3 Months Old

 

Time flies when you're sleep deprived! 3 months old our little man and he's caused some serious havoc this month. Many nights sitting up at 4am when he decides he's had enough sleep, serious issues with wind and reflux.. I really cannot get puked on enough.. its great! And we've finally given in and started trying to wean. I know it's a month too soon but who are these people that say when is right? This kid cannot get enough food, he is ALWAYS hungry so I figured it was time. He's not loving it yet but we're taking it slow so that hopefully by the time he's 'officially' allowed baby food he will be ready for it. He also moved in to his big cot in his own room this month which was a massive turning point for us. Even when he's up in the night I almost feel like I'm getting too much sleep compared to the first 8 weeks of his life! This week he slept his first 9 hours (totally one off by the way) which was of course fantastic and I've started the "controlled crying" when he wont settle which seems to be working well. I leave him for 10 minutes, go back to settle him without lifting him out of his cot then leave him for 20 minutes.. I've never had to go back a second time yet so I'm hopeful that this method will be more effective having started early. Ella was an absolute terror at night until she was almost 5 so I am very aware that I do not want a repeat of that with Milo.

He is starting to roll but doesn't get much time of his back as he's always in his bouncer or being held but in his cot he often rolls on to his side while wriggling around. I keep meaning to get him a play mat.. I think developmentally he would really benefit from more floor time. His legs are still so strong, always pushing to stand and stamping his feet he's even taking 'steps' which I'm yet to capture on film but will blog about separately as I managed to get a few photos. And Milos third month also brought him his first snow just in time for Mummys birthday so that was nice. 

He's still a very wingey baby and always fidgeting, we think it's due to his colic and reflux issues but Lee is convinced he may be having issues with his milk. I'm considering a call to the health visitor to see if there's any advice they can give on other feeding options. I'll be keeping quiet about the early weaning though.. they're uber strict round here! I think That's about it for this month. I'm going to get out Ella's progress books and see what she was doing at this age.. will be interesting to compare and if there's anything good I will of course share with you all.

I'm really hoping that the fourth month update will bring happy news about sleeping through the night and self soothing but I'm a realist and am just happy to have this little bundle happy and well.

 

Miss BB

2 Months Old

 

 2 months old? Already? I don't like this one bit! 

As you know Milo has suffered with colic and acid reflux. He's still not great and his sleeping is hit and miss but we do get the occasional good nights sleep (by current standards). In the last month he has been pushing himself up to stand against up , grabbing everything he can and is finally enjoying bath time. To soothe him we often use white noise such as the hairdryer.. in fact as I type this he is being lulled to sleep by a genius app playing him the sounds of a doppler.. what will they think of next? He is consistently taking 6oz bottles and is hungry all the time.. I can't wait to wean him on to solids.. I'm sure that will be the key to him sleeping through the night. He's just a very hungry boy. Ella absolutely loves him, she has infinite patience when we have none and will sing to him even when he is screaming at the top of his lungs. He's a serious headbutter, has been since he was born but recently he seems to have motive... he split my lip the other day.. I'm still not sure what I did to deserve it. I'm considering putting him in his own room.. everyone else seems to think it a great idea as he's a fidgety sleeper and I get him up when perhaps he would have slept through had i not heard him. I'm just not quite ready to let go.. he's too lickle!! Everyone is getting regular smiles now which makes his screaming fits a lot more tolerable.. it's very hard to stay made at him when he's so very cute. his eyes are still very blue. Brown is the norm for my family but Lee has green eyes.. they can take up to 6 months apparently to be the colour they will be forever but I'm hoping for green.. he already looks so much like his Dad I'd be really surprised if he didn't get that from him too. 

Overall month 2 has been the hardest so far and I'd really like it to remain that way. He will be teething before we know it and I'd like a little respite before then. My Mum has kindly offered to take him off our hands every Friday (thanks Mum) which we obviously jumped at so we do get one unbroken night of sleep a week and in all honesty I don't know how I'd survive without it. Lee's a huge help but I don't like him to do too much during the week as he works long hours and that's the whole point of maternity leave, isn't it? I know he feels like he should be doing more though which is tough for him. Hopefully Milo will get easier soon so life can get one step closer to normal again.

