31 Week Update

How far along?  31 weeks + 4 days (sorry I'm always posting these late at the moment!!)

Total weight gain:  My bump is measuring 30 cm which is 1 cm under but my midwife is totally happy with it as Scott and I aren't particularly big people!  I completely forgot to use their scales to see how much weight I have put on but I am pretty sure I have gained a couple of pounds this week just from looking at my thighs!!

Maternity clothes?  Nothing new purchased this week but I am glad the weather has cooled down a bit so I can stick to my maternity jeans and some of my old stretchy tops with a slouchy cardi or an undone shirt!  The dresses I got from Ebay are lovely so I will be posting about them soon!

Stretch marks?  Still none but my skin is super dry and rashy on the bump.  Still using Palmers Cocoa Butter Original Formula morning and night, as well as the Mama Mio Boob Tube on my chest (review here) 

Sleep:  Sleep has been pretty rubbish this week, I am waking up to go to the loo lots and from rib pain!  Then in the mornings I am being woke up by kicks and headbutts until I finally sit up, so lie ins are now a thing of the past - already!

Best moment this week:  I started packing a few things in Harry's hospital bag which was really quite fun and exciting!  We picked out what outfits to take and what we want him to wear first and to wear home!

Worst moment this week:  I guess there hasn't been a real worst moment but my skin is still horrible and I am hating it!!

Miss anything?  Missing my clear skin!!

Movement: TONS of kicks and jabs and funny things moving across my tummy.. however Harry clearly isn't moving where he should be as we found out at our midwife appointment that he is breech at the moment :( !  He still has a good few weeks to turn and get his head down but she said as I am quite small and there not a huge amount of fluid around him this could prove to be a little difficult!  Fingers crossed he will be on the move soon!!!!

Food cravings:  Still ham and mustard mayo sandwiches from M&S!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  The nausea has subsided a little this week which is good!

Gender: Boy.. and our midwife confirmed this again this week as she said he has the typical boy heartbeat apparently?! 

Labour signs: None.. BUT I did have an episode of Braxton Hicks one evening!! It was really really weird!  My tummy went totally solid and really tight on and off for about 10 minutes!  It wasn't painful though and I can imagine they are nothing like actual contractions!

Symptoms:  The rib pain is getting unbearable, and now we know why!  Harry's head is pushing against them really hard and every week it gets worse as he gets bigger of course! It doesn't even help when I stretch out anymore so we just have to hope and pray he turns soon.  My midwife recommended popping paracetamol to ease the discomfort but that's all I can really do
My skin is awful!  So so bad I actually hate going out in public!!!
I have had some numbness and aching in my right leg and again this is due to Harry's position and the pressure its putting on the sciatic nerve.  When he moves this should stop!

Belly button in or out?  Really coming out now, you can see it through my top!

Happy or moody most of the time?  I'm pretty happy this week with random episodes of moodiness!!

Looking forward to: The arrival of Baby Clarke this week!!!!! 

Bump: (apologies this pic is well crap.. I look awful!!)

Just for Fun: Cool Kids

These days I am more interested in celebrity's kids than I am the celebrities themselves (OK David Beckham is a total exception to that rule, understandably)

So here is a round up of some of the coolest most fashionable kiddies.. just for fun!!

Harper Seven Beckham - David & Victoria Beckham's daughter

A top knot, a seat on the front row of Mummy's fashion show and the hottest Dad in the world!  Harper Seven is one super cool little lady and I can't wait to see how she evolves as she grows up!!

Aila Wang - Alexander Wang's niece

Surely a child of this age does not need a handbag, let alone a Chanel one!  Totally ridiculous but OH soooooo cool!!

Flynn Bloom - Miranda Kerr's & Orlando Bloom's son

Flynn is never far from his supermodel Mum Miranda and she always makes sure her little man is looking suave and fashionable as she does!

Matilda Ledger - Michelle Williams & Heath Ledgers daughter

Such a cute little lady who looks just like her father..  Loving the yellow mac teamed with bright pink wellingtons!!

