As this is my first post, I'll tell you a little bit about myself. I'm Abi, I'm Twenty-Two and I'm about to become a mum for the very first time to a beautiful little boy.
To kick-start this blog, I thought I'd write about my experience and my own journey of being pregnant for the first time.
Discovering the News
Myself and Lee talked about wanting to have a baby for quite a long time but I was still studying at University and I wanted to make sure I finished my degree so I'd always have my career in Nursing. It got to February this year and we were both so desperate to start trying despite being in the final year of my degree. We talked it through and decided that even if I was to fall pregnant at that exact moment, the baby would be due after I graduated from University and I would still get my degree as a result. Looking back, we did take a massive risk in the respect that the pregnancy could have treated me unkindly or the baby could have been born early which could have prevented me getting my degree. But at that moment in time, we were so eager to start our little family that we decided we were going to take that risk and remained positive that everything was going to work out fine. We also kind of convinced ourselves that I wouldn't fall pregnant straight away.
We made the decision to not actively try to conceive or time ovulation but rather to just stop contraception and if it happens then it happens. As I'd come off the contraceptive pill, I thought it would be a good idea to track my cycle from now on using an app. I was a couple of days late and this app prompted me to take a pregnancy test. In my head at the time, I was certain I wasn't pregnant because I'd had no symptoms and it wasn't unusual to be a few days late as my cycles have always been irregular. I was staying back at home and due to travel back to University that day so I just thought casually that I'll take a test when I get back to my student accommodation and it will probably be negative. I think I just assumed it would be negative because I was always overly worried about falling pregnant before that I'd take numerous tests and they'd always be negative. This time however was different.
On the 25th of March 2017, I got a positive test and found me and Lee were expecting! As you can tell, I got overally excited and decided to down litres of water to be able to take three pregnancy tests and make sure I was definitely pregnant haha! Before falling pregnant, I used to watch all of those cute videos of different ways girlfriends would tell their partners they were pregnant and I so badly wanted to surprise Lee in a spontaneous way but I never imagined how excited and over the moon I'd feel. I basically couldn't contain myself and phoned him within 5 minutes of finding out and told him! He was so happy and excited to such a degree that his mum could tell he was keeping something in when speaking to him on the phone so he eventually told her and she was beyond happy and excited! We were trying not to tell anyone early on as we worked out I was only around 4 weeks pregnant and we didn't want to jinx anything with it being before 12 weeks. But this was such a difficult thing because we were so overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. I remember when I got off the phone to Lee after telling him and I was just sat on my bed smiling and shaking and I just wanted to shout the news out my window and jump for joy. I didn't know what to do with the rest of the day after finding out this amazing news. I just had to tell someone, I couldn't keep it all to myself so I told my sister because I tell her everything and she was so happy that she was getting ahead of herself and wanting to organise the baby shower already.
Once Lee finished work, he travelled the three hour journey to my student accommodation and we celebrated by eating some fish and chips and cheersed to our new future together as a little family.
First Trimester (Week 0-13)
I'm about to make women who have ever been pregnant angry with what I'm about to say next but here it goes. I somehow managed to escape most of the dreaded morning sickness in the first trimester - sorry! There wasn't a total escape though, it found me on a few occasions and it genuinely made me feel for the women out there who suffered badly during the first few weeks or even throughout the rest of their pregnancy!
The sickness I experienced I put down to having multiple kidney infections since finding out I was pregnant. I wasn't shocked when the infections started rolling in due to my extensive history of kidney infections and the fact my Nephrologist confirmed that when I decided to start having children that it would put strain on my kidneys. I accepted that this is something I'd expect and deal with during the pregnancy. I'm unsure as to whether it was the actual infection making me unwell or my body becoming more sensitive to the antibiotics I was prescribed to take. Either way, the first trimester for me consisted of trial and error of the numerous but limited antibiotics I could take that wouldn't make me hug a toilet all day. Eventually, I got there and was put on a low dose of an antibiotic to take every day up until the end of the pregnancy and so far I've been infection free!
Another main symptom for me was feeling exhausted and like I hadn't slept for a week. This was particularly challenging because I had a 10,000 word dissertation to write that I hadn't even started which meant many days and late nights typing away in the library. All I wanted to do in the early weeks was curl up in bed and to hibernate but I'd left myself little time to write this dissertation. On top of that, in May I started my 12 week management placement which consisted of three 13 hour shifts a week and I knew I had to really prove myself to make sure I got signed off to be a qualified nurse. However, all of this pressure and stress subsided for a small amount of time because I was able to see mine and Lee's little baby for the first time at our 12 week scan.
