food like that when there are starving children in the world?!?

Bump is growing slowly and I do look pregnant now, not just flabby. I was flicking through Pregnancy and Birth magazine and they said that the clothing company Red Herring do a maternity range now. Great! Their stuff is quite trendy, so a visit to Debenhams is needed shortly.

I was lying in bed the other night, and I was woken by the baby squirming. I put my hand on my tummy and felt the baby move a lot, I think it might have been turning over. I haven't been able to sleep on my back or front for a while, though sometimes I do wake up on my back. Its not good for the baby if you sleep on your back, apparently it can block their oxygen supply.

I promised myself that I wouldn't go all mummsy and frumpy with my clothes during this pregnancy, but it seems to be happening again. I appear to be attracted to frills, blouses and flary skirts. I bought a Victoriana type top the other day, which at the time, I thought was lovely and pretty. When I got it home and put it on ready to go out, my husband suggested it may be a good idea to save it for when I was more heavily pregnant. I guess he was trying to say that it made me look frumpy. I need to get to Red Herring now before I lose it completely.

I am cleaning more again. I actually vacuumed under the bed other day and I am clearing out drawers and cupboards. My hormones are trying to prepare me for the new arrival!

Still growing! My skin is really itching around my tummy and my boobs. I guess this is because my skin is stretching. I have started using Bio-Oil now, I didn't get stretch marks last time but I don't want to take any chances.

I am now in maternity bras. They are not the most attractive bras but I feel now like my boobs are being supported. I am using the bras from my last pregnancy, I bought them from M&S. I got some bras from Mothercare last time too, but I found the catches at the back were uncomfortable compared to the M&S ones. They may have improved since.

I have started using my Belly Belt. I used it with a pair of my regular trousers and what a difference it has made. Providing my backside doesn't grow too much, I may be able to get away with using my regular clothes for as long as possible.

My daughter has just started playgroup so I had a couple of hours to myself this week. I missed her desperately but it was also nice to have some time to myself, as when the new baby arrives I wont have any "me time" for at least the first few months.

My nose is still hypersensitive to smells (not good when you have to empty pooey pottys). My husband and I used to eat loads of pasta but since I fell pregnant I cannot bear the smell of pasta sauce. He still makes pasta for himself but I have to stay out of the kitchen for at least an hour afterwards.

I have been getting a bit of backache this week but since I have been wearing the bras more, it has eased off. It's amazing how having extra weight on your boobs, can affect your back, especially as I am only 17 weeks. Maybe my back is weaker from the birth of my daughter.

I promised myself I would do yoga throughout this pregnancy (as well as healthy eating etc!), I am sure it would help with pregnancy aches and pains.

I have been very good this week with healthy eating and exercise. I actually look and feel better already so hopefully this will inspire me to continue!

Had my blood pressure checked this week, and its fine. I have to have this done as they are watching out for signs of pre-eclampsia which I suffered during my last pregnancy. My next appointment is 6th February for my 22 week scan. I am looking forward to it already. We are going to take my daughter this time as we are trying to get her used to the idea of another baby coming into the family.

My husband felt the baby move under my skin this week, he had his head on my tummy as I think your face is a lot more sensitive to touch than your hands. It made it more real for him.

The Bio-Oil seems to be working well on my tummy as its stopped itching. I have stopped putting it on my boobs everyday as I already have oily skin on my chest and I don't want to overload it otherwise I may get spots.

I have had a bit of constipation over the last few weeks, so I have stepped up my intake of fibre, including taking psyllium husks every morning to keep me moving. I feel better for doing that, and as psyllium husks are natural, they are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy.

I seem to be doing a lot of organising! I think my mind just wants me to get on top of things ready for when the baby is born, as I am sure it will be bedlam for the first few months, especially with already having one child.

Christmas and now I have caught it. Problem is every time I cough, I am worried I am either going to wet myself or push the baby out!

Brought some new clothes this week. I went and had a look in Red Herring at Debenhams, there was some fairly nice stuff but nothing that caught my eye. I then tried Hennes and brought a nice maternity jumper then dare I say - I went to Dorothy Perkins. I say it like that, as the last time I was pregnant, that was the only place to shop and their maternity stuff was hideous. Well what an improvement. I brought a lovely pair of maternity jeans for £30, really trendy and comfortable, I was very impressed.

I had reflexology again this week. Its so lovely just to relax for an hour with my feet up, it makes me realise how I never sit down for 5 minutes. The reflexologist has suggested I start to have reiki healing at the beginning of each session. I have a habit of talking throughout the whole treatment and she doesn't think I am getting the most from it as I am busy gassing and not relaxing enough. I have had reflexology for years and I swear by it. You are not allowed to have reflexology during the first trimester as it could trigger miscarriage but its safe to do so now, but the reflexologist has to avoid certain areas of the foot as pressure could trigger labour.

