Leila Rose Petal

We hit 28 weeks officially yesterday. I commented to Mark that we now have only 12 weeks until ‘D day’. Of course, ‘D day’ is really only notional, but still it feels very close. I suppose I’m also officially into the 3rd trimester now and probably have been for a couple of weeks - I’m never too sure about those things.

Leila continues to make her presence known regularly. Over the last few days there’s been a little less kicking and a bit more pushing. I’ll feel pressure in a spot and reach down to feel a tiny limb (can’t tell which) pushing outward. With a gentle rub and some pressure they’re usually withdrawn, although the other day one of these pushes was quite painful and it took a while for her to take the hint and stop. I suppose that will start to happen more and more as she becomes short of space. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Leila,

It’s something of a bad habit in this family but we have all this space at home and we don’t use lots of it very well properly a lot of the time. The spare bedroom, which will be your room, has just been a storeroom with a bedroom buried in there so somewhere for a while.

Anyhow we have gotten our act together and now it’s tidy and pretty ready for you. Not that you should feel the need to hurry, March is still fine.

In fact some very fine people have been born in March.

lots of love

You Dad.

Dear Leila,

It’s something of a bad habit in this family but we have all this space at home and we don’t use lots of it very well properly a lot of the time. The spare bedroom, which will be your room, has just been a storeroom with a bedroom buried in there so somewhere for a while.

Anyhow we have gotten our act together so that cousins will have somewhere to sleep on Christmas Day if they need it. The end result is that your room is now your room. It even has your cot in there.

All it needs now is a Leila sign on the door and perhaps some girly things to make it especially yours.

It’s only a little while until you’ll see yourself.

lots of love

your Dad.

We’re not quite at 27 weeks, but I had a checkup at the hospital today so it seems like the right time for an update. Not that there’s much to update, since everything’s going boringly well.

I saw an obstetrician today - briefly - and he was happy with Leila’s size (based on measuring my stomach), her heartbeat and my blood pressure. He told me that I need to make up my mind about what sort of delivery I want (normal or c section) by my next appointment as, if I want a c section, spaces fill fast and it could get difficult to book me in any later. I’m in two minds about the whole thing, so I’ll have to do some thinking and researching over the next four weeks and try to come to a decision.

I also saw a midwife in the pre-admission clinic. She went over a few of the details of what to bring to hospital, when to come in, etc. with me. She also told me that my iron levels are good again, so I don’t need to keep taking the iron tablets, which is a good thing.

She raised the question of what Finn’s going to do while we’re at the hospital having the baby. This is something we haven’t thought much about yet and what happens will depend a bit on what sort of delivery I’m going to have. Another thing to factor into my thinking and researching.

Dear Leila.

It is December already and that always goes quickly. January can be slow which will be nice. February will be pretty busy for me as I am starting some kind of teaching and it might be busy for all of us really. You due date is in late March but you could arrive anytime from mid Feb.

We are pretty much ready for you, as much as as you can be, although we do need to clean your room up a bit. We think you’ll probably sleep in with us to start with but it’s nice to have a room of your own even when you are little.

You are still kicking Mum a fair bit which I think she finds comforting and sometimes a bit distracting at times.

See you in a little bit.

Lots of love

Your Dad