Suri Cruise - Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes daughter

I remember seeing this image a while ago and thinking HELL NO to a child in heels.. but I can't help but kind of love what Suri's got going on here!!

Mason Disick - Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick

Now for the King of cool.. Mr Mason Disick!  Not only is this little boy super super fashionable but he is so damn cute and happy too!!  I nearly died when I heard this line on the Kardashians "I love the beach, and life" - AAWWW!!

SWAG!

Wishlist

Stripe Velour All in One £8 from Next - I have a huge thing for baby boys in stripes and this beautiful little velour all in one is one of the nicest items I have seen! I love the little collar!  Its also really good value like most of the baby range in Next

Cotton Rich Hooded Towel £7 from M&S - We actually don't have a baby towel for our little Haribo yet!  I love this one from M&S as it has a little hood with ears - I am a sucker for the animal ears! Its also 100% cotton so will feel good against his delicate skin

Cath Kidston Cowboy Sleepsuit  £14 from Cath Kidston - I absolutely ADORE the Cowboy print range at Cath Kidston and this little sleepsuit would look soooooo sweet on our little boy!  Saying that, I actually love anything from Cath Kidston!

Star Print Baby Blanket £16 from John Lewis - I have actually seen this blanket in store and it looked and felt like SUCH nice quality for a blanket under £20!  Its a lovely colour and pattern

Elephant Sweater £26 from The Little White Company - This jumper is amazing.  I want one for myself!!!  Being from The Little White Company it is stupidly expensive for an item of baby clothing but it oozes quality and is so damn cute!

Little Taggies Comforter  £9.95 from John Lewis - I got one of these Taggies Comforters for Sarah from Bump Baby C and Me at her baby shower but in the Cath Kidston Cowboy print and now I quite fancy one for Harry!  I have another friend who's little girl has one of these and she absolutely loves playing with the tags on the sides and feeling the different textures

Nautical Sleeping Bag £24 from John Lewis - We have decided that Harry will be sleeping in these little sleeping bags/pods that you see everywhere these days.  They seem to be the safest and warmest thing to put your little one to sleep in and come in a variety of togs for different times of year.  This one is super cute with the little boats on the front!

Truck Print Sleepsuits £14 from M&S - These little sleepsuits are really good value and I love the truck print!!!! 

Whats on your wishlist right now??

30 Week Update

How far along?  30 fricken weeks and 2 days!

Total weight gain:  I don't think the bump has grown this week and I'm thinking maybe its because I had been poorly and not eating my usual amount or something! I think i made up for it with some calorific treats this weekend though!

I will let you know my weight and measurements in my 31 week update as I have a midwife appointment the day before 

Maternity clothes?  I have purchased a couple of dresses from EBay after seeing another pregnancy blogger wearing a gorgeous dress from there.  I will do a post on them when they arrive if they are any good!

Stretch marks?  None yet.. I seriously think I am pushing my luck now!? Running low on Palmer's Cocoa Butter but still using it for now on my tummy, hips, bum and thighs! The skin in my tummy is becoming drier though so i feel i may need to add in a lunchtime session for stretch mark cream! 

Still using the Mama Mio boob lift treatment, it has become my holy grail product (review here) 

Sleep:  Sleep has been random this week.. sleeping well some nights and not at all other nights! I feel super tired but toss and turn for hours. I have also been having SUPER weird baby related dreams that I am hating right now!!  They are scary!!  The worst one was the night after our antenatal class and I think it was all because we had been talking non-stop babies for 2 hours!  By the way I will be doing a post about our first class if anyone is interested in how it went..

Best moment this week:  I think we have a moving date.. and it is BEFORE Harry is due!!

Worst moment this week:  I had a tummy bug which sucked and my skin has been so so SO bad its been making me cry!

Miss anything?  Not much this week really!

Movement: Still loads of movement which is great :)  Some of the movements/kicks really hurt now and make me jump!  I wish I knew what position he was in though.. right now I keep thinking everything is a head!

Food cravings:  I have been loving ham and mustard mayo sandwiches from M&S! All weekend I really wanted peanut butter and we didnt have any as well!  I don't seem to be craving coke or Terry's Chocolate Orange any more!!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Still suffering from nausea this week most days

Gender: Boy!!