Both me and Lee were so excited for this first scan but incredibly nervous too. We had no idea if everything was ok or what the sonographer was going to say. I somehow convinced myself that she'd put the probe onto my belly and nothing would be there and I'd somehow made this whole thing up in my head. While we was waiting to be seen, we were both barely saying anything because inside our hearts were pounding with nerves and excitement. I clearly remember how amazing and surreal it felt when she placed the probe onto my belly and this little jelly bean appeared on screen. I could see it's tiny heart pounding away and the same small button nose that resembles mine and I couldn't stop smiling. Lee was so amazed at this tiny thing we created and admitted he got a tear in his eye - even though he'll probably deny it now! From then on, our little baby was known as either dumpling which my mum liked to call it or 'nug nug' by me and Lee.
Second Trimester (Week 14-26)
The most challenging for me in the second trimester was muddling through my management placement and completing my dissertation, oh and trying to pass my driving test.While on placement, I struggled massively with getting through the shift due to numerous reasons. I was still getting infections on and off and taking the antibiotics made me sick. The ward was always extremely hot and hit over 30 degrees on a few occasions and my body just did not like it at all. I'd spend my morning guzzling water, running to and from the toilet to be sick and having to sit down every 10 minutes to avoid fainting. I felt so down because I'd either have to miss shifts or when I was working, I felt I wasn't showing my full potential and my body was holding me back. I was so incredibly lucky that the whole team and especially my mentor were all so supportive and understanding. They went through the patients I missed at handover due to having to run to the toilet, encouraged me to sit down to complete my documentation and switched my shifts to night shifts so I could work when it was cooler on the hot days. This made completing my placement so much easier, especially considering the last 6 weeks when I had to work between 48 to 60 hours a week to ensure I completed enough hours to be signed off and qualify as a nurse. Lets just say, I was absolutely exhausted but I did it! I was successfully signed off to be a qualified nurse and I achieved a 2:1 on my dissertation.
The most exciting moment during the second trimester was feeling my little baby move for the very first time. I was 17 weeks pregnant, laying in bed and watching good ol' Love Island on my laptop and I felt a persistent pulsing popping sensation on the lower right side of my belly and I quickly moved my laptop, threw the covers off and just stared at my belly. At the same time as feeling the movement I saw my belly move slightly and I knew it was 'nug nug'. I got sooo excited and phoned Lee straight away to tell him. I so badly wanted him to feel what I could but he was still too small so Lee didn't properly feel him kick until late into my second trimester.
During the second trimester, we had another two scans. Me and Lee decided to pay for a gender scan with BabyBond when I was 17 weeks pregnant because we were too impatient to wait until the 20 week scan. The scan involved discovering the gender - obviously! and also some 4D imaging of the baby which we was really excited for.
As you can see from the photo... we found out were having a boy! It's funny because in the early weeks I was so sure it was going to be a girl but two weeks leading up to the scan I knew it was going to be a boy. I kept saying to Lee that I think it's going to be a boy now, I can just tell.
To reveal the gender, we decided to go all out and buy a 'Gender Reveal' balloon to share the news with Lee's family. Lee's 28th birthday was a couple of weeks away so we decided it would be the perfect opportunity to reveal the gender seeing as all the family were going to be together for Lee's birthday meal.So we invited all of his family round before the meal and presented them with the balloon.
We had to get the balloon delivered because it was massive and wouldn't fit in the car but when it arrived we were so excited to reveal the gender to everyone. For those of you who are not sure what a 'Gender Reveal' balloon is, it is where a balloon is filled with blue or pink confetti and you pop the balloon to reveal the gender. So that is exactly what we did and everyone seemed to enjoy it!
At 20 weeks I had my Anomaly Scan to make sure the baby was growing well and I found the scan to be so fascinating. I was so shocked at how much he'd grown and it was so surreal seeing everything in so much detail. I could see both his kidneys and bladder filtering all the waste, I could see the four chambers in his heart and his little hands and feet. I was amazed at how much the sonographer had to move the probe around my belly to find what she was looking for... I couldn't believe he'd grown that much compared to the little jelly bean that he was at my first scan. He got a bit fed up in the end from us invading his privacy and refused to move which made the sonographers job difficult as she couldn't get a clear image of the valve in his heart. I got up and walked around and I emptied my bladder but he was being stubborn and refused to move so I had to go back a couple of weeks later. Overall, the sonographer concluded that from what she can see, he is growing perfectly and there is nothing to be concerned about!
At 22 Weeks, I moved in with Lee... finally! I was so excited to start this new chapter together properly and not have to spend the rest of my pregnancy mostly on my own. I'd also been looking forward to living with Lee for a long time because it was hard having a long distance relationship for two years. It was difficult for Lee having to drive three hours to see me most weeks and I was exhausted travelling on trains to just spend a couple of days together. Now that we live together, it feels like this is the way it's always been. It's difficult to remember the time we lived apart for so long even though we've only been living together for over three months. I cannot even begin to explain how nice it has been to feel like I have a genuine home here with Lee and be able to share everyday together. I think Lee appreciates it too as I've taken on the cleaning, washing and cooking duties haha!
