Archive for December, 2009

A print a day has this cute matryoshka free printable calendar.

A couple of weeks ago I saw the midwife for a routine appointment and she measured my fundal height (how big your uterus is, gives an indication of baby development and size). I was measuring 3 weeks ahead so she booked me into the day unit at the hospital for monitoring. I had scan and it turns out I have too much amniotic fluid, a condition called polyhydramnios. This in itself is not the end of the world but means I have to be monitored more as different factors can cause it, some serious, some not. I had a test for gestational diabetes which I passed and a growth scan to see what baby was up to. He seems to be healthy in there but his tummy is a bit large and the sonographer called him a chubby chops! She pointed out that he has hair on the scan. It was lovely to see him again looking like a big “real” baby.

I’ve had regular appointments at the day unit to test my blood pressure which has seem to have shot up – I have pregnancy induced hypertension. They have to keep a close eye on this in case I develop pre-eclampsia which can be super scary.

Last weekend I had a bit of a scare as they found protein in my urine which is an indication of pre-eclampsia and I was admitted to the hospital for a 24hour urine monitoring (there’s no glamour in being pregnant). I had to record everything I drank and collect all my wee in a plastic bottle, nice. I was also having my blood pressure and temperature checked every few hours. I was lonely and bored and a bit teary. I’d only gone into the the day unit thinking I was going to have a few checks and suddenly I was on the ward with other ladies who had just given birth! I was most surreal to be eating dinner with new mums and their tiny babies. You never leave you child alone so if you don’t have a visitor you can wheel your baby about in a cot/trolley. I was let out Saturday afternoon and subsequently didn’t have any more protein in my wee (dipstick tests can give a false reading if becomes contaminated with umm something else lol don’t want to give tmi!).

Basically I have high blood pressure and my life revolves around being pregnant at the moment. I have a problem with acid reflux also and trying to get to a decent night’s sleep is impossible. Still I’m so looking forward to meeting our son it will all be worth it. I must say that the staff at The Countess of Chester hospital are great and I’m being well looked after.