Miss BB

6 Weeks Old

So Milo has reflux. He visited the Doctor and was diagnosed last week. He went from being the perfect baby and sleeping all the time, feeding well, just generally better than I could have hoped for to... well.. not.  I'm glad he seems to be improving thanks to the various changes we've made and medications he's now taking but it's not the easy time he was promising when he was first born. I knew it couldn't last but deep down I really hoped it would.. I thought I'd earned a good baby after Ella was such hard work.. but no. It's really tough between Lee and I because we both have different ideas of how to deal with a baby that cries all the time and we're both tired but we're doing well to avoid conflict so far. The worst thing that could happen right now would be for us to be fighting. I can see how this kind of thing can cause problems in a relationship but I am confident we will stay strong and support each other as best we can. Communication is key!

I haven't visited the clinic to have him weighed since the midwife weighed him at 2 weeks but I weighed myself with and without him at the weekend and deduced his weight is now approx 12lbs.. 

little chunk!

Miss BB

4 Weeks Old

Can you believe my little  Milo bear is 4 weeks old today? I can't believe it's already  been a month yet can't believe a month ago he wasn't here. He's growing so fast (too fast) filling out his little suits and getting stronger all the time. He's more alert now and awake for longer periods of the day. He's discovered her doesn't have to be perfect and has a little cry every now and then. Still doesn't like bath time but doesn't mind so much being changed anymore. He's slept a couple of times 6hours+ through the night but it's not a regular occurrence - appreciated when it happens though. It's just 2 weeks 'til Christmas and I'm so pleased to be able to celebrate it with our new little man. This time last year we had almost given up hope of conceiving him so he's really the best gift we could have asked for.

Miss BB

3 Weeks Old

My baby boy is 3 weeks old today! It's been a LONG day of fussiness so this is a short post before bed but I'll film a video update tomorrow...

Zzzzzzzzzz

Miss BB

Week 38

It would seem the now little Milo is fully formed and ready to go there are no in-utero updates to share. He's the size of a leek and approx 6.8lbs. I missed a midwife appointment so I don't know how big he is in reality but I have my final meeting this Friday, Scary stuff! I have all the little vials to take for them to fill with my blood in case I need a transfusion. I was a little puzzled about this myself as the won't take enough to give me if I do need one so... why do they take it? hmm! I can only assume it's to check I don't have any nasties in my blood before the operation. I have all of my paperwork and instructions of what to do the night before/morning of the operation. I will have to be up at 6am to take a pill which kinda sucks but I imagine I'll be too excited to sleep anyway. I'm getting really nervous about the c-section now. I know it's routine and it's still preferable to going through hours of labour and potentially having to go in as an emergency section anyway but knowing I will be totally lucid and aware of everything freaks me out. I was off my head on everything they'd give me by the time they rolled me in to theatre the first time.. this time will be very very different. I'm nervous of the spinal block going in, I'm nervous of it wearing off halfway through and I'm possibly MOST nervous of the pain that I'll feel after it's all over and I've regained feeling. OUCH! All I can imagine is it will be like people say when they come-to after cosmetic surgery (I watch lots of reality TV) they say it feels like they've been hit by a truck. I don't want to feel like I've been hit by a truck! But this time next week he will be here and I will have to face it either way. 

I'm really hoping that the emotion of his arrival will put me in a bit of a blur and before I know what's happening the Spinal will have worn off and they'll have topped me up with pain killers. We'll see. I'm not scared about his arrival or bringing him home, I'm actually starting to get excited now. It's really happening. As has been the case throughout my pregnancy, nobody is as excited as my Mum. I'm a bit concerned she might explode when she first visits. Ella is excited... off and on.. I think once he's home and well and I'm recovering she will love it but I get the impression she's worried about me because she knows I'm having surgery. I think she's put off her excitement a little for the same reasons I have... just get that bit over with and know that I'm fine and then I can enjoy it. His room and everything is still only almost done. We're going shopping tonight for all of the last bits and pieces we need. More blankets for example... MILK for another. We're nearly totally ready for him. 