Labour signs: None

Symptoms:  Again, sooooo much rib pain!  Still on my right side at the front and the back so I am guessing Harry is still in the same position (whatever that may be!)  I am still yet to find much relief from it, does anyone have any recommendations??

Belly button in or out?  Flat/slightly in/slightly out still! 

Happy or moody most of the time?  I would go with.. happy!

Looking forward to: Finishing work! I have 3 weeks left!!!

Bump:

Late.. 29 Week Update

How far along?  29 Weeks + 6 days - apologies for such a late posting but I've been feeling poorly :-(

Total weight gain:  I feel SO fat and I hate it!!  I am defo putting on weight all over my bottom half now and it sucks.  I know its all for good reason and I need the weight there to support the baby but it still feels rubbish to look like a beach ball!
My bump has grown a lot this week as well, I have been asked a few times if I am smuggling a basketball under there!!

Maternity clothes?  Nothing new again.. I popped into Primark this week and picked up a few more basic tees which are great as they are so cheap it doesn't matter if they don't last particularly long.  Still hoping it cools down a bit soon so I can just wear a nice big baggy cardi!! (Sorry sun lovers) I'm on the lookout for a dress for a friends wedding reception in a few weeks, any reccommendations or suggestions? Something that won't drown me and will make my bump look good!!

Stretch marks?  Sticking with Palmers Original Cocoa Butter for now on my bump, legs and bum as it seems to be doing the job and keeps my skin really soft and supple.  I can still feel it on my skin a good 8 hours after I've applied it  Still using the Mama Mio boob lift treatment which seems to have diminished existing stretchmarks I had there! Its amazing!!!! (review here) 

Sleep:  Sleep has been ok this week but I haven't gone a night without waking a few times.. Totally my body getting me into preparation for Harry's arrival I am sure! 

Best moment this week:  I ate a steak!  I know its naughty but I have been so good through the whole pregnancy and the chef assured me it was perfectly safe for me to have a bit of rare meat now and then!  It wasn't just any old steak either, it was a Gaucho steak and it was 350g!  I ate the entire thing and it was incredible and most certainly was my best moment!

Worst moment this week:  I have had extreme rib pain this week which has been a right bummer :(

Miss anything?  Missing my slim figure a lot now, as much as I love my bump!!

Movement: Harry is insane! He doesn't stop moving and this week has been no exception.  His movements however have become less kicky and more actual big movements and twists and turns - I think this is due to his increase in size and the lack of space in there now.  I've also been feeling a lot of hiccups which are really funny and Mr H can hear them when he puts his ear to my tummy!!

Food cravings:  Still nothing in particular and not overly hungry!  Some evenings I have really had to force myself into eating dinner as I just feel so full all the time but then other times I am super hungry and can't wait to fill my face

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Pretty much the same as last week and suffering from quite a bit of nausea

Gender: Boy!!

Labor signs: None

Symptoms:  As above, the rib pain has been insane!  Its almost like a burning sensation that tends to be only on my right side at the moment.  I am thinking Harry is most likely head down and its his little legs kicking into my ribs which is causing the pain.  I could be totally wrong though.. its really hard to work out where exactly he is positioned!  I must admit there isn't really anything you can do about rib pain.. although a warm bath helps a little and laying down flat with my arms above my head too! I also found that not being at work made the rib pain so much better, it must be due to being sat down in front of a computer screen all day that does it!

I had a bit of a tummy bug this week too, I don't think it was baby related at all though and I was just under the weather!

Belly button in or out?  Flat/slightly in/slightly out!  I wonder if it will ever actually pop out properly!?

Happy or moody most of the time?  I am happy.. but apprehensive about not being moved in before our little boy enters the world :-(

Looking forward to: We have our first antenatal class this evening and also Mr H and I are going to go shopping for Harry this weekend to pick up some outfits we want him to wear when he is first born!

Bump:

The Third Trimester

Jesus, where did the time go!?
I cannot believe I am now in the third trimester and 7 months pregnant!!  At times the pregnancy has felt like its dragging but now looking back I can't believe how fast it is speeding by.


