35 Weeks!

I know I am supposed to be packing, but I just can't seem to get round to doing anything that I know I am suppose to be doing, when I'm supposed to be doing it... besides the fact that I woke up at sparrows this morning & bugged Geoff until he woke up sufficiently to be amused (rather than irritated) by my chattering & trying to figure out what light was above the sea line which I had convinced myself was a UFO. Well, it wasn't a UFO, as I later discovered when being handed the binoculars: it was a ship & the sea line was higher than it looked because the wind direction was causing the colour of the sea after a certain point to look like the sky which the shop appeared to be floating in. This was followed by singing silly songs & being generally disruptive of sleep-time. It's good to see the sunrise every now and then :)

I was so very excited all day because of our scan appointment at 2pm today. We had breakfast... packed a few boxes... tidied the balcony cupboard... then Geoff went off to work & I bounced around and got some stuff done until 1pm & went to fetch him in Kalk Bay.... we got to the hospital early enough to hand our pre-admission form in... and then to our appointment at 2pm -- to discover that it is tomorrow at 2pm: not today. Not today :(

I feel like a muppet. Don't know a better word. I was so very disappointed...and I can't believe I entered the appointment into the wrong day on my calendar. I had packed the appointment card away for the move already, or I'd have seen that I was mistaken. I was so disappointed....I've been counting down the weeks, days, then hours to our last scan appointment. What a bummer. At least we have it to look forward to tomorrow.

I've been feeling much stronger kicks for the last few days which has put my mind greatly at rest. I'm also having some pain when I walk - I think her head may be lodging itself deeper down and putting pressure on my pelvic bone & my bladder as she grows - so fast now!

3 more sleeps and we'll be in the new house. It's strange to think that it is so soon that our whole environment will be different...that we will be in the place where our daughter will spend the first year or two of her beautiful life.

Baby Center says:

How your baby's growing:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 45cm long and tips the scales at 2.3kg. Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

How your life's changing:
Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.

From here on out, you'll start seeing your practitioner every week. This is also a good time to create a birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who'll be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and where you want your baby to stay after you deliver. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Childbirth is unpredictable, and chances are you won't follow your plan to the letter, but thinking about your choices ahead of time — and sharing your preferences with your caregiver — should take some of the anxiety out of the process.

34 weeks

I can hardly believe that there are only 6 weeks left until we meet our little girl!!
I just had a look at my calendar & we actually found out at 4 weeks - so soon after conception - that she had nuzzled into the right spot to grow and develop into a little person. It seems like a lifetime & a blink ago!

We are very busy preparing our house for the move in less than 2 weeks time... We had some prospective tenants come and look at our current house again today but we're not sure whether he will take it -- Sore back and all, I managed to get the bedroom & most other things tidied for the viewing...there was so much to do that I ended up huffing & puffing till Geoff got home & sorted out the kitchen (he's great at kitchen!) & the deck to make the place as enticing as we possibly could. Really holding thumbs he takes it. Double rent won't be fun.

We've been talking about how we will organise the outside space, and most importantly garden-wise, a space for our chicken coop at the new house... We've had it since December (my Christmas present) but have not got chickens yet with the going to Argentina & the decision to move etc. I'm so looking forward to us having our own, completely free-range eggs! :)

I'm so looking forward to putting things in their places in the new house! Especially getting the nursery ready for the big day!


I had a midwife appointment today with Sandy & all is well. She recons our baby is 'regular size' (not HUGE as I have had a bit of fear she may be) - so hopefully she's inherited Geoff's family's fine-boned-ness instead of my heavy bones! Sandy also confirmed my suspicion that she has shifted from her back curling along my left side - now she has her back to the right which feels very odd and different. It was a little bit sore & very strange feeling when she made the shift (which is why I suspected the shift)...

Geoff dreamed  that he was assisting me in labour... I've mostly been dreaming very wacky things involving lots of sea and beach and water (as well as riding things like sharks & bicycles on the water(!!) ). I've also had labour and birth dreams - some involving not being able to find Geoff / Sandy to be there, but they all seem to work out in the end or evolve into something more wacky - like lots of Chinese people playing volleyball naked on Fish Hoek beach!! :)

We have a scan next week with Dr.Nel - I am so looking forward to seeing our little kicker one last time 'inside' before we meet her on her birthday! 

Babycenter update:

Your baby now weighs about 2.15kg and is almost 46cm long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

How your life's changing:

By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

33 weeks

33 Week Bump

Its 7 weeks until our due date... Its been another really beautiful, pain-less week. I am so happy to be feeling so well! On Friday T'Neal, Aline & I went to Sommerset West to visit Belli, Baby & Beyond - my second cousin, Shelley's pregnancy, birth and after emporium.. We then went to another little shop... then to Baby Boom where I bought our camp-cot... and then to Toys R Us where we didn't find anything...and then to lunch at the Spur. Grace entertained us all the way through lunch & discovered how to nod her head (as opposed to shaking it) for the first time! She really is such a joy :)

We packed some more boxes over the weekend & have been getting the house ready for our move.... so much still to do but it feels quite strangely far away....perhaps it will hit me on Saturday that we only have 2 weeks until we move.....who know?!

We've been feeling lots of movement over this past week... Its been quite amazing to feel the changes from 2 weeks ago (stronger, more defined movements).

I've packed in a busy week -- mostly trying to make the most of my current level of freedom! Last night was book club... tonight we had Robyn's birthday party...tomorrow morning I'm going to see the last Harry Potter movie... we have dinner out tomorrow night at friends...an appointment with Sandy on Thursday, then friends for dinner in the evening... we're watching a movie with Joyce on Friday night... and then we have a birthday dinner on Saturday night!  I can't remember when last I had such a very busy week! (So pleased I have the energy for it!)