Miss BB

Week 37

So it's just 2 weeks before we get to meet our little guy and I'm finally feeling a little excited. in the last week I have bought most of the stuff we were missing. We still need a couple more newborn outfits for him, more blankets, toiletries and milk... it's felt like I have loads of time left to do these things but I really don't anymore. I have started watching all the baby programmes on Home & Health that I've avoided thus far.. I think they're helping me to remember what the first few days with baby are like and I'm feeling more relaxed. Ella is still really excited and she's been so grown up recently I'm no longer worried about her feeling pushed out. 

Baby is "full term" this week so if the worst happened and he made an early appearance all would be well.. he is fully prepared for the world. Many Mums experience "lightening" around this time which is when the baby drops in preparation for the birth and I think that's happened to me. People tell me he looks lower now.. I'm not so sure but I have been really sore at the top of my tummy/under my bust. The skin sometimes feels almost like it's burning and apparently this is a stretching sensation, ouch! I've been trying to relieve it with Aloe Vera which helps for a while but it's not comfortable I can tell you. Gradually my body has been telling me to slow down and do less. I still have pains at the top of my left leg that feel like a pulled muscle in my inner thigh and on the other side I experience occasional flashes of cramp. I get these pains even when I'm resting so walking any distance at all is not easy. Lots of people are asking if I'm looking forward to it being over but although I'm achey I'm not desperate to get him out.. I don't know if that's because of nerves about the operation or if I'm still not ready. I do know that my discomfort won't go away once he's born as I will be recovering from the c-section so whereas most Mums are awaiting that relief I know I won't get that straight away.. but that was my choice.As it is I take Ella to school and back and some not too strenuous house work but try to rest for the majority of my day. I'm beginning to wonder what the baby will allow my days to be like.. will he be fussy? will he be sleepy? Only time will tell... 

Miss BB

Week 36

I'm as surprised as anyone that I haven't been filling your reading lists with pregnancy updates but it would seem the closer I get to the birth the less interested I am in talking about it... is that strange? He will be here with us in less than 3 weeks and I'm not chomping at the bit for him to arrive. Time is passing alarmingly quickly for my liking actually. Early on when it feels like an age 'til it's over it's all fun stuff picking the pram, decorating the nursery, buying clothes and bottles.. now it's starting to feel a bit of an inconvenience. I have to buy more bottles?... I could spend that money on something else if I had a bit more time lol. My whole pregnancy has been a bit odd like that "feelings"-wise, I'm genuinely curious to see how I'm going to feel when he's actually here.

It doesn't feel like 36 weeks have passed and I just don't quite feel ready yet, y'know?  I mean we have all the stuff (pretty much) and if he arrived tomorrow my world wouldn't collapse... I'm prepared but.. I'm not READY. I've waited so long and now I don't know if it's nerves because of the operation or I'm still dumbfounded that we actually conceived the little one but I just don't feel how I thought I would. Next week I will be going to buy all the bits and pieces I need to stock my hospital bag, I still need to get some extra stuff for when he gets here and maybe then I'll feel ready, when I'm totally 100% prepared. In the meantime I'm stuck in this strange kind of limbo, not quite excited, not quite scared, not quite... anything.