The first thing I struggled with in the third trimester is coming to terms with all the body changes as a result of the baby growing rapidly. I started seeing stretch marks gradually forming on my thighs and now I'm covered in them. Strangely, I've managed to get them everywhere apart from my bump which I feel has stretched the most but there is still a few weeks left to get them! I knew I'd get them because I suffered horribly with them when going through puberty but I didn't realise how much they'd bother me. I spent so long feeling so insecure and down about them and even now I'm struggling to accept them but I'm slowly getting there. It's all a natural part of pregnancy and it's a reminder of how amazing the female body is to be able to create life. The marks will eventually fade but I'll have a child for the rest of my life and that really is a blessing. I wasn't going to show a picture of my stretch marks but I think it's important to for all the women out there who also suffered with them. I can't speak for everyone but the pressure to look perfect all the time is real and allows you to feel ashamed about something that is a natural part of pregnancy. I think we shouldn't hide these marks and be proud of how amazing and powerful the body of a woman is instead of shaming and bringing each other down.
Another reoccurring symptom has been the classic heartburn that I've heard most pregnant women complain about. I never had heartburn before becoming pregnant but I really feel for people who get it on a regular basis... it is awful. No matter what I eat or drink or don't eat or drink, the heartburn will come and stay. I would drink pints of milk to help ease the burning which seemed to take the edge off for awhile but it became so intense that even Gaviscon isn't solving it. If anyone has any tips and tricks on getting rid of heartburn then I'd love to hear it.
Sleep has become difficult with all the typical aches and pains pregnant women experience such as lower back, hip and pelvic pain. I will wake up in the night with cramps in my hips and legs and I will change position and sleep with a pillow in-between my legs but nothing would seem to ease it. I also end up rolling around in the bed like turtle on its back or like a tellitubbie as Lee calls it to try and roll over or get up to go to the toilet. I'll occasionally get some assistance from Lee who will give me a boost to get out of bed or roll onto my other side but it is so exhausting. I never apprehended how difficult or uncomfortable having a big ball on your front would be... which leads me onto the next pregnancy struggle.
Having a big ball on your front can make the simplest of tasks a challenge. It takes me 5 minutes to put my socks on and it is just a disaster if I drop something on the floor. I've found squatting to pick it up to be the best method. I've given up trying to shave my legs in the shower because it is virtually impossible and just having a shower is tiring enough. I've become a slobby hairy creature the last few weeks so much so that Lee thinks I'm a goddess after I've had a shower, applied some make-up or worn something other than his T-shirt.
Other than the most recent constant rib pain and feeling drained and exhausted 24/7, I've found pregnancy to go fairly smoothly. I haven't truly suffered like some women do which makes me feel extremely lucky. Although I am really feeling the effects of the third trimester, it all doesn't matter every time I feel my little baby move. I feel like I've really bonded with him and I'm getting to know his character. He definitely agrees with what Lee wants all the time. We play this game with him where Lee will say to him 'kick if mummy should....' normally it's 'should make daddy a coffee' and he'll always kick but if I try it the other way round, he'll be the stillest he's been all day. He's also inherited the terrible hiccuping syndrome from me and my sister Becky because he gets hiccups all the time and he can never get rid of them. He gets all frustrated like we do too and starts shuffling around angrily in my belly because he can't budge the hiccups. These little moments with him make the pregnancy worth it and it makes myself and Lee so excited to meet him.
I'm now currently 37 weeks pregnant and waiting for his arrival. I'm under strict instructions to not have him until after the 23rd of November as Lee's mum is away on holiday and doesn't fly back until then. But as soon as she is back, I'm going to give him his eviction notice and hope he'll comply and decide to come out!
I hope you've enjoyed reading and hopefully I'll be introducing him to you all very soon.
xxx
To reveal the gender, we decided to go all out and buy a 'Gender Reveal' balloon to share the news with Lee's family. Lee's 28th birthday was a couple of weeks away so we decided it would be the perfect opportunity to reveal the gender seeing as all the family were going to be together for Lee's birthday meal.So we invited all of his family round before the meal and presented them with the balloon.
We had to get the balloon delivered because it was massive and wouldn't fit in the car but when it arrived we were so excited to reveal the gender to everyone. For those of you who are not sure what a 'Gender Reveal' balloon is, it is where a balloon is filled with blue or pink confetti and you pop the balloon to reveal the gender. So that is exactly what we did and everyone seemed to enjoy it!