I can still feel the baby moving quite a bit, particularly when I am resting. The baby seems quite low (like my last pregnancy) and I keep getting a pain in the left hand side of my bum which shoots down my leg. Maybe the baby is lying on a nerve or something, I will mention this to my midwife when I next see her.

Had some bad news today. My sister-in-law who is 12 weeks pregnant has had a scan and found at the babys heart has stopped beating. It looks like it happened around 5 weeks which is when she found out she was expecting. Its very sad and I feel very sorry for her. I don't know what to say or how to say it. Do I send a card or flowers? Whatever I do will be wrong so its probably best to wait until I see her next. Now I have a bump I am going to feel desperately awkward as it will remind her of what she has lost. I have to put this to the back of my mind as I am carrying a baby too and my health and the health of my baby is my main concern but it still hasnt stopped me worrying.

Still not got over this horrible cold and am having trouble sleeping with a blocked nose. Being pregnant, I can't take any medication but am using Olbas oil in the room to help me breathe.

Still getting the pain in my bum, but not every day. Sometimes it just hurts to put one leg in front of the other. I have also developed a red rash on my tummy, I think its because my skin is stretching, but it itches like bad. I use my Bio-Oil on and off but it seems to itch more when I am in the bath. I think I will put some Aqueous Cream in the bath water to see if that makes a difference.

I have invested in a nursing pillow nursing pillow which can also be used during pregnancy. What a difference it has made, I am so much more comfortable in the night now. It's quite a long pillow which you can use in several positions whilst you rest or sleep. I use it between my knees and against my bump, its lovely. My husband moans as he says its like having another body in bed with us (he wishes!!!). One of my pregnant friends has brought one too and she loves it!

I had a glass of wine this week. I know you aren't really supposed to drink during pregnancy, but having one every now and then doesn't hurt, it helps me relax anyway. I do feel a bit guilty afterwards though.

Boobs are still growing, I am now in a F size bra. What size are they going to be when I am feeding? I dread to think. I will need to have them specially made for me!

I have been quite stressed this week as I have got a lot going on with my business, my daughter has decided she doesn't want to go to bed before 11pm and I still have this rotten cold. I was reading that your immune system isn't as good during pregnancy as all the antibodies and nutrients are being taken by the baby.

I know it isn't good for the baby when you get stressed so I need to try and chill out. We have decided to try and go away during April, so I will be about 7 months. We are looking at luxury family hotels on the South Coast of England, or North Devon, a real nice hotel with a spa will set us back over £400 for just 3 nights. We know we wont be having a Summer holiday this year because we'll have a newborn so it might be worth spending the money on a luxury few days. Just think of all those lovely massages I can have!

I have been a bit itchy down there this week. In fact at one point I had a green coloured discharge and was a bit worried. I thought at first it was the toilet paper at my friends house, but that was white! She suggested I ring the midwife as green discharge could mean I have an infection. I discovered this about 7pm one evening so I couldn't get hold of my midwife on the usual number. I called the Day Clinic at the hospital for advice and it was the Delivery Suite that answered. I was so embarrassed. I thought they would think I was panicking but the lovely midwife on the phone said that I was right to call and I might well have an infection which isn't good for the baby.

She suggested I might have thrush so buy some Canesten cream to use (not tablets) and if it didn't clear up over the weekend, to contact my doctor on Monday morning. I sent my husband out to Tescos but by the time he got there, the pharmacy was closed. He instead came back with a Canesten Body Wash and a box of cream doughnuts. Is it me, or are men completely hopeless? Still, the doughnuts were nice.

Next day, without using anything, things seemed to clear up, so I didn't bother going to the doctor but I will mention this to the midwife at my next appointment.

Had my scan on Monday this week. It was brilliant. We took my Mum as this is going to be the last Grandchild she has (well from me anyway!). They didn't have scans in her day and she thought it was marvellous how you could see through mine and the baby's body.

The Sonographer was great, she took the time to talk to us and show us every part of the baby. You could see the baby sucking its thumb and then gulping the amniotic fluid down. It really made me feel maternal and I just wanted to grab the screen and touch the baby! At first the lady couldn't get a good view of the baby as it was low down in my pelvis (like I thought it was) but she just tilted the bed slightly and we got a perfect view. She did ask if we wanted to know the sex, but although I was tempted, I would rather wait and find out when its born. It takes all the excitement away, knowing whether you are having a boy or girl. All the measurements are fine and the baby is well so I can now plan ahead and get all my baby stuff out again and see if there is anything else we need to buy.