  Anyway on with the actual baby update. To quote my baby bump app this week the baby is still gaining weight and becoming rounder in appearance. By the end of the week he will be considered full term. So officially by the end of this week I could pop and he'll be totally fine (in theory).When I went to be booked in for my section they told me they used to schedule them in the 37th or 38th week but discovered that more babies delivered electively in those weeks needed to be sent to the special babies unit (always makes me think of Law and Order... just me? never mind) for help with their breathing so they don't like to do that anymore. It's a strange concept to have not carried to term and already be given an end date. Ella was 2 full weeks late and they were in no hurry to get her out. This one will be born 3 weeks earlier.. so I'm not going to have all that huffing and puffing, awfully uncomfortable time that I did the first time around. That being said walking is no picnic anymore.. standing's no better and even sitting and lying down have their bad days. Every pregnancy is totally different, I can vouch for that, I didn't get any of the aches and pains I have now before and the practice labour has started already. I have warned him he'd better not try and come early but my Mum has been encouraging him every chance she gets, she wants an 11/11/11 baby.He's 5.75lb this week and the size of a Crenshaw Melon. When I googled "crenshaw melon" I found almost as many pictures of pregnant belly's as I did the melons themselves which leads me to believe this is a special strain of melon bred especially to indicate the size of a 36 week old baby in utero. Nevertheless... for your viewing pleasure may I present to you... A Crenshaw Melon... 

So there you have it. I'm going to miss these fruit comparisons so where possible once baby is here I will endeavour to take him to the supermarket and size him up against various goods to give you an idea of how big he is. By Christmas he might be as big as a box of cornflakes... one can only hope.

 

Week 34

This week my baby boy is 4.75lb and the size of an average cantaloupe... interesting? not so much.

But we're all getting very excited here. I'm still in shock that it's come around so quickly. He could be just a month away!! I ordered his cot and car seat yesterday.. we're very close to totally prepared for his arrival. I keep meaning to do my pushchair post and show you all the stuff we've got but I never get around it it.. this week I will try, I promise!

On the negative I am growing more uncomfortable. I'm still managing to get a decent nights sleep but my hips/pelvis constantly ache and if I stand or walk for even a few minutes I get cramp right at the top, inside of my leg. I remember getting cramp in my lower legs that would wake me up at night when I was pregnant with Ella but this is totally different. Hopping around Asda trying to stretch it out makes me look a wee bit crazy to say the least. As a result I've become somewhat of a shut-in. There are a couple of events coming up where I will have to leave the house but I should be able to sit for the majority. Otherwise wherever I can avoid walking/standing I am. We have another Midwife appt on Friday, some of you have suggested they may offer anti-inflammatory pills or even physio. I'd take just about anything right now I think.

Week 33

This week baby Milo is a Pineapple. That sounds painful! He's around 4.25lbs and should put on another half pound over the next 4 weeks after which the rapid weight gain should slow down. In 4 weeks he will be considered "Full Term" That's some scary sh*t! I've officially started my Maternity Leave now so I'm on the countdown to birth now.. It's daunting and I can't quite believe it's happening. You may remember it took me some time to really take it in when I found out I was pregnant because we'd been trying for so long.. well I feel a bit like that again now. I accepted that I was pregnant and was getting excited about the whole thing but I just can't imagine the baby being HERE.. like him actually COMING OUT! The more stuff we get the more real it feels and the more unbelieveable it is than in a few weeks we're going to have a BABY!

  33 Weeks People! 33 WEEKS!!! 

Week 32

First of all what is a Jicama? My baby is the size of a large one this week but I couldn't even hazard a guess! Any help?

Moving on... Ouch! My hips, my thighs, between my legs... Ouch! How did I get to my 32nd week of my second pregnancy without knowing your hips "soften" in prep for the birth? I felt a wee bit silly to say the least. It's only happened this week and boy am I glad I only have a week left at work.

Walking even short distances is really uncomfortable, I feel about 100 years old. We got our pushchair at the weekend... Very exciting.. Will be sharing with you all very soon! I can't think of anything else but get ready for posts a plenty once I'm off :)

Week 31

3.3lb! That's more than half a pound in a week!! *eek*

Strangely I'm feeling slimmer in the bump region lately. It feels like he's repositioned himself or perhaps found the portal to narnia. He's been very interested in getting under my ribs too.. I've told him it's a bit tight but he seems determined! This week he's the size of 4 Navel Oranges!? What does that even mean? Are they in a row or a square? Odd!

