So bump and I have made it to week 18. Apparently, baby is now the size of a pepper and weighs in at around 190g! It is also around 14cm long. Our baby's ears are also now in their final position and she (or he!) has a protective covering of myelin around her nerves. Gender should be able to be determined from now on a scan (which we have in two weeks!).
So another week has passed and I think, this week, marks the beginnings of some movements I have been feeling; more like flutters really, nothing major, just things like feeling as though my stomach is turning upside down or little bubbles popping. I've read that that could be the baby moving.
My belly also seems to have popped out the last few days, which is nice, at last, as it's making the whole thing start to feel a bit more real now. Obviously I have had scans and seen our baby, but I haven't really 'felt' pregnant since all the first trimester symptoms started to disappear. But the arrival of a (albeit small) bump is starting to make it more real. People have also started to notice now as I can't get away with wearing jeans and hiding it any longer.
So it's been a week of positive developments really. My first pregnancy book, What to Expect When You're Expecting, also arrived this week. I scared myself silly by skipping ahead and reading the labour sections - I was definitely NOT ready to read that yet! I actually felt a bit sick. So I put it away and concentrated on the healthy eating sections. I've been getting away with not really thinking about labour yet as it seems so far away. Especially as I haven't even been looking pregnant. I convinced myself it was a long time in the future and something I could think about later on. However, I suppose I do need to start thinking about it and also starting to prepare for it - mentally and physically! As you might know, I joined a facebook group of pregnant ladies and a lot of them have shared birth stories. Everyone seems to say, yes, it is painful, but as soon as it's all over you forget about the pain as you have something so wonderful. This kind of honesty scares me also! Although I guess I would rather go into this with all the facts, rather than a sugar coated, false version and find the whole thing a terrible shock.
I have also had to start thinking about clothing. I searched everywhere for a winter coat that would fit me once the bump arrived but also fit me afterwards as I didn't want to buy a maternity coat, especially as coats are so expensive. I finally found one, from Tesco of all places and plan to do a post about the coat later in the week.
I also need some maternity jeans and a pair of black trousers. Which, again, seem to be elusive. Or maybe I am just too fussy. I can find jeans and trousers, but they seem frumpy and old fashioned. I don't want to give up 'me' just because I am pregnant.
For the time being, whilst I am sort of still in between normal clothes and maternity clothes I have gone for some tunic dresses which I can wear for most of the pregnancy and then definitely be able to wear after. They cost a small fortune as they were from Fat Face but I love them and they are just right for autumn/winter. Again, I plan a little post about these later in the week.
This week also saw me catch 'proper' flu! It started last Thursday and I have actually had the week off work as I felt so so dreadful. I have never had flu before and I certainly wouldn't want it again! I couldn't even get out of bed for 4 whole days. I finally went to the doctors who gave me penicillin for a secondary chest infection and I now feel so much better. Pregnancy and illness do not mix; I was thoroughly fed up by Friday (hence all the Internet clothes shopping!). Not only that, but being pregnant you obviously can't take the same sort of medication for flu as you would if you weren't pregnant. My trusty otrivine for blocked sinuses was banished back to the medical drawer as was cold and flue relief capsules. Anyway I survived and now I am going to book the flu jab as soon as I can to ensure I don't get it again!
I'm looking forward to the next few weeks; What to Expect says to start feeling more movements by the end of this fifth month and I am looking forward to seeing a much more noticeable bump very soon!
mummystartingout
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