My next appointment with the midwife is at 24 weeks. I haven't heard the baby's heartbeat yet so I am looking forward to that. Apparently you can tell by the baby's heartbeat whether it's a boy or girl. My last midwife suggested all the way through my last pregnancy I was having a boy and I had a girl, so I don't know how much truth is in that one!

Been itchy down there again this week, so have brought some cream. Am hoping it clears the problem up. I am also eating lots of natural yoghurt, but I don't think the strawberries and sugar I am sprinkling on are helping!

I have been suffering from really bad headaches all week and was worried that it could have been linked to something serious like pre-eclampsia like I had last time. Funny thing is though, my sister has been suffering too and she isn't pregnant?

Just for peace of mind, I went to see the nurse at my local surgery to have my blood pressure tested. It was absolutely fine, but I was told that there were lots of viruses going round that involved bad headaches so I had probably picked one up.

Apart from that I have been feeling well and pregnancy is going smoothly. My little girl has been sleeping through the night after having a few weeks of disturbed sleep so I am now getting the sleep I need too!

I have been getting a few braxton hicks this week, they aren't uncomfortable but am very aware that they are happening.

Been looking at prams for the new baby, we already have a MacClaren Buggy which is supposed to be suitable from birth but I am not convinced. I would like a pram that can have a buggy board on the back for my daughter but the prams I like are around £300 and once a baby is 6 months old, it looks silly being in a pram. I didn't buy one the first time round. I have been looking on kiddicare.com where they have some real bargains. I will just keep my eye out for a nice looking three wheeler buggy I think.

I have an appointment with the midwife next week, my first appointment since I was 14 weeks, so its been a long time.

Saw the midwife for the first time in ages this week. She had a student midwife with her and she asked me a couple of questions. Was a bit put out that the regular midwife didn't exam the bump after the student, as she may have picked something up that the student didn't. I know I might be being paranoid, and the students have to learn but I came out feeling that I wasn't checked properly.

I also had a really bad tummy bug this week. Thanks to another playgroup bug, I have had severe diarrhoea to the point where I wasn't off the loo for nearly an hour. I was really worried about the baby. When I saw the midwife I had just started to feel unwell, when I mentioned it, she said I must eat, even if its just a slice of toast here and there.

I couldn't even keep water inside me, I lost a good few pounds. I didn't feel the baby move for about 12 hours, but then after a while when I started to feel better and kept food and drink inside me, the baby started moving again.

Getting back to normal again this week after the tummy bug last week. I still feel a bit weak but a trip to the hairdressers was what I needed! It's a bit uncomfortable having to sit down for hours when you are having your hair done but I enjoyed the pampering.

I took my little girl to a soft play place this week with her cousins. It had a huge climbing frame and slides for the kids to go on. I am usually running up and down with them but I really struggled this time. I am starting to feel heavy and clumsy even though I haven't put on nearly as much weight on as I did last time.

We have been looking for a new house for about 2 years as we are outgrowing the one we are in now, especially with another on the way. We had stopped looking because I was getting far on in the pregnancy but something came on the market which we couldn't resist. I know we are mad to move whilst I am pregnant but the buyers of our house want to be in here within a few weeks and the place we want is empty so it should go smoothly. We hope to be in the new place by mid April.

Still having the braxton hicks every day, not painful but several times throughout the day. I am still exercising by walking on the treadmill three times a week and TRYING to eat healthily. Chocolate and cheese is my downfall!

My boobs are getting big so I have bought myself some maternity vests or nursing vests as some people call them. These are officially called Emma Jane Nursing Tops and they are very comfortable, I've bought them in blue, black and white. They are a bit odd in that when you take the flap down at the front, there are literally 2 holes cut out for your boobs! When the flap is up its a very supportive nursing vest. I wear them during the day and when I am sleeping at night. The clips are very easy and can be undone and done up onehanded so this will be fab for breastfeeding. My husband thinks the vests are great. Pervert. Ann Summers would make a fortune selling these!

Went swimming this week. It was so nice to float in the water. I went with my little girl, my sister and her kids. I wore a bikini as I have never owned a swimming costume. I thought I would feel quite self conscious, not because of the bump but because of my enormous breasts! I managed to find a bikini that strapped me down a bit so they didn't look so obscene! There are very few flattering swimsuits out there for pregnant women.

I think I might be starting to waddle. It depends what position the baby is in but I catch myself walking like John Wayne sometimes and its not attractive!

Braxton Hicks as usual this week but have started to use the treadmill less as I am finding it harder every time and that seems to set off stronger braxtons which I don't think is a good idea.

I will be keeping fit by clearing out rubbish from the house ready for when we start packing.

