Bored now!

Well, we've finally reached 38 weeks and I'm writing this blog entry at 5.30am as I'm wide awake and so bored. I'm lucky to sleep for more than a few hours at a time now, mainly due to heartburn, achy bump and back and a small human headbutting my bladder constantly! I've taken to spending a few nights on the sofa, as it gives me a lot of added support (and I don't have to feel so guilty about keeping my poor hubby awake from my endless fidgeting and snoring!)

We had a little bit of drama last week. Our midwife came to visit to discuss homebirth, only to find me with incredibly swollen feet, protein in my urine and high-blood pressure (stupidly high, for me anyway). It was three strikes, you're out and off we headed for our first proper visit to the Dukeries Maternity Unit for Pre-Eclampsia testing. After 3-4 hours of sitting in a very hot room, and blood tests, urine tests, baby monitoring and blood pressure tests, the doctors informed me that I didn't have pre-eclampsia but they still wanted to keep me in over night.

I was taken up to the ward at 11pm and didn't see anybody again until 8am the next morning. I thought they might have forgotten I was there for a little while. After breakfast (which I was ordered to have by a drill-sergeant who didn't seem to understand that I might not know where I was going) there was more testing of blood pressure etc to see if everything had settled down. Thankfully it had, which meant I was given the all-clear to go home in the afternoon, although I was instructed to start my maternity leave a week early as I wasn't able to work in "my condition".

The only high point of the day was my extra ultrasound scan, to check baby growth. She was perfect (they double-checked and we are still sure baby is a she!) and growth doesn't seem to be an issue. With four weeks to go, she was weighing in at an estimated 7 and a half pounds! Although my midwife assures me that they do sometimes get the weight wrong (I think she's just trying to be nice!)

So, I've spent the last week not overdoing it, with my feet up as much as possible. Chris took me to a hotel for the night last weekend which was bliss. We got to use the pool and leisure facilities which was so nice in the hot weather, and had a gorgeous meal at a gastro-pub in Beeston.

Other than that, I'm just waiting now. And waiting. Still waiting... Can't believe I could have 2-3 weeks more yet.

P.S Congratulations to my work friend Katie, who has just had a lovely little girl. Also called Freya. Think there might be a bit of that going around at the moment. I'd like to take this opportunity to say - I thought of the name first!!

Should I stay or should I go?

As anybody who knows me will know, my original birth plan was in a hospital suite, surrounded by medical professionals being regularly pumped full of drugs until I couldn't feel my feet, let alone anything further north! So you may be surprised to hear that we are now in discussion with the midwife to have a home birth.

It all started during my antenatal classes (8 hours plus a hospital tour - I'm a dedicated parent-to-be) One Wednesday night we went to an Active Birth session, led by a crazy, but fabulous lady called Sue ( I wish I could preorder her at my birth - she had me in fits of giggles and would be sure to lighten the atmosphere a bit) Anyways, she got talking about the ideal atmosphere to have a baby in. Apparently you should be relaxed and happy, in a similar set-up to when you are about to make love! Dimmed lights, soothing music, maybe some aromatherapy...you get the idea. Naturally, at this point Chris turned to me and said what we were both thinking - "Do you think they let you bring cats to the labour suite?!"

It may sound daft to you, but I am most happy in my living room, with easy access to my computer and at least 3 cats pestering me for attention. So, we decided to take what she said to the natural conclusion and look into having the baby at home. Obviously there will be some preparation involved, but I've been speaking to people who have done it in the past and they have been very positive about the experience, even if they ended up going to hospital.

Here are the main points that swayed us to decide on this "shocking" course of action: (Not that I'm explaining myself, mind you, but it's good to show I've not completely lost my marbles)

1. Chris gets to stay with me all night. No matter what time she arrives, we get to cuddle up with Daddy and I don't have to be on my own in a scary hospital with a new baby. (that bit comes later, when we go for our checks, but at least we get a special first night together)

2. I'm guaranteed the full-time attention of at least one midwife, if not two! In hospital, I'll probably see a different midwife every few hours, and then I'll have to share her with potentially 3 other mummies! And I don't like sharing my spotlight!

3. If the midwife is unhappy about anything during the birth, no matter how small, weve been assured we'll be in hospital before we can blink. And if I've had a normal pregnancy (it's been a breeze really!) then there is no reason why the birth shouldn't be the same.

4. And finally (although I could go on all night) if I chicken out, change my mind and beg for an epidural, I can go to hospital anyway.

So I'm no more worried about the birth than I was before, but actually looking forward to the experience and feeling rather zen about it all. After all, it's a thoroughly natural process that my body is programmed to do and thousands of women have done it before me.

Although obviously I have a woman's perogative to change my mind and deny this entire post in the future. My brain may not be functioning properly - I am pregnant, you know!