Squishy Report: 39 Weeks Pregnant

How far gone? 39 weeks - just 1 more to go!

Total weight gain: 30lbs... Been a bad week.

Maternity clothes: I'm down to one pair of leggings and 1 pair of trousers that actually fit now... and the trousers are starting to look tatty at the bottoms. I don't bother getting dressed unless I need to leave the house anymore - no point!

Sleep: I've been getting about 6 hours of broken sleep at night and struggling to nap in the daytime. I decided as I don't need to be ready until 12:45pm today I'm having a lazy day. I had breakfast in bed and have been just relaxing and watching YouTube videos. Thinking of going for a soak soon.

Movement: Movement is still surprisingly great - and no hospital this week! Heart rate was 152 at the midwife appointment which is within the "normal" range. Phew!

Food cravings: I've stopped getting any cravings really this week - although I've been thirsty constantly so feel like I'm drinking about 7 or 8 pints of water a day!

Gender: No idea - I can't wait to know though.

Labour signs: I had Braxton Hicks for about 9 hours yesterday - really painful and to the point where I was considering phoning the labour ward. Baby is 3/5ths engaged too so hopefully it won't be much longer. I'm getting all those pre-labour symptoms - period-like pain, nesting, random spurts of energy, etc too.

Symptoms: Just back and hip pain really. My heartburn has been back a couple of times this week but nowhere near as bad as it was.

What I'm looking forward to: Still just looking forward to my baby. And the proper pain! I've been having so many horrible pains that turn into nothing I just want those real labour pains now!

I have been reading about Squishy's progress each week here so go and have a look. 

Squishy report: 38 weeks pregnant

How far gone? 38 weeks and 2 days now...

Total weight gain: 27lbs - I've gained 2lbs in 2 weeks and am just 1lb away from a 2 stone gain... eek! Definitely going to be trying to lose some weight after baby is here.

Maternity clothes: I mentioned last time that some of my maternity trousers were getting a little uncomfortable... well yesterday I went to put on a pair and the elastic on them actually ripped! Not badly and when I have barely any clothes they are good enough... but still you'd think that clothes designed for pregnancy would be stretchy enough to last the WHOLE of your pregnancy...

Sleep: I get about 4-6 hours a night now and I've been taking some time every afternoon to go for a lie down for about 30 mins to 2 hours - sometimes I fall asleep which is nice.

Movement: Still good - kicks aren't quite as big but I imagine it's pretty cramped in there now. We have been sent up to the hospital to be monitored two weeks in a row for Fetal Tachycardia - which basically means that baby's heart rate is just too fast. In Squishy's case the resting heart rate is just fast and so every time baby moves, and the heart beats faster, it is just out of the realms of "normal". But it's nothing to worry about as the resting heart rate is a decent pace.

Food cravings: Cravings are a little all over the place at the moment. Mainly still savoury though. On Friday afternoon I was craving tomato pasta but I was also craving a bacon sandwich with loads of butter... but I didn't know which I wanted more and I didn't want both... I ended up having pizza with some pasta drizzled with honey and mustard dressing in the end... so neither! And then I had a slice of bread with butter before bed.... shhhh.

Gender: Still no idea. Can't wait to know though!

Labour signs: So everything is just amping up now. Back pain is more intense, Braxton Hicks are stronger.. baby was 4/5ths engaged at my midwife appointment last Wednesday but it feels as though Squishy just isn't as low down anymore so may have disengaged - can they do that?

Symptoms: Back and hip pain. Braxton Hicks. Heartburn is back - not quite so bad but it's not pleasant. I've been getting some nausea and dizziness, and last week I had a few panic attacks - which I have never had before. I've started to get a bit teary for no reason and actually cried to the man the other day that the baby was never going to come and I'd be miserable and pregnant forever... I don't think that is even possible to be honest!

What I'm looking forward to: Squishy! I'm completely fed up of being pregnant now to be honest I just want labour to get going so I can have Squishy cuddles!

I have been reading about Squishy's progress each week here so go and have a look. 

Crafty Pinterest Plans: Harry Potter Edition

So I may have touched on my love for all things Harry Potter before - I bloomin' love it! In my early teens I may have had a Harry Potter bedroom... It has been a huge obsession of mine since we started reading the books in class in year 4 at school.

These Butterbeer cupcakes look amazing. I've always wanted to try Butterbeer but I love cake too... this seems like the perfect combination.

Excuse me while I just go and make this mug...

I wish I could get my hands on a drop of Felix Felicis! This would make such an amazing "Good Luck" gift for a fellow geek.

This quilt! Is it not the most perfect thing you have ever seen?! I wish I could sew just so I could make this.

This alone is reason enough for me to learn to crochet.

I actually think I could manage something like this. My phone would look amazing!

This necklace is so adorable. It would make such a lovely gift.

Oh I wish I was more crafty - I love all of these ideas! Maybe one day I'll actually make one... maybe.

The British Tag

I have just watched Sammi from beautycrush on YouTube do her British Tag and thought I'd give it a go!