I have started to leak colostrum from my boobs. Its like an orangey yellow colour. I am also finding white flakes in my bra which is obviously dried milk. Either that or it could be leftovers from my lunch, my boobs to tend to get in the way of everything these days!

I have had a busy week this week and its really taken its toll on me. I met up with a few girls I used to work with. Three of us are pregnant, one is due 2 weeks after me , the other is due a month after me. We are all carrying differently. I seem to be all bump. One of my friends is carrying more into her back. Its good to have other people to compare notes with.

I wont be going to any ante natal classes as I didn't really enjoy them first time round. I think they are good for women who don't know anyone who has children but a lot of my friends and family have kids so I use them for support. The evening where the partners had to go was hysterical. I asked my husband if he wanted to go and he didn't, he isn't comfortable talking about personal things in front of complete strangers. I didn't mind, I said as long as he read a few books with me so he knew what to expect, I would let him off the hook! All the men and women were sitting round and it was all going well until the midwife mentioned the word VAGINA. All the men went white and didn't know where to look!

I am starting to relax a bit more when Amber is at playgroup. I was rushing round for the whole 2 hours she was gone, but I make myself sit down for at least an hour. I need to rest more now as I wont be able to rest when the baby comes.

Had a bit of pain this week with my braxton hicks. I knew the baby had moved position, as the bump was very small and tight. With each braxton hicks, I was getting tremendous pain in my back, bum and left leg. I haven't felt anything like it since my contractions started when I gave birth last time.

Luckily I was due to see the midwife on the afternoon the pains started. My husband had to drive me to the appointment as there was no way I could drive. I could barely move when the pain hit.

I had a few pains in the waiting room but typically they stopped as soon as I got into the midwifes room. She did see my in some discomfort in the waiting room so she asked what was wrong. She examined my bump and said the baby was head down. The heartbeat and everything was fine and the baby was growing well. She thinks the pain could be sciatica but I am not so sure. The pain seemed to come with the contractions. She said to keep an eye on it and if it got worse to go to hospital and they would check me over. She said that I could go into labour as early as 28 weeks, some women do, though its hardly ideal.

Luckily the baby moved position by late afternoon, back to its usual feet top left hand of my tummy and hands bottom right. As soon as it moved, the pains stopped. What worries me is that the baby goes head down again towards the very end, will I get those pains back. I really hope not, that was agony.

We are supposed to be exchanging contracts on our new house this week, so its all happening rather fast. I have been packing boxes this week ready for the move and am getting rather tired. It's a frustrating time to be pregnant as there is loads I want to do, but I cant manage it.

It's been Mothers Day this week, this time next year, I will have 2 kids to enjoy on this special day. My husband cooked me breakfast and I was allowed to have a bath on my own in peace. Blimey.

I am finding, even though I have a huge appetite, I can't eat much without feeling full. If I leave it 10 minutes I can eat more. I guess I am running out of room inside!

My next appointment is with my Consultant at the hospital, that will be when I am 32 weeks. She will be monitoring me for pre-eclampsia. I forgot to mention that when I saw the midwife last, she found Ketones in my water. When you have pre-eclampsia, they find protein so I was baffled when they found ketones. Apparently Ketones is a sign that you are burning fat. This normally would have been a positive thing for me but the midwife was obviously concerned as asked when the last time I ate was. I had a huge bowl of porridge for breakfast and just had lunch, even on the way to the midwife, my husband stopped to get me a Double Decker!!!

I looked up Ketones in pregnancy on the internet it referred to gestestional diabetes. I started to scare myself so decided not to look any more and to try and stop eating masses of chocolate.

We have moved! It all happened so quickly in the end, we exchanged and completed on the same day so it was a bit stressful. We did all the moving ourselves, though I couldn't do too much obviously. Even sweeping and hoovering gave me backache straight away so I felt a bit useless.

Still getting lots of braxton hicks and quite regularly too. The baby seems to switch between two positions and when it moves it feels like its going to come right out of my skin.

I haven't got any stretch marks again which I am pleased about but there is still a few weeks to go so I wont get too smug about it!

My back is starting to ache more now, down the bottom and also in the middle, I guess that's where my boobs are weighing my down.

I really need to think about what I need for my hospital bag, I know you don't need it packed until about 36 weeks, but I would rather be prepared.

The stress of moving has hit me this week. I woke up one day with swollen fingers and I could hardly move, I could have slept all day. Everyone told me off for doing too much but as usual I didn't listen. I had to take my daughter to the theatre that afternoon too to see the Fimbles, she enjoyed it but I will still feeling really tired.

