Last night I decided it was time to start knitting some baby stuff. I was going to wait until we know the baby’s gender because I don’t have much yarn in the stash that wouldn’t be considered gender specific, but then I figured I didn’t really care.
So I dug out my favourite bootee pattern and knitted one.
There’s more pink in the yarn than I first thought but, like I said, I’ve decided I don’t care. If the baby is a boy I’m sure he won’t experience too much gender confusion from it. One bootee used just over half the ball. I have another ball, so I may even have enough for a little hat after the second bootee is done.
I like this pattern because it’s simple and quick, not fussy and it makes warm little footses for the munchkin, which stay on. This should fit the baby when he/she is about 3 months old, which will be winter next year. While I like the look of the lacey little bootees you see in most patterns, I can’t be bothered knitting them and don’t see much point for a tiny baby since they’re wrapped up most of the time in the early days and their feet should be pretty warm.
Yesterday we went to the Royal Women’s to do all the preliminary stuff for booking in to have the baby there. Although the whole process took about 2 and a half hours, we were impressed with the efficiency of their system. Of the time we were there probably no more than half an hour was spent sitting around waiting.
We had a long talk with a midwife (well she talked a lot and I answered questions) about my last pregnancy and birth, health issues, what I planned/wanted for this pregnancy and birth, etc. During this discussion we got the results of the Combined First Trimester Screening test for Down’s Syndrome. The odds came back as 1 in 1030, which is pretty good, given my age. I still have the option of an amniocentesis if I want a definite answer and I’m going to give that some thought.
After the midwife we saw an obstetrician who looked about 18, which means I must be getting old, and that was a little unnerving. While she was examining me I did the mental arithmetic and worked out that she must actually be in her mid-twenties at least. That made me feel a bit better. During the examination we heard the baby’s heartbeat roaring along a 150 beats a minute, which is perfectly normal and a very reassuring sound.
It was decided that all my checkups will be at the hospital, rather than doing shared care where I visit the local GP for some of them. Although it might have been nice not to have to go into the city every time, I really have no problem with it. One of the great things about the Royal Women’s (which is to be expected, given its size) is that it’s very much a one stop shop. Whatever I might need can be done/obtained there and organised through them. I like that idea because it means less running around for me and all my records are there with them, rather than in different locations with unrelated professionals. As things stand at the moment I’m happy we decided to go to them this time.
I’m past morning sickness now - as long as I eat regularly - and I’m into the second trimester of this pregnancy. It feels as though things are rushing along, but March also seems an eternity away at the same time.
In general I’m well. My main issue at the moment relates to hayfever. I can’t take the antihistamines I would normally use because their effect on the baby is unknown. The only one available to me is an old fashioned one which makes me drowsy. Because of this I don’t take them during the day and try to manage the symptoms with paracetamol.
My energy levels are OK. I tend to have bursts of energy when I will do a lot of stuff and then when it runs out I collapse in a heap. I’m hoping the usual second trimester boost will even this out for me.
I need to get into the habit of midday sleeps or, at least, rests. I generally don’t like sleeping during the day as it can muck up my night time sleep, but I think I’m getting tired enough for that not to be an issue. Without it I find that I’m so tired by 4 or 5 o’clock that I have to leave the business of dinner and Finn wrangling entirely to Mark, which is not particularly fair since he still has quite a bit of uni work to go and is working part-time as well.
We’re going to Royal Women’s tomorrow (Tuesday) for their Pregnancy Booking Clinic. I’m looking forward to this as I really want to know what their views on managing this pregnancy will be and I always feel better about any situation when I understand the ins and outs. My major concern about having this baby is ensuring that I come out of the birth and hospital stay as physically and mentally well as possible. My experience after Finn’s birth wasn’t good and this time I will be busier once I come home and I won’t have Mark around for as long to help.
The above said, this time I have the confidence of knowing that I can look after a small baby, that I won’t die from a bit of sleep deprivation (although it may feel like it at the time), that there are solutions to any problems I encounter and that the only rule that really exists is to do what feels right. I think it’s the kind of thing you only learn from having done it.
I am aware that I am not writing as much about the new baby compared to when we found out about Finn. I wouldn’t want anyone reading this, including this baby in years to come, to think that this is less important and exciting.
Actually it is more exciting in many ways because I have less fears and anxieties about the whole thing.
Just the other day we had the first ultrasound and that was really excited. Even though it is early days we could see someone bobbing about it there. We could see little hands and legs kicking around. It’s hard to explain but this is really exciting when you see it.
For now most of what we need to do is wait. I am sure we’ll have some more thoughts to share as we go.
Well this week we told everyone the exciting news and people have been excited along with us which is nice. Nicky has the first ultrasound and it was exciting the see an actually little person in there.
We’re off to the Royal Women’s next week so we’ll get to have another look.
