A Brief, but Miraculous, Update

A Ray of Light Shining Through

We had a scan.

The Sonographer was so friendly.

We saw a little hand. And the cutest little foot, attached to a chubby little ankle.

40 Weeks - Still Pregnant

I was wrong.

The baby didn't arrive the day I thought it would.

I'm still pregnant.

40 Weeks Pregnant - Clearly, my womb is comfortable!

And I'm angry.

Like this enormous ball of pregnant rage.

39 Weeks - Counting Down the Days

39 Weeks Pregnant

For once I feel I can report a positive week of pregnancy. 

I feel completely upheld by the prayers of family, friends, and strangers who read this blog. 

Gradually I am gaining a sense of peace. A peace which is beginning to dwarf the fear.

38 Weeks - Approaching the End

Bump at 37+4

I feel I owe you all an apology.

I intended this pregnancy series to be a positive and helpful account of being pregnant with Gestational Diabetes.

And it has been anything but.

36 Weeks - Polyhydramnios

Due to birthdays, M getting chicken pox, our summer holiday and party prep, I haven't had a chance to let you all know how our meeting with the Consultant went.

Bump at 35 Weeks + 4

Before the meeting I wrote down everything I wanted to ask her, and some facts and figures I felt could be helpful to me.

It was a really positive meeting. We came away feeling heard and cared about.

The Consultant assured us that she would make sure that the safeguarding referral would be either removed from my notes or that she would get something inserted to say that the referral should never have been made.

We talked about possible reasons for polyhydramnios.

33 weeks - A Brief Update

Not a great deal to report this week.

We saw our midwife, and she explained everything she knew about polyhydramnios, but she also recommended that we talk to a Consultant.

As I have maintained all along that I would see a Consultant if any issue arose with my pregnancy, then I could hardly refuse!

32 Weeks - Colostrum

Gaviscon - the acceptable pregnancy cocktail

Two new arrivals this week. One more welcome than the other.

First, Heartburn.

It is here.

I thought I'd escaped, but I was wrong.

At least I got into the third trimester before it raised its ugly head.

Must hunt down some cocktail umbrellas to make the Gaviscon bottle a bit more exciting.

31 Weeks - A Rollercoaster Week

The week began badly. I had a day when I didn't feel the baby move, so, reluctantly, I had to go into the hospital to get checked.

I was a little worried about the baby, but more anxious about going in to the hospital.

It's become a place that terrifies me.

I shouldn't have to feel afraid to go into the hospital. It should be a place of safety and comfort.

When I haven't felt baby move, my worry should be that there might be something wrong with them, not a fear that the need to go into the day unit will be used against me in some way.

Typically, as soon as I lay on the bed to get the CTG straps put on, the baby jumped.

Pilsbury Dough Belly!

Still, I had to lay there for half an hour while  baby's heart rate and movements were monitored. Of course, the little tyke didn't stop moving the entire time, and hasn't since. I've felt more movements since being in, than I have all the rest of my pregnancy!

30 Weeks - Hope and Despair

When I told my midwife at my first appointment that I would be refusing consultant-led care, I thought that would be it. They would respect my wishes and my pregnancy would progress in a positive manner.

That was 19 weeks ago.

I was wrong.

28 Weeks - Heading into the Third Trimester

Ee, the aches and pains of pregnancy.

It's not all glamour, you know!

28 Weeks Bump

I get cramp, frequently, and not just your run of the mill nighttime leg cramps. I get cramp in my right bum cheek.

25 Weeks - The Wall

I've reached exhaustion point.

Hit the Wall in this Pregnancy Marathon.

And it can only get worse. 

I'd dream of sleeping, if I could only nap!

23 Weeks - Nothing Extraordinary

The Hubby felt the baby move this week.

It's always an exciting moment when I get to share the movements I've been feeling. Another step along the way to a baby feeling real. 

It won't be long until the girls feel it too, and I can't wait to see their faces when that happens.

22 Weeks - No Publicity!

B thinks we're having a boy.

No publicity!

21 Weeks - Low Carb Recipe Round Up

It is a truth universally acknowledged (to steal a quote from Jane Austen) that your children will always find a way to make you look like a liar!

Baby's on the move

Last week I was bemoaning the fact that I had felt very little movement, but within an hour of publishing the post, baby no. 3 was jumping around like a lunatic. 

Typical! But reassuring. 

I saw my midwife this week. We discussed the letter I had received from the consultant, and she read my response as she hadn't received hers yet. She and her student midwife were quite shocked by the contents of the letter. 

I am yet to receive a reply from the consultant. If it takes too long, I'll be contacting Birthrights again for further advice. I'll keep you updated.

20 weeks - Just About Half Way

This hasn't been a pregnancy like my others.

Many of my symptoms have been different, feeling more like PMT than pregnancy. My wisdom teeth have been playing up; I've had headaches, and what feel like pre-menstrual cramps; and I've been grumpy.

Baby's movements are very faint, and very irregular. I've felt a bit disconcerted by this, as I feel sure that I was feeling more movements with the other two by this stage.

18 Weeks - Pressure

The last week began on a high as I had my first appointment with Mandy. It was so good to see her. I immediately felt at ease again. She gave me a huge hug and was so great with the girls.

We heard the baby's heartbeat.

She mentioned that Sharon hadn't put up much of a fight when she'd asked if she could take over my care. Apparently Sharon was terrified of me and my unwillingness to go to any consultant appointments! 