Source

1) How many cups of tea do you have a day? And how many sugars? I drink about 2 cups of tea a day (I used to drink 4-5 a day before I was pregnant though!) and have it with 2 sweeteners usually (brown sugar if we have it though - can't stand white sugar in tea) and plenty of milk - but the tea must be brewed properly!
2) Favourite part of your roast? When I cook a Sunday roast my favourite bit is the carrots covered in plenty of thick gravy. But at the man's mum's I love her roast potatoes!
3) Favourite dunking biscuit? I love biscuits, but it has to be chocolate digestive for dunking.
4) Favourite quintessentially British pastime? I love going to the seaside - we go to Blackpool most years, and most of our summer holidays are by the sea. But you have to go when it is absolutely freezing and walk miles and miles with insane winds and rain!
5) Favourite British word? Scone - such controversy!
6) Cockney rhyming slang? I think the only one I know is "apples and pears" for stairs!
7) Favourite sweet? The fried eggs out of Haribo! Or those red cables that are filled with white fondant... Oooo.
8) What would your pub be called? I love crafty things so maybe something like "The Button and Bobbin".
9) No. 1 British person? As a huge Harry Potter fan I'd have to say J. K. Rowling - she made my childhood awesome!
10) Favourite shop/restaurant? I love little crafty shops and old book shops. We don't have many round here. Oh and you can't beat a good old charity shop!
11) What British song pops into your head? Parklife by Blur - no idea why though.
12) Marmite? No no no no no.

Currently

I just saw this idea on Something Sweet and thought I'd give it a whirl.

Doing: Right now I am listening to Passenger's album "Whispers" on Spotify while sat curled up on the sofa and writing this blog post. On my trusty laptop I am flicking between this tab, Pinterest and Facebook where I have conversations going with both my sister and my other half.

Thinking about: The man brought home some Cookie Dough Ben and Jerry's ice cream tonight as it was on offer at Co-op for half price and we never ever buy it (it's just too expensive!) I'm thinking about going and grabbing myself some... or maybe just the whole tub and a big spoon? Also thinking about ideas for upcoming blog posts as I have really fallen off the wagon recently.

Watching: Nothing at the moment although I did just watch a couple of YouTube videos (Sprinkle of Glitter's latest collab video and the daily vlog on RhiannonAshleeExtra's channel that went up yesterday). I'm sure when the man comes back down we'll be back to watching...yep you guessed it...football!

Looking forward to: My baby! Only 30 days until my due date now which means that this time in about 6 weeks my Squishy will definitely be here. I am so excited to finally get to see what this little one looks - boy or girl? - and have lots of cuddles.

Reading: I haven't been reading at all this evening although I do plan on having a flick through the usual blogs once the football inevitably ends up on the TV.

Loving: I'm loving how much Squishy kicks at the moment - especially when I have music on or I sing. I'm loving that the house is almost organised. I'm loving that today I got to wash my first load of baby laundry (is that weird?). And I am loving that my hips have finally stopped hurting now I am sat in this strange curled-up position.

Squishy report: 36 weeks pregnant

How far gone? 36 weeks - sooo close!

Total weight gain: 25lbs - weight has suddenly shot up. I'm not actually worried or upset about it as I know baby is healthy and so I'll just deal with the weight loss after the birth.

Maternity clothes: No more new clothes, and I'm finding even some of my maternity trousers are a little uncomfortable now.

Sleep: I'm getting about 6-9 hours sleep a night which is amazing. I do wake at 4:30am every morning though and am up for about 1-2 hours before I can get back to sleep.

Movement: Movement is great - I have found that if I listen to some upbeat pop music (McFly seems to be Squishy's favourite) then I get some really good kicks.

Food cravings: Cooked breakfasts and biscuits. I think I have eaten some variation of bacon, egg, sausage and toast everyday for the past week or two! At least with the mushrooms, beans and tomatoes I'm managing to get some veg into me though.

Gender: I have no idea. I had convinced myself that Squishy was a boy at one point but after the man's sister giving birth to a little boy when we were all convinced she'd have a clue I feel thrown off!

Labour signs: Baby is now head down and starting to engage. I'm getting alot of Braxton Hicks and "lightning crotch" - believe me if you've experienced it you'll know what that is!

Symptoms: I've been getting a lot of back and hip pain now that baby is so low, but it has made my heartburn a little better.

What I'm looking forward to: The nursery is decorated now and just needs the last bits of furniture building to go in there so I'm looking forward to having it completed very soon (I'll try and give you a bit of a tour when it is done). Also just can't wait for next Friday as that is when baby is full-term and I can start trying out a few methods to get this labour going!

I have been reading about Squishy's progress each week here so go and have a look. 

Review: My Little Star New Mum Nipple Cream

Sorry there has been such a lack of posts recently - we were on holiday and then I've never been well... But I'm hoping to get back on track now!

I bought this nipple cream from Superdrug a few months ago as I've started to get really sore cracked nipples and it was an absolute bargain at just 99p (this range is often on a buy get, get one half price deal too). You get a fairly decent amount in the tube - 75ml which is fairly standard. And it isn't too big so was easy to throw in my holiday toiletries bag (would also fit in a changing bag/handbag easily if you needed it on the go).

My first impressions were that it doesn't have a strong scent - who wants there nipples to smell strong anyway? - which I like. The cream did a good job at helping to soothe my sore nipples. However, I put it on after a bath and the cream seeped through my pyjama top which looked a little awkward.

After a few uses I really like this cream - and have heard so many raving reviews on other things from the same line. I think this is going to be an essential for me if I can manage to breastfeed Squishy and I have got the breast pads from the same range to try out too when baby comes!