Preggo Updates – 24 Weeks

Posted in Pregnancy and Baby.

Another week, another pregnancy update! I don’t have a huge amount to talk about at the moment – there’s lots going on inside but nothing I can really see or feel, so for me it seems like not much is different!

24 weeks pregnant blog updateJeans, Topshop | T-shirt, H&M | Cardigan, Madewell | Trainers, Adidas Stan Smiths | Bag, Kanken | Necklace, Gem Smith

My bump has had another growth spurt and is turning into a fine specimen. I love wearing fitted dresses and tops to show it off – it’s just so round and full! Jeans are getting a bit uncomfortable though – even maternity jeans with their jersey waistbands are no match for a stretchy cotton dress. So free, so easy!

Baby A has been kicking loads this week – on Thursday night she was really putting her back into it, so much so that I was a bit like ‘ok, ow’. But then she rolled over, and her kicks and punches became so much softer… it freaked me out enough to call the maternity assessment unit, who told me to come in for a quick check up. The midwives were so, so reassuring and friendly – not once did I feel silly for worrying, in fact they told me to come back whenever I needed, even if it was multiple times a day. Baby A was totally fine, of course, but it was so good to hear her heartbeat and know for sure.

I think it’s really tricky to know what’s normal and what’s a potential problem at this stage – babies are still so tiny compared to the size of your womb, so if they shift around from the edge to the middle you can’t feel them as much any more. The midwife told me there’s no real pattern of movement until 30 weeks, so it’s often hard to interpret what’s ‘normal’ for your baby. I’m trying to tune into my instincts on this, and pick up her patterns when I can. And it’s great to know reassurance is just a quick 10 minute drive away.

Next week we’re heading to Copenhagen for a mini-break and I am SO excited – after a super busy week, I can’t wait to wander the streets, eat good food and Instagram my way through a new city. I’ll be back with all the updates next week!

Preggo Updates – 23 Weeks

Posted in Pregnancy and Baby.

Happy 23 Weeks Pregnant to me! Can you tell it’s getting harder to think of new ways to introduce these posts that aren’t just ‘I am 23 weeks pregnant now’?

uk pregnancy blog

Baby vest, eBay | Hanging planter, RAD Studio (similar)

23 weeks has been great for baby wriggles and bump growth, but not so great for under-eye circles and my immune system. Basically, I’ve been poorly. I caught one of those ‘summer colds’ people talk about – something I’d never get normally, because I have an iron-clad immune system. But apparently I’m more susceptible to such things while growing a baby, and for the past few days I’ve been consumed with the classic runny nose/sore throat/hacking cough combo. Delightful.

Being ill during your first pregnancy is fine really, because you’re just looking after yourself and you can lie on the sofa whimpering softly while your partner brings you hot water with honey and two GU pots. But it really made me think about how tough it must be to be ill when you have children, and how it must be even tougher to be ill when you have children AND you’re pregnant. It’s the first time I’ve really thought about how different life will be come November, and how I really need to work on being less selfish. One for next week, maybe.

body con leopard print maternity dress

Dress, ASOS | Trainers, Adidas Stan Smiths | Bag, Michael Kors | Jacket, Primark | Sunglasses, CélineNecklace, H&M

The main excitement for 23 weeks was the return of my nesting instinct, which made its first early appearance a few weeks ago and is now back and looking for action. Last weekend we hired a carpet cleaner and spent far too much money on Farrow & Ball paint in an attempt to start tackling the nursery – so far we’ve got a clean carpet and one coat of paint on the walls, so progress is definitely being made!

I’m planning on an entire re-do of the house before Baby Allison makes her appearance – we’re having a new kitchen fitted along with new carpets downstairs and I’m hoping to repaint our bedroom, too. I also want to do a carboot sale to cleanse me of all my useless clutter (will be following Hannah’s top tips for this) and generally just welcome our baby into a house that’s organised and serene. Like the calm before the storm (the storm being a newborn baby, obvs) if you will. 

A final update from 23 weeks – I’ve started shopping with wild abandon. This week I’ve bought the Snuzpod, the Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat and 2Way base, a GroEgg, Ewan the Dream Sheep and what appears to be a mountain of sleepsuits. If you have any ‘couldn’t live without it/saved my sanity/stopped my baby from hating life’ recommendations, leave ’em in the comments while my debit card’s still hot. 

PS – Happy Yorkshire Day!

Preggo Updates – 22 Weeks

Posted in Pregnancy and Baby.

22 weeks in and pregnancy is now flying by. Compared to weeks 12-20 where nothing much seemed to happen, it’s all been going on these last few days.

ASOS maternity dress

Dress, ASOS | Sandals, old (similar) | Sunglasses, Céline

I now have a proper, protruding bump and a pretty wriggly baby to go with it. I’m starting to notice a vague pattern of movement – Baby A shakes her thing mostly after food (just like her mum, lol) so her most active times are mid-morning, mid-afternoon and about 9pm. Early this week her kicks were really strong but either she’s shuffled away from the ‘edge’ of my belly or she’s tired from her current growth spurt, because they’ve calmed down a little bit now.