33weeks + a couple of days

Baby Center Says:
How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a 1.8kg and has passed the 43cm mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. 


As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.

32 Weeks..

Bump at 32 weeks

I kept thinking I was at 33 weeks for some reason... I don't know if it is because time feels as though it is going fast or slowly!?!

We went to Mosselbay to spend the weekend with Mom and Dad. It was so lovely to not be at home / have our stuff around us for a short change. They will be in Cape Town in the first week after our move & Mom said she'd come and help me unpack & decorate our baby room. I am SO looking forward to putting all her little things into their places & be ready for her arrival!

There are 26 days left until we move & someone finally came to have a look at the house today -- I really hope we find a new rental really soon!! We've started packing boxes, and today we did a major clean-up and sort-out. We need to still get some more boxes, but it looks as though we'll have enough time to get everything sorted. I really hope that it doesn't become a stress at the last minute!

I have started feeling new movements(!!): after dinner one night it felt like a 'nob' protruded out of my stomach (top right just under my rib) and when I pressed on it, it went away -- I am certain it was a little foot!! This is the first time I've felt a body part in my tummy & have it react to me prodding it! Its strange and wonderful! :)

Baby Center Says:

By now, your baby weighs 1.7kg  and is about  42cm long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

How your life's changing:

To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often. You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

31 Weeks

Our little girl seems to have had another growth spurt in the last few days! ...it felt by last Thursday's midwife appointment like nothing much at all had changed in four weeks, and suddenly between now and then I look in the mirror to be HUGE! :)

We got some good news at the appointment with our midwife (Sandy): It seems that our little monkey has turned head-down! I am so happy - the closer we can get to all the elements being in place for a natural birth, the better. Her movements are different - Sandy said that it is most likely due to the change of her position as well as the fact that I have loads of amniotic fluid (a good thing) - she's not filling up all the space yet -- we have a LOT of growing to do in the next 9 weeks. The movement thing is a little worrying because although I feel her quite regularly, the feeling is quite different & seems to be less than before. It could be my imagination.

We went on a hospital tour on Wednesday last week & were pretty impressed with the natural birthing rooms. There are four, of which 2 have baths in them... Lets hope its not too much of a busy time in the hospital & we get one of the bath rooms (x-fingers!!).  I'm so tempted by a home water birth, but with the move, it will be so hard to predict how I will feel about the new house... I am concerned about temperature control etc and I also just can't think of having to move venue mid-labour. I keep reminding myself that it will be best to just be in the hospital & really trust that so long as Geoff and Sandy are there - it doesn't really matter where things end up happening.

I've been pretty preoccupied with what its going to be like in the new house... I found some beautiful wall stickers, but now I can't remember if the walls are smoothed or whether they are roughly bagged & painted...... I will have to wait to see. I think we will ask for the cot offered to us by mom & dad - the one I slept in as a baby... Dad has just restored it: its really beautiful - a metal one with brass tops.

Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed that I am so blessed & happy that I need to pinch myself to believe that its all real. All my dreams (most of which I never even knew I had) are coming true & its hard not to get overwhelmed. I really have to guard against worrying that it could all be taken away from me, because that sends my mind into spirals that are hard to get out of. I really have to trust that all will be well & that our little family will just grow in happiness & togetherness.

I am so thankful for all we have been given - I am especially thankful for Geoff: my love. I always hoped, but never imagined that it was possible to share such a deep and meaningful love. He constantly surprises me with his kind heart - it is more pure than can be measured - there are billions of little ways he constantly considers me & shows me the depth of his love. I cannot quantify the love I have for him - he moves me. After almost 7 years, I still adore every little thing about him.

I am so looking forward to meeting our love-child. The culmination of all the wonderful things that have already happened & new chapter of our relationship, our love, our understanding of one another & of this life as a human being.



Baby Center Says:

How your baby's growing:
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds / 1.4kg and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

How your life's changing:
Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless.

29 Weeks

Although I am getting through most of it, I just don't feel like doing my work. I'm in full procrastinatory mode and can find so many things that I'd much rather be doing than what I'm supposed to be doing. A part of it is that I actually only have about 3 projects on the go work-wise...and the projects of growing a baby & getting ready to pack up a house to move in 6 weeks time (yes! we got the house!!) seem much more important...so I've been in limbo between doing what I should be doing & what I also should be doing, and instead I'm blogging to feel as though I've achieved something for the day.

So: 29 weeks! 11 weeks to go & little one is getting stronger & stronger & more active all the time. I LOVE feeling her move! ...and I love feeling Geoff feeling her move!

I'm feeling a lot better at the moment -- My SPD has almost disappeared, although I have been having quite a lot of back pain in the last week or so. Its such a relief not to be in constant pain.

This afternoon we'll be attending Robyn Sheldon's course at Mama Bamba called 'unborn child awareness' which teaches parents to connect with unborn children. I am really looking forward to us doing the course & to gaining new knowledge on connecting which we can implement for the next 11 or so weeks.

Geoff is convinced that she will be arriving on the 28th August! :)
I just hope she doesn't decide to come before the 14th so we can have a few weeks to settle into our new home. (Mom said she knows of people that have picked up / moved moving boxes with their foot & its broken their waters so NOT to do that!!)

I had a chat with one of our new artist book club ladies last night & she told me that she used to be a midwife... she was a midwife for a year and delivered around 30 babies & just loved that chapter of her life... She said that I seem to be carrying perfectly for my body shape etc & that I am really looking great. (It's always good to hear nice things!).


Baby Center Says:


Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. Because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk or another good source of calcium. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.