We have SO much to do and prepare, including moving house, decorating said house and buying a million items for Harry's arrival.  This is all pretty stressful for a normal non-preggo lady so as you can imagine I'm freaking out a little having to do all this whilst carrying a huge ball of water and baby inside me!!

For me, the third trimester definitely feels very suddenly different from the second one and here is a few of the symptoms I am experiencing, and some that have actually disappeared!

Fatigue - Extreme tiredness hit me around week 26 and hasn't budged since.  Some days are better than others, my worst days usually being Sundays as I spend Saturdays out and about and on my feet so the next day I feel pretty pooped!
I have found that giving in to the tiredness is sometimes the only way to help!  If your body wants to nap at 11am then let it!  However I know its not practical to nap at your desks (damn) so I find eating little healthy snacks keep my energy levels just about up enough to get me through the day.  A smoothie in the morning, nuts and little chunks of cheese are amongst my snacks

Sciatica - I have posted about this horrible symptom here and you can read more about it on the What to Expect When You're Expecting website here

Dodgy Tummy - Also around the 26 week mark I started to get a bit of a dodgy tummy, I haven't had the dreaded constipation yet but mine was the opposite (sorry TMI)  I have heard this is really common in the third trimester and eating natural yoghurt's and toast can help to ease it

Constant need to pee! - I am literally bursting for the loo 24/7 but when I come to go its like a teeny tiny trickle!!  This is due to the pressure your baby and uterus is putting on your bladder which makes it feel a lot fuller than it actually is and therefore making your body think you need to empty it ASAP!

Big Kicks- Now Harry is getting a lot bigger and running out of space in there I am feeling some VERY hard kicks!  I can feel every moment he makes now and if he decides to have a little roll around or do some flips it can be quite painful as he is kicking/punching out all over the place!

Rib pain - Where my uterus is now the size of a basketball it is really pushed right up against my ribcage and I often get some pretty hard kicks there too!  This causes an agonising burning sensation that is only helped by me laying down flat and stretching my arms up!  I don't know if this is common in everyone as I think it may affect shorter people more due to having shorter bodies?!

Heartburn - I have had heartburn pretty much the whole of the pregnancy (HAIRY BABY!!!??)  I have pretty much just got used to it now and a swig of Gaviscon or a glass of cold milk helps to settle it down
  
Baby Brain - I used to think baby brain was total rubbish but now I definitely think it is real!!!!  I seem to have the same conversation 3 times at the moment according to friends and family! I am totally forgetful and I am finding it hard to process any information properly!  No cure for this one I'm afraid..

Nosebleeds have stopped - I was pretty much having a nosebleed once or twice a day but these have completely stopped!  I think most people get them more in the third trimester as your blood flow increases again, so that's a bit weird!!

No swelling.. yet - I haven't had any water retention or swelling in any of my limbs yet at all and I am SO thankful for that as I know its very common.  I am still expecting it to happen as I get heavier but so far its not been an issue for me

You can read more about what symptoms you may get during the third trimester here on the What to Expect When You're Expecting website 

What symptoms did you have in the third trimester??

Pregnancy Survival: Skin Saviours

My biggest complaint during the entire pregnancy thus far has been my skin.  It has gone from relatively clear and normal to dry, itchy, spotty and blotchy!

This is all down to hormones and I know there isn't much you can do about the pesky things during pregnancy, however I think I have finally found a few products that are finally working for me and making my skin behave a little better

Savlon Antiseptic Cream £2.18 from Boots

Savlon - I read on a pregnancy blog (I cant remember which one dammit) that Savlon, used instead of your regular moisturiser in the evenings, can really help to clear up breakouts during pregnancy.  This is apparently down to the antiseptic element in it.  I had been using E45 cream as this was the only thing that would sooth my dryness but I must admit I don't think it helped at all with my preggo acne.  I have switched to Savlon for the last 2 weeks now and I have noticed a vast improvement in my skin.  Its no longer blotchy or dry and my spots are clearing up so much quicker!! I wouldn't say its preventing them from appearing but when they do they are soothed quicker with a dab of this stuff. The best thing about Savlon is that its super cheap and readily available in most shops