So, it's comforting to know I'm now being cared for by someone who has confidence in my ability to make decisions on my own care. 

17 Weeks - A Bit of a Surprise

That's me - flying high

Sometimes, every once in a while, God answers a prayer that you hadn't even thought to pray.

I got a text last week from my old midwife, Mandy. Totally out of the blue. She was doing relief work for my midwife, and had spotted my name in the notes, so she wanted to congratulate me. It was the most thoughtful message - Mandy even remembered B & M's names. I was really touched by her consideration.

But, that wasn't it. When I responded that I missed her, and that I had been disappointed to discover she'd moved surgeries, she asked if I wanted her to be my midwife again!

I absolutely jumped at the chance.

It wasn't something I had even considered a possibility, other than by discovering which surgery she was based at and swapping my GP. I really didn't want to do that - our GP is great.

But God heard the silent cries of my heart.


Seriously, I have been walking on air since we made the new arrangements. I didn't have any major issues with Sharon, but the opportunity to have a midwife I know, and who knows me, is not one to be sniffed at. It will feel good to be comfortable.

Along with that, it's been a fairly good fortnight. I'm exhausted, and I got 4 consultant appointments - and a rescheduled Diabetes Clinic appointment - through the post, but I'm pretty confident that my sickness has gone. Lots of phone calls to cancel appointments.

Baby is the size of a chipmunk. Cute.

My appetite seems to have disappeared somewhat, though my research says that can be common during second trimester, as the digestive system slows down. I don't remember this being an issue during my previous pregnancies. Not during the second trimester anyway.

I've started testing my blood sugars, and so far, so good. The aim is to keep them between 4 and 6mmol/L an hour after starting to eat a meal. And 7.8mmol/L is the absolute maximum, though I set my own maximum of 7mmol/L in both previous pregnancies, and will continue to follow that. However, as none of my readings are yet to reach 5.5mmol/L, I'm fairly confident.

Lots of salad!

I often find meal planning quite hard - and that has been the case when I'm not pregnant too - so I intend to keep a record of meals we've had and enjoyed, and I will write a post on these in the future. Inspiration can be hard to find, especially when you've got dietary requirements.

I'm hoping to start feeling the baby move soon. I felt B at just past 18 weeks, and M at 17+1.  I still feel doubtful that I'm as far along as the scan put me, so to feel movement this week would be reassuring. I had anterior placentas with the others, but no mention of that this time, which makes me think I should have felt the baby already. But, as we know, all pregnancies are different.

Weekly Statistics

Average blood sugar: 4.9mmol/L

Weight: -2lb



Catch Up: 15 Weeks
Next: 18 Weeks 

15 Weeks - Consultant Care by Proxy

A mixed week.

On the plus side, I'm starting to feel less sick. Waves of nausea, rather than feeling constantly nauseous. This has enabled me to finally eat more vegetables, as they no longer turn my stomach, so we've been enjoying some delicious salads. Brilliant for my blood sugars.

Baby's the size of an eclair now, which is ironic as I'm not allowed to eat them!

I think I've had some minimal breast growth, and I'm getting pains in my armpits, which could also be more breast tissue growing. I have no expectations of a full milk supply - that is highly unlikely - but I might make more than last time. I did make more with M than B, so that is a possibility.

Also, we've had our first offer of donor milk for the baby. I hadn't even started to think about getting a stash sorted yet, so this generous offer is wonderful. Now I can be sure that we will be able to supplement with breastmilk as soon as we need to.

However, it turns out that despite declining consultant care, it seems that I'm being consultant-led by proxy.

14 Weeks - Booking In & Dating Scan

I am never more aware of being fat than when I am pregnant.

A time that should be full of hope and excitement and joy can be reduced, in the blink of an eye, to one of fear and worry and stress, just because of a number written on a form. I have found, in both of my previous pregnancies, that as soon as my weight and BMI were taken and recorded on my maternity notes, I was subject to scaremongering, patronisation and poor medical practice. 

The standard practice in UK antenatal care is to place anyone with a high BMI under consultant led care. Weight in itself is considered to make a high risk pregnancy, regardless of maternal health. And from thereon in, the stress and interventions just pile up.

14 Weeks - Baby is the size of a Troll

During my first pregnancy I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, which, as a PCOS sufferer, should not have come as a surprise. Though, having been told by my doctor that as I had achieved pregnancy there was nothing that needed doing about my PCOS, it is no wonder that I was unaware of the other issues of the Syndrome apart from infertility. 

PCOS sufferers often have Insulin Resistance, and a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in later life. Insulin Resistance, when unrecognised and untreated, can lead to weight gain, which in turn can increase Insulin Resistance, and so on and so on. Much of what I have read has pointed to the fact that it is Insulin Resistance that causes obesity, and not vice versa. 

People don't get Diabetes because they are fat - they get fat because they are already headed towards Diabetes. And with Insulin Resistance comes a propensity for Gestational Diabetes, which is often considered a pointer towards future Type 2 Diabetes, and low milk supply. 

My GP should have known, and informed me, of the problems caused by PCOS. I should have been prepared. But considering it took them 15 years to diagnose me, again I shouldn't be surprised.

13 Weeks - Some News

We had our dating scan this week, so we're finally at the happily public stage of pregnancy. Baby 3 is due in October, despite the Hubby's Nan's admonition not to have any more October birthdays!

Artist's Representation of Me!

We found out I was pregnant in mid-February, amid a bit of a stressful time. A flash of joy to focus on.