It has taken me a few days to get over the exhaustion of moving and 3 mornings running I had swollen fingers. I wasn't sure whether it was a sign of pre-eclampsia so I contacted my midwife who said it wasn't anything to worry about unless it was accompanied by swelling all over, ie. Feet, ankles, face etc. After a few days of taking it a bit more easy the swelling disappeared, though I made a point of taking my wedding and engagement rings off just incase they get stuck on if I swelled up again.

Last time I was pregnant, towards the end, my fingers and hands would be swollen every day and it took me about an hour of soaping to get my rings off. I suffered from carpel tunnel syndrome which is where the swelling presses on your nerves and it is really quite painful. I used to get shooting pains from my elbow to my thumb and first finger.

It is Easter this coming weekend so no doubt my chocolate intake will increase again, I will try and be good but cant see it myself!

Not only have I eaten my Easter eggs but I have eaten most of my daughters and my husbands. My daughter is too young to know I have pinched her chocolate but my husband still hasn't forgiven me. The baby kicks like mad when I eat chocolate, then it gets the hiccups. Obviously I am carrying another chocoholic!

I had to see the Consultant at the hospital this week for blood pressure and urine checks. Although my blood pressure is going up slightly every time, it is only slight and nothing to worry about. My urine was clear, no protein or ketones were present so all is fine. They weren't happy that I was only seeing the midwife every few weeks so they insisted I get my blood pressure checked at the very least every 2 weeks but preferably every week. I will make sure I do this.

Every afternoon now I get really tired, I find that I get out of breath walking up and down the stairs and also if I talk too much. I can't seem to get a deep breath and have to yawn to get a satisfying breath. This is because the baby is high and pressing on my diaphram and lungs, apparently this doesn't tend to relieve itself until the baby drops into my pelvis 2-3 weeks before it is born. I just have to try and make sure that my posture is good to open up my lungs, us pregnant women tend to slump over our bumps which makes breathing more difficult.

I didn't have this problem last time as I carried really low, this is because I sat at a desk all day and pushed the baby down into my pelvis. Mind you that was a pain because the whole time I felt like the baby was hanging out of me she was so low, I waddled a lot sooner carrying my daughter.

I have been naughty and had a couple of bottles of beer this week. Not very ladylike I know but I really fancied them. I think you are allowed 2 units a week being pregnant but ideally its best not to drink. I do feel guilty when I drink alcohol but as long as I don't do it often then I am sure it will be fine.

I have had lots of really strong braxton hicks this week. The baby moved into the head down position again and it was really uncomfortable as it seems to press on a nerve when it is in that position. I had a couple of bad nights sleep because of it. I did take paracetamol but it didn't relieve the pain.

A few people have noticed my extra chin this week, including me! I was concerned it might be swelling as last time my face and ankles were swollen. I nipped into the surgery to get my blood pressure checked but it was fine, so it looks like it was the Easter Eggs! I booked an appointment to see the midwife next week, so will have it checked again then. I will also mention the painful braxton hicks when the baby is head down. I am sure there is nothing she can do, but she needs to know.

My boobs seem to be leaking colostrum more now, particularly when I relax, like in the bath or in bed. I am really hoping I can breastfeed again but you never know.

I took my daughter to a party this week and loads of people commented that I looked really well and didn't look as far gone as I was. Then the next day when I took her to pre-school, one of the mums commented that I was huge!!! I guess different people have different perceptions on what is big and whats not.

I am going to start taking Raspberry Leaf Tea Capsules now ready to soften my cervix for the birth. Apparently they really help, and I will do anything to make sure this baby is not late.

I have started to wash baby vests and sort out what I need to get. I don't need a lot really but the most expensive things I need is a new car seat (the last one was awful, it didn't support my daughters head at all well) and a new buggy. I don't like prams, they are horrible, clumsy things, but there are not many buggys that can be used from birth. MacClaren have just launched a new three wheeler bugger called the MX3 which can be used from birth so I will get one of those.

I saw a new midwife this week. She was lovely. I spent about 30 minutes with her which is the longest time I have spent with a midwife since I have been pregnant. I told her about these pains I have been having in my back, bum and legs and also the strong braxton hicks. She wasn't concerned about the braxton hicks but said that from the pain I was describing it sounds like I have SPD (Symphosis Pubis Dysfunction). She has recommended a maternity belt to help support the bump. There is nothing else they can do to help.

My blood pressure was fine and no sign of protein in my wee so no signs of pre-eclampsia. I did have ketones again, but apparently this is nothing to worry about. I have been suffering thrush on and off for the last few months and the cream isn't working so I have to see my GP this week so she can prescribe me some pessarys.

I have started getting the bits together for my hospital bag. I have stocked up on sanitary towels, Boots were doing a buy one get one free on the Always Ultra towels so I have gone for those. One of my friends warned me last time not to get proper maternity towels and they are huge, uncomfortable and move around and I found as long as you get the heavy duty Always Ultra then they are fine. I have bought some newborn nappies (I prefer Pampers) and have washed all the baby vests and babygros. I treated myself to a new dressing gown and nightie. I was getting fed up with wearing my huge white fluffy dressing gown, they are not flattering at the best of times, let alone when you are heavily pregnant! I got a nice knee cotton knee length dressing gown from Marks and Spencer and a matching nightie. I almost feel feminine again!

My daughters pre-school have a theme every week and this week was nurses, doctors and dentists. I was asked to go in for 15 minutes as a health visitor was going to bring a Doppler machine in so the children could listen to the babys heartbeat. The children looked interested but also a bit baffled. The baby really started moving about and you could see my skin moving where the baby was kicking. The teachers were really excited, but to be honest I think the children were a bit baffled They probably thought some alien was going to burst through my belly. Luckily I wasn't asked any awkward questions like "how did the baby get there?". I was readily prepared with my answer : 'far too much red wine!'

I have spent most of the week chasing test results from a swab I had done with the midwife last week. The swab went off to the hospital and were then going on to my doctors. Problem was that on Wednesday I lost a tiny bit of blood so I called my midwife at the other surgery. I left two messages and she didn't return my call which I was really upset about, the whole reason I changed my hospital and midwife from my last pregnancy was because I was completely neglected at the end and developed pre-eclampisa without anyone being aware. I didn't lose any blood after Wednesday but called my doctors to explain the situation. They booked me in for Friday afternoon for a chat with a GP. He said my results had come in from the hospital saying that it was just thrush I had, not an infection. He gave me an internal as I mentioned the blood loss, he said because I had been suffering for thrush for so long, my insides were red raw and it wasn't surprising I had seen some blood. He prescribed a pessary which I had to use ASAP.

I used the pessary and everything seemed quiet for a couple of days and then I got up one morning and walked to the loo and I thought I was bleeding again. It turned out that the pessary was obviously clearing me out and lets just say a shower was the only course of action I could take to get myself cleaned up!

I have still been suffering these pelvic pains and my waddling is getting worse. I can barely turn over in the night, I feel like one of those obese Americans they often feature on freak shows on Channel 5!

I managed to find a Company in Cornwall called Baby Days Direct who sell all sorts of baby products. They were selling the Maclaren MX3 for about £30 less than other Companies. Problem is, they are not available until mid May and even though that's only next week, I am starting to panic a bit about everything being ready for when the baby arrives. I still have a few weeks to go but still have a few bits to get.

It's been really warm this week and I have got nothing to wear! I have a couple of pairs of linen trousers from Top Shops maternity section that are really nice but its been too warm for trousers. I managed to find a stretchy summery skirt from my summer clothes from last year that fit nicely under my bump and I just wore my night time "strap your breasts down" vests that just look like little strappy t-shirts. I was tempted to go out and buy some maternity shorts but its so close to the baby being born I just cant justify spending the money.

I saw the midwife again this week. She took yet another swab from me to make sure the thrush had gone. Lets hope it has. Everything else was fine, heard the heartbeat again, its always a comfort to hear it. Blood pressure was very good and no protein in the wee which means no signs of pre-eclampsia yet.

Went to the hairdressers to get pampered for a couple of hours. I did enjoy some time to myself but it was pretty uncomfortable sitting in that chair whilst I had all my highlights done. Still, I felt nice afterwards so it was worth it.

I am now having reflexology once a week until the birth. Its so relaxing and its amazing what my reflexologist can tell me from touching my feet. She said all my lymphatic system was very sensitive suggesting I was fighting an infection. I feel fine but quite often she picks up things that are going to happen to me, ie colds or sore throats.

My pelvic pain hasn't been too bad this week, I find the more I keep moving the better it is. I do dread going to bed though as that is when it is uncomfortable.

I was hoping my buggy and car seat would be coming sometime this week but it hasn't turned up yet. I know I shouldn't panic but I want to make sure I am organised.

I saw one of my friends this week who is 2 weeks behind me, she looked really well but is carrying completely different to me. I seem to have this huge bump sticking out at the front and you cant really tell from the back that I am pregnant, she is carrying more across than out front. We both scoffed our faces with chocolate muffins which is a perfectly acceptable thing to do when you are pregnant.

The midwife called me this week to say they had received the results of my swab and found that I have an infection. I cant tell you what the infection is as she said it so quickly that I didn't catch it. Its not Strep B anyway, which is the one that they worry about. I had to get a prescription for antibiotics from the doctors. I don't really want to take them whilst pregnant but the doctor said it would be better to be clear of the infection before I give birth. See, the reflexologist was right, my body was fighting an infection.

It was our wedding anniversary this week. I warned my husband not to book a table anywhere as I have nothing dressy to wear now I am looking like something Greenpeace rescues off the beach. We stayed in and had a Thai takeaway which was delicious.

My mum has been helping me a lot round the house, general things like ironing and giving the place a quick hoover. Not that I cant manage it, but standing for an hour and half ironing clothes plays havic with the pelvic floor and mum likes to help out.

Some days I feel really fine and can run up and down the stairs, do a bit of gardening and stuff but others, I can hardly move and just want to sit down all day. Its been a mixture of both this week.

Having more and more braxton hicks and they are getting tighter and more uncomfortable. In fact one evening we had friends round for dinner and I was having contractions every 15 minutes for about 4 hours. They stopped an hour after getting into bed. I have put the Raspberry Leaf Tea Capsules on hold whilst I have the antibiotics, I am sure it wouldn't do me any harm as they are natural but I don't want to risk anything.

I don't know where I would be without my nursing pillow. One night I slept without it and my back was killing me in the morning. I usually sleep with it between my knees and it really takes the pressure of your hips and back whilst you have that huge bump.

Well didn't I just know that was going to happen ... the antibiotics killed off all the good bacteria and gave me thrush again. The midwife called the doctor to prescribe me another pessary. She again, suggested having sex to bring on the labour. What with infections, thrush and udders for breasts, its hardly a recipe for a passionate night under the duvet! She said the head was fully engaged which explains why I am not getting breathless but am visiting the loo more often. On your second pregnancy, the head doesn't usually engage until the baby is ready to come so she thinks it could be any day now. I hope it is!

The car seat and buggy arrived this week. The buggy is bigger than I thought it would be but its light, sturdy and easy to use. The car seat is heavier than I remember our last one being, but they are making these things safer all the time which also means they will be heavier. It will be even more heavy with a ten pounder in it! The car seat is made by Maxi Cosi, I have always found their products brilliant; safe and good quality but in nice trendy colours and fabrics too.

I had a false alarm at the weekend. On Saturday night I was out at a Bar B Q and I started having braxton hicks about every 15 minutes, they were a bit uncomfortable but nothing painful. They carried out for a couple of hours and when I got home I had diarrhoea about 4 times. The contractions got more painful and I had period pain and backache with them. They got down to about 10 minutes apart and so I phoned the Labour Ward to ask their advice. They told me to take some Paracetamol and rest for 45 minutes and see what happened. I did just that, and I had a bath but it didn't make any difference so I called them back. They told me to come in as they couldn't tell what was going on unless they saw me. I called my Mum to come over as my daughter was fast asleep in bed (it was 11pm!).

By the time I got to the hospital it was after 12, they saw me straight away, took my blood pressure, checked the babys heartbeat, then did an internal. The midwife explained that the symptoms I was telling her, indicated early labour but only time would tell whether I went into established labour. I was 1cm dilated but this is normal for a second pregnancy as your cervix doesn't close completely after childbirth. She told me to go home and hope that the contractions continued. They did on the way home and I had a really painful one in the kitchen (where I muttered some choice words in front of my Mum)just after I walked in the door and then they eased off until they stopped completely by 7 a.m. the next morning. I felt exhausted. I did sleep okay but my body was shattered from having all those contractions. I felt a bit silly really, I should have known whether I was in proper labour as I had been through it before. The thing is I was induced last time and that is completely different from starting naturally. Apparently natural labour is full of stops and starts and can take days to really get going. Beginning to think that being induced may be easier after all!

Our little girl Ruby Helen arrived on Sunday 11th June at 10.07 a.m weighing in at 6lb 13 oz.

What happened:

On the Friday night we had another Bar B Q and the whole evening I was having quite uncomfortable braxton hicks. We were timing them but they were very erratic, 7 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes. They stopped after a few hours.

The following evening on the Saturday night, it had been a warm day so we were out in the garden, weeding and pruning until about 10pm. We then sat down to watch TV and very shortly after I had a really strong contraction, it caught me off guard but I didn't think anymore about it. They carried on every 10 minutes and I put up with it for a couple of hours and tried to go to bed. I dreaded each contraction as they were very strong but they weren't getting any closer together so I thought my body was just practicing again.

About 12.30 a.m. I decided a bath might be the answer along with some paracetamol as I had read that if you are just having practice contractions, it will ease the pain ad the contractions should stop. Well they didn't, infact the bath just felt uncomfortable. My husband kept saying this is it, lets ring your mum and get her over. I refused as I didn't want it to be another false alarm and mess everyone around again, it was almost an exact copy of what had happened the Saturday before (except the contractions were stronger). I was having lots of diarrhoea too which was really hurting. Mike decided to ring the hospital to ask for advice, the midwife wanted to speak to me to gauge whether I was in a lot of pain but as I was having the contractions 10 minutes apart I could speak to her happily for 5 minutes! In the end, she said to come in and get checked out again. Mike then rang my mum to babysit our daughter.

At 2 a.m. after a very uncomfortable journey, I arrived at hospital. The contractions were about 8 minutes apart and when I had them I couldn't walk, if this wasn't real labour I was going to be pretty upset!

The midwife timed my contractions and examined me. I was still 1cm dilated which is what I was the week before. She said she was going to send me home and to come back when the contractions were closer together. I said there was no way I could get into the car and take the journey home as the contractions were really painful. She then decided to strap me on the monitor to see what the contractions and the baby's heartbeat was doing. It was then that she found the babys heartbeat was fine but the contractions were really very strong and they could well be doing something! Hurray, maybe now I was on my way. They took my blood pressure which was 154/105 which was very high, they were concerned that I may have pre-eclampsia again so they did blood tests.

An hour later the blood test results were back, I didn't have pre-eclampsia. They were still going to send me home to wait for the contractions to get closer together and I said that I really couldn't make that journey. As they were quiet, they let me stay and I was given a small shot of pethidine. 10 minutes later I was throwing up the foul tasting crisps I had eaten that evening. I tried to rest between the contractions but they were so painful, I spent the whole time dreading the next one! Mike put his feet up and tried to sleep, but I wasn't having that. I kept calling him and told him to stay awake - if I was going to be in this much pain then he was bloody well going to go through it with me!

About 7 a.m. there was a shift change and the pethidine had started to wear off. The new midwife was fantastic, great sense of humour and really caring. After she introduced herself I said hello then asked for an epidural! She said she would see what was happening and then decide what to do. She put me on the monitor again, contractions were stronger but for some reason not much closer together. She advised against an epidural because it would pro-long the labour and possibly cause me to have an assisted birth such as ventouse or forceps. She offered me more pethidine which I readily accepted! About half an hour later I was given the pethidine. To be perfectly honest, the midwives say that pethidine takes the edge of the pain. RUBBISH. All it does is make you feel like you have drunk 25 pints of snakebite and you feel mentally distant, the pain is very much still there!

After half an hour of being on the snakebite, I had another really strong contraction and my waters broke (9 a.m.) It was like a popping sensation and water came gushing out. We buzzed for the midwife and she was pleased, this meant things were progressing. She examined me again and I was 4cm but she could stretch me to 5. With each contraction a little more water was coming out. She suggested going for a bath as gravity, being mobile and the warm water to cause things to progress quickly. Problem was, I couldn't even walk I was so drugged up to the eyeballs! I had to be helped into the bathroom and into the bath. Immediately as I sat in the bath, the contractions were coming every couple of minutes and I felt an overwhelming urge to push. Mike called for the midwife who said lets get her out quick! They got me a wheelchair and zoomed me to my bed. They got me up and as they were lifting me my body was trying to push the baby out.

They gave me gas and air which I found a lot more helpful than the pethidine. It really made me feel in another world yet I knew what was going on in this one. Problem was, I kept blowing into the tube rather than sucking which wasn't achieving anything! After a few pushes the head was out, all I could feel was a burning sensation, not really pain. The shoulders were coming through and that was quite painful, after that the baby slithered out (10.07 a.m.) and I looked down and straight away I could see it was a little girl. After that I just laid back, relieved it was all over.

There was a little problem though, Mike was going to cut the cord but it had already snapped off on the journey out. The midwives were concerned about this as they didn't know how long ago the cord had snapped. They did a blood test straight away which showed that the cord had only just snapped so there was nothing to worry about. They weighed her (6lb 13) and cleaned her up, let her Daddy hold her and then passed her onto me. Straight away I let her breastfeed and she was sucking away nicely. I had tore a tiny bit but not enough for stitches. I then asked when I could go home.

We had some tea and coffee whilst we made some phone calls with the news, I had a bath, dressed our little girl and we were on our way.

The hospital and staff (Cygnet Wing at Bedford Hospital) were fantastic. Who needs The Portland when you have the Cygnet Wing! When we got home, we showed our daughter her little sister. She stared a lot, then went off to play in the garden! She has accepted Ruby as part of the family and behaves like Ruby has always been around!

My husband says the one thing that stays in his mind, is me naked on the bed, pushing this baby out covered in soap suds from the bath! I am glad I had a positive experience second time round, though it doesn't make me feel the urge to have another baby, that's the family complete now thankyou!

Welcome to our world Ruby Helen!