At 20 weeks I had my Anomaly Scan to make sure the baby was growing well and I found the scan to be so fascinating. I was so shocked at how much he'd grown and it was so surreal seeing everything in so much detail. I could see both his kidneys and bladder filtering all the waste, I could see the four chambers in his heart and his little hands and feet. I was amazed at how much the sonographer had to move the probe around my belly to find what she was looking for... I couldn't believe he'd grown that much compared to the little jelly bean that he was at my first scan. He got a bit fed up in the end from us invading his privacy and refused to move which made the sonographers job difficult as she couldn't get a clear image of the valve in his heart. I got up and walked around and I emptied my bladder but he was being stubborn and refused to move so I had to go back a couple of weeks later. Overall, the sonographer concluded that from what she can see, he is growing perfectly and there is nothing to be concerned about!
At 22 Weeks, I moved in with Lee... finally! I was so excited to start this new chapter together properly and not have to spend the rest of my pregnancy mostly on my own. I'd also been looking forward to living with Lee for a long time because it was hard having a long distance relationship for two years. It was difficult for Lee having to drive three hours to see me most weeks and I was exhausted travelling on trains to just spend a couple of days together. Now that we live together, it feels like this is the way it's always been. It's difficult to remember the time we lived apart for so long even though we've only been living together for over three months. I cannot even begin to explain how nice it has been to feel like I have a genuine home here with Lee and be able to share everyday together. I think Lee appreciates it too as I've taken on the cleaning, washing and cooking duties haha!
Third Trimester (Week 27-40)
I'm still currently in my third trimester and experiencing the lovely symptoms pregnancy has to offer in its final weeks.The first thing I struggled with in the third trimester is coming to terms with all the body changes as a result of the baby growing rapidly. I started seeing stretch marks gradually forming on my thighs and now I'm covered in them. Strangely, I've managed to get them everywhere apart from my bump which I feel has stretched the most but there is still a few weeks left to get them! I knew I'd get them because I suffered horribly with them when going through puberty but I didn't realise how much they'd bother me. I spent so long feeling so insecure and down about them and even now I'm struggling to accept them but I'm slowly getting there. It's all a natural part of pregnancy and it's a reminder of how amazing the female body is to be able to create life. The marks will eventually fade but I'll have a child for the rest of my life and that really is a blessing. I wasn't going to show a picture of my stretch marks but I think it's important to for all the women out there who also suffered with them. I can't speak for everyone but the pressure to look perfect all the time is real and allows you to feel ashamed about something that is a natural part of pregnancy. I think we shouldn't hide these marks and be proud of how amazing and powerful the body of a woman is instead of shaming and bringing each other down.
Another reoccurring symptom has been the classic heartburn that I've heard most pregnant women complain about. I never had heartburn before becoming pregnant but I really feel for people who get it on a regular basis... it is awful. No matter what I eat or drink or don't eat or drink, the heartburn will come and stay. I would drink pints of milk to help ease the burning which seemed to take the edge off for awhile but it became so intense that even Gaviscon isn't solving it. If anyone has any tips and tricks on getting rid of heartburn then I'd love to hear it.
Sleep has become difficult with all the typical aches and pains pregnant women experience such as lower back, hip and pelvic pain. I will wake up in the night with cramps in my hips and legs and I will change position and sleep with a pillow in-between my legs but nothing would seem to ease it. I also end up rolling around in the bed like turtle on its back or like a tellitubbie as Lee calls it to try and roll over or get up to go to the toilet. I'll occasionally get some assistance from Lee who will give me a boost to get out of bed or roll onto my other side but it is so exhausting. I never apprehended how difficult or uncomfortable having a big ball on your front would be... which leads me onto the next pregnancy struggle.
Having a big ball on your front can make the simplest of tasks a challenge. It takes me 5 minutes to put my socks on and it is just a disaster if I drop something on the floor. I've found squatting to pick it up to be the best method. I've given up trying to shave my legs in the shower because it is virtually impossible and just having a shower is tiring enough. I've become a slobby hairy creature the last few weeks so much so that Lee thinks I'm a goddess after I've had a shower, applied some make-up or worn something other than his T-shirt.
Other than the most recent constant rib pain and feeling drained and exhausted 24/7, I've found pregnancy to go fairly smoothly. I haven't truly suffered like some women do which makes me feel extremely lucky. Although I am really feeling the effects of the third trimester, it all doesn't matter every time I feel my little baby move. I feel like I've really bonded with him and I'm getting to know his character. He definitely agrees with what Lee wants all the time. We play this game with him where Lee will say to him 'kick if mummy should....' normally it's 'should make daddy a coffee' and he'll always kick but if I try it the other way round, he'll be the stillest he's been all day. He's also inherited the terrible hiccuping syndrome from me and my sister Becky because he gets hiccups all the time and he can never get rid of them. He gets all frustrated like we do too and starts shuffling around angrily in my belly because he can't budge the hiccups. These little moments with him make the pregnancy worth it and it makes myself and Lee so excited to meet him.
I hope you've enjoyed reading and hopefully I'll be introducing him to you all very soon.
xxx