I was remembering last night my weird symptoms from early on in pregnancy, one stand out one was hot boobs.. Yep, you heard me! I don't know if its something to do with the increase in size early on or just blood rushing to the surface but they were uncomfortably hot.. definitely one of the stranger side effects. More recently I suffer from strain related issues like achey legs, itchy skin and breathlessness... I'm not even going to get in to my weak bladder. I'm still relatively comfortable all things considered and getting more and more excited as I stock up on baby essentials. Hard to believe the wait will be over soon...

Week 30

This week baby is 2.75lbs and the size of a cabbage.. I thought a cabbage was pretty big but I'm not so sure now. He is perfectly formed but still very small. He doesn't feel very small let me tell you! This week he's developed an interest in kicking my in the ribs.. so that's nice for him... something new. He's moved around so much I've been googling what he could be doing in there, I'm so curious. Lee has been able to feel him for a while but now it's getting creepy.. It feels like he's pushing so hard against me that I'm going to have a limb suddenly burst out of my belly like the scene from Alien. Scary stuff! I'm going to try my best this week to get his movement on tape again, it was cool before but the movement was so slight you culd barely see it. now he's bigger I think it will be more obvious. I have only 2 and a half weeks left at work which is both exciting and very scary (means it's nearly time).. Once I'm off you can be sure I'll be blogging/vlogging everyday. I'll be sat home all day looking up birth and all the things that could go wrong... it's just the kind of person I am.. big planner... big worrier! My blog will be my venting space. I can't believe I'm at 30 weeks already. It feel so close now. It's gone by so fast bearing in mind I found out early because we were trying I thought it was going to drag but It only feels like 2 minutes ago I was blogging about how I wanted to get pregnant.

Whenever I feel uncomfortable or like I've had enough I try and remember how much I wanted this and this might be the last time I get to do it.. I think that's really helped how well it's gone for me so far. I've started to get aches and pains in my lower abdomen, around the site of my original c-section scar. I was warned by my midwife that my scar tissue wont stretch and so it will start to hurt as I get bigger towards the end. Apparently some women think they're experiencing labour, it can hurt that much.. awesome! I've had a little discomfort in the area and one evening it was really aching but not TOO bad so far... I have a feeling that's going to get worse before the end. The breathlesness is increasing and sleeping is becoming a little more difficult but I'm not tossing and turning until the wee hours just yet... I've had a pretty easy time of it so far... oh and still no stretch marks.. keep your fingers crossed for me! 

 

Week 29

Wow.. Some symptoms have really kicked in this week. I've been growing increasingly breathless as time's gone on but now it's ridiculous! If I talk too fast I find myself panting and even standing for extended periods of time.. Getting frustrating now! In myself I am fine. I dont feel unwell at all or that pregnancy is preventing me from carrying on as normal but my every day activities are getting that bit more difficult. I am struggling to imagine growing even bigger right now when already I'm finding it hard to get off the sofa (lol) but I know I'm going to get much bigger before I'm done.

Babies are most active between 7pm and midnight apparently, I've found Zach to be quite the mover 24/7.. Hopefully that's not an early sign of a non-sleeping baby. Over my last 3 months of pregnancy he's going to grow from the 2.5lb he should be right now to the 7 or 8lbs he should be at birth. This means his movement will become less frequent as he is restricted by the space he's in and more uncomfortable for me for that same reason. I'm starting to get really itchy where my skin is stretching out. So far I'm stretch mark free and am keeping everything crossed I remain that way but every day he's getting bigger and I already feel fit to burst! As if the cellulite to my knees wasn't enough the threat of giant stretch marks is enough to keep anyone awake at night!

Week 28

Chinese Cabbage.. Doesn't usually summon images of a cute baby but regardless that's what Zach is likened to this week!

I had a midwife appt this morning .. More blood.. Eugh! She talked me through my last trimester (I'm officially in it from this week) I will have a further appt in 3 weeks then another 3 weeks later.. The week after that I see my consultant who all being well will book my csection for 3 weeks later.. Eek! Its all going so fast. Its like 3 weeks here, 3 weeks there.. BABY! she did tell me I wouldn't be allowed any pre-meds before the section which is disappointing but I'll just have to suck it up and get cut open fully aware of everything... I'm not gonna lie.. I'm not looking forward to that!

Week 27

What? I'm nearly 7 months pregnant?? How did THAT happen? It's getting a bit scary now. With my furst pregnancy time really dragged but boy is it coming along fast this time. I'm still really enjoying being pregnant but I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable as my skin stretches a bit more than it wants to. I feel absolutely huge but I know I will double in size before it's over.

This week baby Zach (it's decided) is 2lbs. When I think he feels huge in there I realise how tiny he really is with my weekly updates. 2lbs is so small! He's apparently the size of a cauliflower... Which sounds bigger. I keep looking in his nursery and can't quite believe there'll be a baby in it soon.

Week 26

How freaky is this.. If you shine a light on my stomach right now the baby would put his hands up to shield his eyes!!! It's like a real life baby in there!!! Also oddly it's size this week is likened to a Hothouse Cucumber.. Mmm!

What's a little scary is the rate in which he is growing now. It's taken this long to get to 1.75lbs but from now it adds 0.25lbs every week... Its going to be HUGE in no time! No wonder I feel so heavy lately.

 

Week 25

Well I'm 25 weeks and let me tell you this baby wants OUT! He is kicking up a storm in there, it feels almost like he's pushed for space already which is crazy given that it feels like so long 'til he comes but I guess it's really not! It's just 10 weeks til our consultant appointment where the birth plan is decided and potentially the c-section is booked. Just 8 weeks til I finish work too which hopefully will fly.

The size this week is a Rutabaga, just 1.5lbs. Once again I had no idea what that was so for those of you like me...

It's basically a turnip.. Mmm.. Very attractive!

I've been getting really excited this week about my hospital stay which is a little bizarre I know, nobody likes to be in hospital but we will have our brand new baby finally and I'm just going to try and have fun planning what to take and such. Last week I bought an iPad so I can hopefully get a little video/blog/tweet while I'm in there. It wont be so bad. Especially if I do have a planned section, I'm really looking forward to having some control over my visit.

Have any if you got any must have suggestions for stuff I should take with me?

Week 24

This week the baby is the size of "corn" and 1.25lb. Now I'm assuming by corn they mean ..."on the cob" otherwise thats one TINY baby. Lee was reading the pregnancy book last night and discovered that a baby born from 24 weeks can survive with intensive care. Scary thought but nice to know. There's actually a girl I work with who thay has happened to this week but I shall blog about that sepetately.

Ella has now felt the baby kick which she was interested in to a point but not as much as I thought she would be. I think it will be cool for her when she can make out surface movements. It's very difficult to get a 5 year old to want to sit even for a minute waiting to feel a kick. It will be my Mum next (hi Mum) and then all the interested parties are covered.

Number one symptom this week would have to be breathlessness. Even eating leaves me out of breath.. Very frustrating!

Week 23

This week the baby is the size of a Large Mango, 1.1lb and 11.5in long.

According to my "BabyBump" iPhone app braxton hicks (practice contractions) could start this week so that's always exciting.. Not! I was given a friends birthing ball so that will come in handy when they do start.

This week I thought I would share an up close shot of the baby's development as it's

Proportions are balancing out and it's starting to resemble a real baby...

And my very own bump photo!

It has really popped out this week! I am due to take my next bump photo in the next few days so I'll be interested to see it on my slideshow. I was taking them monthly but I'm growing so quickly now I think I'm going to start taking them every 2 weeks.

I have a couple of posts coming up on pregnancy skincare and symptoms so watch this space!