The whole pattern of movement thing freaks me out slightly so I’m trying not to over-analyse it, because it’s still pretty early days for a properly defined pattern and all sorts of things can change a baby’s movement – from shuffling further back to just having a quiet day. I think as long as I still feel her regularly I can trust my instincts that it’s all happy days in there.

In other news, my bump is growing every day and dressing it is both a joy and a pain in my ass. I love having a visible bump and I much prefer to show it off in fitted clothing, but the temperature this week has me reaching for loose, flowy pieces in light cotton. If summer continues in this manner I’ll have to save my body con dresses for my last month, when we’re all basking in November’s wintry climate.

summer maternity clothing

Dress, & Other Stories (similar) | Trainers, Converse | Sunglasses, Céline

Week 22 has been kind to me. I’m full of energy, my back pain is all but gone and I can see and feel Baby A getting bigger every day. Sure, my skin still sucks, my hair hasn’t been transformed into bouncy natural waves as promised and November is still ages away when you really want to eat some goat’s cheese, but overall I think we’re doing pretty good. Only six weeks till the third trimester – told you it was going fast!

 

Preggo Updates – 21 Weeks

Posted in Pregnancy and Baby.

Oh man, I am tired today.

maternity wedding guest dressDress, ASOS | Heels, ASOS (similar) | Earrings, H&M

Yesterday I went to a wedding. It was a full day affair – from my early morning hair appointment (plus a mad dash around the Mothercare sale) to the removal of the heels at approximately 9pm to finally crawling into bed at 12.30am. It was such a lovely day at Stubton Hall in Newark and I didn’t feel particularly tired yesterday, but it has hit me hard today. I am tired. My feet hurt. My back aches. I have killer heartburn. But hey, at least I’m not hungover!

stubton hall wedding venue
english country wedding venue
traditional wedding venue uk

The wedding was so beautiful, with endless blooms of fresh white flowers and plenty of food (plus a vintage-style ice cream cart!) to keep me going. Rob and I had such a great time, but the day served as another reminder that being pregnant is different from being not-pregnant, and 5in heels are probably not advisable. 

uk pregnancy blog

I wore an ASOS maternity dress which I was delighted to find after searching everywhere for a dress that wasn’t lacy/frumpy/covered in ribbon. The ill-advised (but oh-so pretty) shoes are also from ASOS, and the earrings were a last-minute H&M sale buy. I really, really loved my outfit – it felt like something I would wear pre-pregnancy, which I’m finding is an important part of maternity shopping. I really hate a lot of maternity clothing and have found myself limited to simple basics, but this combination felt super stylish and totally me. 

maternity style blog uk

Other than wedding-related tiredness, 21 weeks has been pretty awesome. Rob felt his first kicks the other day, my belly has properly popped out and Baby Allison is now the size of a cantaloupe. I’ve had much more energy day to day and my sciatica is practically gone, so I’m looking forward to lots of long (Pokémon Go fuelled) walks in preparation for my trip to Copenhagen in a few weeks. 

And now to fall into a vat of mac and cheese and watch Gilmore Girls all night. Roll on 22 weeks!

Preggo Updates – 20 Weeks

Posted in Pregnancy and Baby.

HALFWAY THERE – OH YEAH!

20 weeks has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, tbh. We had our scan on Wednesday which was amazing – Baby Allison is developing perfectly, everything is looking as it should and she’s now the size of a mango. I’m feeling her movements more and more and feel really ‘connected’ to her… I can envisage her as part of our lives now and it’s so, so exciting.

maternity style blogger

Top, H&M | Jeans, New Look | Trainers, Nike | Necklace, H&M | Sunglasses, Celine

So the highs are glorious… but there are lows, too. My emotions are all over the place, particularly when it comes to decision-making. I had an epic breakdown earlier today when we realised Ikea don’t do breakfast on Sundays… I just couldn’t grasp the thought of eating anywhere else (why?! Ikea breakfasts aren’t even that nice!) and I was so angry that my well-laid plan had fallen through. I cried all the way home and sobbed into Rob’s shoulder for 20 minutes, then I was over it and was happy to eat wherever. Suddenly plunging into despair is really unlike me and it feels pretty alarming, so I keep having to remind myself about hormones and growing an extra brain and all that stuff. As much as I’m trying to live exactly as I did pre-pregnancy I know I need to make allowances and be kind to myself, because emotionally (and physically, but that’s easier for me to deal with) I’m not the same as before and this massive thing that’s happening is bound to change me a little bit.

So! 20 weeks has been a bit of a weird one, but 21 weeks is just around the corner and it all keeps moving forward. Next weekend I’m going to a wedding which I’m really looking forward to – I’ve got an on-point outfit and I can’t wait to feel a bit dressed up. And now we’ve got the all-clear from the scan, we can start buying things for the nursery (which I am STOKED to get started on) and important stuff like the pram… and we’re getting a new kitchen installed so I’m going wild on Pinterest planning everything down to the smallest detail. Hooray for nesting!