Hi everyone
I tried to post a few weeks ago but it was too complicated for me so I gave up :-). I'm second trimester now and think I've cracked it so I must be 'flourishing'!
I'm expecting a (very big surprise) baby (which is called Spud at the moment because I can only eat potato) on 16th March so 14 weeks, with a huge bump (probably mostly full of potatoes) already that is only possible to hide from the very unobservant. Luckily I mostly work with blokes so most of them probably won't cotton on till February. I was in the middle of having treatment for abnormal cervical cells when I found out which was part of the reason for surprise and probably wasn't ideal but Spud seems to be tough and has hung on in there so far. My last biopsy came back clear just before I hit ten weeks which was amazing. We're prepared not to be lucky as incomplete cervix has increased risks and we had a late miscarriage for no obvious reason last time before I'd had any cervical issues (5 years ago) but all seems ok at moment and I'm now more pregnant than last time which feels like a milestone.
I didn't have a car when my first ones were little and we lived in London but I still found the car seat we got ended up really well used with lifts/taxis etc. I got a lift or taxi home from hospital and was glad for it, but either me or baby ended up a bit worse for wear each time, maybe I'd have been brave enough for a bus if labours had been straightforward. I did walk 2 miles to hospital with one labour in proper snow storm so I'm not usually wimpy about walking/public transport.
I'm nesting too...there isn't much that hasn't been painted in the last few weeks. Nesting and knitting and eating potato. So far not too much paint or potato on the knitting.
We've got a scan booked to find out gender so all the kids can be there too (not sure the NHS would appreciate all mine squeezing into for the 20 week). I always really miss them when I'm in labour which sounds daft but I always wish they could be next door ready to meet baby when it arrives. Being at the scan where we find out gender feels like a nice something instead. But I can see how exciting it must be to find out at the end too! We have more boys than girls here but I'm not fussed either way just excited to know (from the last scan I've decided either another boy or a girl with the face of a middle age bloke). Will also potentially broaden my knitting portfolio (some dresses to go with the millions of jumpers I've polished off so far, OH has banned me from any more jumpers so I'm on socks now)
BTW my 16 week is with consultant - think who you see and when depends where you are (the old post code lottery) and how 'high risk' you are.
On third labours...my third was my longest (60 hours but fortunately we quite like him so he was worth it). My second had been half length of first so I was not prepared for a long one. My OH is worried leaving it late to go to hospital this time in case it is quick, because it can be an hour to the hospital from ours, but I hate being in the bloody hospital (after my booking appointment OH told me I'd told the midwife three times that I just wanted to be left on my own in quiet and dark to labour...I've decided he can't be trusted to count reliably) so we have a plan to drive to a hotel next door to hospital when labour starts so we are near and he can relax. Then if it's quick or long we're prepared either way. I'm practicing my 'I'm not in labour honest' face for when we check in.
Thinking of everyone who has lost a little one they were expecting. Lots of us on here
remembering with you.