Origins Super Spot Remover Gel £14 from Boots

Origins Super Spot Remover - This product has been hyped about SO damn much in the beauty blogging world but its something I have never really bothered trying before as I didn't tend to get many spots.  I now own my own little bottle and I am soooooo happy I have it!!  Just a teeny tiny blob of this stuff on each individual spot will almost eliminate them!  It instantly feels very drying on the area and it reduces the redness almost immediately   I use it at night only and the next morning the spot will be at least half the size, if not gone completely.  Its not the cheapest product out there at £14 but its certainly one of the best and it will last you ages

Superfacialist Tea Flower Pore Purifying Clay Mask £5.99 from Boots

Superfacialist by Una Brennan Pore Purifying Mask - I mentioned this amazing clay mask in one of my pregnancy favourites posts here and its still going strong as one of my fave preggo skin saviours

I would highly recommend all of the above products as I have tried and tested them myself, however do bear in mind that everybody's skin is different and what works for me might not work for you

Do you suffer from pregnancy acne?? 

28 Week Update

How far along?  28 weeks - well and truly in the third trimester!

Total weight gain:  I have FINALLY weighed myself.. but now I wish I kind of didn't!  I have put on over 1 and a half stone!  I looked at a preggo weight tracker online and it actually said I am bang on what I should be at this stage, but still looking at the scales and seeing it isn't exactly the best feeling in the world!  My bump has definitely grown this week as well and is becoming rather heavy!  I was measured yesterday at my midwife appointment and the bump is 27cm which is just fine :)

Maternity clothes?  No new maternity clothes.. I am finding it hard to find anything that looks remotely flattering again! I kind of wish it wasn't hot anymore so I can just wear maternity jeans and cute knits or something

Stretch marks?  Still using the Mama Mio boob lift treatment which I LOVE (review here) so none on my boobs, however I had a weird itchy rash on either side if my bump which i thought was the start of stretch marks, but this has disappeared today.  Still using Palmer Original Formula Cocoa Butter on my tummy and thighs

Sleep:  Sleep has been golden since I got my back sorted.. more on that below!  I have woken up a few times this week with a dead arm though which is weird!?

Best moment this week:  I saw an amazing osteopath for my sciatica and he sorted it out completely!  I felt like a new woman almost immediately and I am no longer waddling at all or crying in pain!  I would highly recommend seeing an osteopath if you are having back trouble, SPD or sciatica as it is worth the money and you are likely to only need 1 session.  If you live in Hampshire let me know and I will give you the details of where I went

Worst moment this week:  Our house buy has been delayed again and it is seriously draining the life out of me.  I have never been so stressed out!! We now don't even have a timescale for when we will move and I am terrified we won't have the house in time for Harry's arrival

Miss anything?  I miss being not stressed out!!

Movement: Harry-bump is still super active!  Its so fun to watch his little limbs sticking out or move across my belly from one side to the other!  I had my 28 week midwife appointment and he was kicking her like crazy when she was feeling my tummy and listening to his heartbeat.  Its so nice to have such an active and quite clearly happy baby! We also took our bump to the movies last night and he went MENTAL in there it actually bece quite painful! I think the loud noises either scared him or stimulated him to bounce around! Either way he definitely knackered himself out as I didn't get woken up by kicks in the night for the first time in a while! 

Food cravings:  Again nothing in particular this week and I still haven't got much of an appetite - very unlike me!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I am still suffering from horrible nausea.  I think Harry is bouncing around so much its making my tummy confused about whether I am full or hungry!

Gender: Boy!!

Labor signs: None

Symptoms:  My energy levels aren't too bad since my back has been fixed, probably because I am sleeping better. My skin is not so spotty this week as I have started using a little Savlon on my face and I've found this is helping to clear it up quicker 

Belly button in or out?  Flat/slightly in!  I wonder if it will ever actually pop out!?

Happy or moody most of the time?  I am happy.. but apprehensive about not being moved in before our little boy enters the world

Looking forward to:  Getting a move date..!!

Bump: