Baby number 2

I'm halfway through this pregnancy already, and have only just had the morning sickness begin to abate. Now that I'm not feeling nauseous or hurling my guts up, I've started nesting. It's funny - I didn't get this feeling with my last one. Could have been because I was home with a sick little girl today, but I've done one load of dishes, washed three loads of clothes (about to hang out the third one), changed the baby's sheets, cooked lunch, cleared clothes that don't fit me out of my dresser and been shopping. Phew! It's been nice to have a day off work actually. Only 4 more months of work until Mat leave starts up again. I'd better start thinking about claiming that through Centrelink, because they've been really difficult regarding my childcare rebate. 
Oh yeah - on pregnancy! This time around I've had shocking morning sickness. Much more than last time. In fact, I lost weight in the first trimester and have only just started putting it back on again. I'm at about 52 kilos now and slowly gaining. Doctors/midwives don't seem concerned, as long as bub is growing. It's very active; lots of wiggling and kicking. I'll have to get some ultrasound pics to stick up here. We found out what it is this time - the surprise was really nice with the first one, but this pregnancy has been so very different that I was just too curious.
I've also had quite a sore lower back this time, but that's probably got a lot to do with carting around a little person who weighs about 10 kilos. She's walking now so that's a bit easier in one sense but she's also started running which is not. It just means I have to run after her! I hope she doesn't get too jealous of the new one. I try to remember to moisturize my belly after every shower - I'll let you know if I get any stretchmarks. My skin is a bit dry & itchy, but it's been really hot lately too so that wouldn't be helping.

Pic from Week 36

Forgot to post this two weeks ago when I had another ultrasound. Bit freaky, Rex looks like a little plasticine person... apparently it was 2.5 kilos at that time, and the doctor was happy with proportions & everything :) How exciting!

Week 38

Not long to go now! Rex has been very active for the last two days (enough to see it from the outside), & I've been peeing like a champion. I've also been getting strange twinges in my groin which is almost like .. hmmmm... you know when you're little and your friends or sisters are trying to tickle you but they try too hard & they press on a nerve & it just hurts instead? It's a bit like that, right where your leg meets the rest of your body. All of a sudden, like someone has poked a big finger in there & your knees go all rubbery for a second. Odd. All of this is leading me to believe that Rex won't wait for them to induce me at week 40. Of course I'm wishing away the last few days like everyone does, but there's definitely been a recent change. The obstetrician has said they won't let me go past 40 weeks, but since the baby isn't ginormous they won't need to induce me early. I'm looking forward to not testing my blood 4 times a day and having an injection twice a day. Also the whole food limitation thing. In fact, I'm dying for a laksa. That may be the first place we take the bub! That or chocolate. Actually I made an iced coffee today, with decaf instant coffee & only one teaspoon of sugar & it didn't make my sugar level go off the charts the way Moove or Dare does. Yum!

Week 34 and a half

Er, whoops! I've lost my preggo diary again. Never mind! So the injections are going well - I hardly feel them any more & haven't had a blood reading over the target in days. It's my last week at work & I'm still struggling to get this last assignment done for uni. How boring! There's like, a million things I'd rather be doing (like writing on here). I just had it pointed out that my last day is Friday the 13th. Cool! Gee it'd be good if Rex came early. I don't really think it will though. I have a physio appointment tomorrow & then an ultrasound next week. I'm quite pleased that I'll get to see the little possum on the screen again before I see it in real life. It's really just to check that it's not getting too fat around the belly. I've also made an appointment for a quote for the kitchen floor. Once that's in we can put the stove back & have an actual kitchen again. Awesome! I also inquired about a quote for a tree surgeon & a gutter clean out so hopefully they'll call me back soon. We have soooo many leaves piling up around our house it's quite ridiculous. No wonder we get so many spiders! Bring on Friday.

Week 34

Insulin shots started last night; the Gestational Diabetes diet wasn't doing what they'd hoped it would by itself. So as a supplement to the diet, I also need the shots twice a day. I'm a bit scared of needles so Moda's very generously offered to give them to me. 6 weeks times 7 days, times twice a day equals 84 injections. If the bub comes on time. Awesome. Anyway, I have a family wedding in Sydney next weekend and I have borrowed a lovely dress for it. I hope they don't mind too much if I don't stay for the whole thing. These weddings tend to go on until like, one in the morning and I just can't do it. I turn into a zombie by about 9pm.. See how we go.

Gestational Diabetes

D'oh.
So it turns out I have it. Darnit - just in time for Easter! So that means plenty of fruit, rice, pasta, nuts. Much less chocolate, sugar, salt.. actually it's really just a healthy diet in general. Which is probably something I should have started years ago anyway. First up I went for the initial blood test which came back at 7.8 which is right on the cutoff. So I went back for the second test where you have a high carb diet for 3 days, then fast for 12 hours. They give you a sugar drink & then take your blood every hour for 3 hours. Now I get to go into the hospital on Thursday & pick up a blood testing kit & have a briefing. Hopefully I won't have to give myself any injections. I'll have to prick my finger & test my blood every day though. Poor little Rex; this increases their chances of being an actual diabetic later on.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that Rex gets hiccups all the time??
60.5kg.

Week 31

Had a contraction on the weekend, it's pretty cool that I can recognise them now. I don't feel anything, but my tummy goes all hard like a cricket ball for about 15 to 20 seconds. Then it goes back to normal. I would never have known if the midwife hadn't pointed it out at our last checkup.

We also went to see SuckerPunch which I think could possibly become a cult classic amongst teenaged gamer boys. It looks amazing but has a pretty weak story (saying that though, it starts off really well). It's also a shame that half the fight scenes seems to be shot with a really shaky camera. So they mustn't be choreographed too well.

The best bit of the weekend was a day trip to Sydney. I was really tired & so was Moda but we got to meet our new little niece. She's gorgeous, has lots of hair and didn't cry once. She just slept & had two feeds while we were there. I held her for a little while but then Rex kicked her through my belly and I felt a bit guilty so I gave her back. It didn't seem to wake her up though. Had a 3 hour blood test this morning for gestational diabetes. I found out why it's so nasty for the baby if you get gestational diabetes, because the placenta stops the insulin going to the baby so the baby's little pancreas has to work over time to get its blood sugar levels OK, and that kicks its system out of whack before it's even born. So yes you get a bigger fatter baby for the birth, but much worse than that is their pancreas might never work properly as a result. So that's why they need to find out & treat it, & that's why it goes away after the birth (because it's really more of a placenta-not-working-properly type thing). Interesting.

Bet I don't have it, but will let you know what the results were when I get them.
Also, Rex gets the hiccups all the time now! Got them right now in fact..