Fed up. A week to go....

I want my body back.
I want my boobs back.
I want to be able to put my own knickers on without falling over.
I want the metallic taste in my mouth to disappear.
Most of all I want to meet my son.

I don't know what I hate more the feeling my ribcage is being pulled apart
or the fact its much harder to breathe.

Seven days have never felt so much like an eternity before...

A 'Mothery' Moan...

Today I picked up my Mum-to-be essential pack from Bounty. I wasn't too happy with its contents.

The items that are 'for Mum' all had connotations which I thought were a bit off... The pack came with nipple pads... okay, they will come in useful... laundry tablets, I suppose there will be a lot of dirty clothes... Hmm... a can of diet coke with a voucher exclusively for another diet coke. Then pow! -a pamphlet on life insurance!? So, the general consensus is that when I have my little one I will turn into a leaky, fat, housemaid who should start planning their death... Charming!

I was hoping for some samples of baby lotion, advice on healthy eating, happier sort of stuff, the odd promotion-rubbish, but generally I hoped things like this would be a celebration of mum finally meeting baby. There was a pack within the pack for the baby which came from Pampers which will come in useful, wipes and newborn nappies, that sort of thing... But still, it's called a 'Mum-to-be' pack.

The reason to why I am writing this up on here, is that I usually find that pregnant women do have things mentioned and said to them in passing which wouldn't when not pregnant, it would be seen as rude and unseemly. Not to mention these packs are handed out within NHS hospitals (also Sainsburys and Boots). We should be encouraging women to relax with their bodyshape during this time, altered or not. We should be encouraging women to apply a new routine with their child which does not include just cleaning and weight loss. Also, what about the men? The men could benefit from nappy rash cream too! - they will have to learn at some point so why are these packs and vouchers pushed out to the women.

This slightly relates to why I started this blog in the first place, as I read pregnancy magazines I found them more and more pushy. When writing up my baby shopping lists I found it difficult to differentiate between things I needed and things that they told me I needed. As a first time Mum how can I ever be sure? With these messages how can I feel relaxed or prepared? My answer; stop reading those magazines and talk to women who have done it, speak to anyone in the hospital who will listen or seems enthusiastic about babies (this is not at all difficult to find on an antenatal ward!).

Pregnancy magazines/documentaries/stories usually centre around two things shock and/or aspirational living: 'Look at this poor woman!' or 'Look at this rich woman living it up!'. I would like to see some articles becoming somewhat more humble. I recently saw a documentary on (BBC3 of all places) called 'Cherry is having a baby', it was patronising and a bit rubbish but it interviewed all different types of women from different backgrounds and it made for an interesting narrative. The women who had more in the way of money/career had massive concerns over their body image and changes of lifestyle, whereas younger parents/single mums would remain headstrong and would be very much open to the idea of change. There is a dialogue to be had that would be more interesting to have amongst new mothers and fathers. New found parenthood is tough on everyone, let's not make it worse by singling out women who are already vulnerable to commercial ads.

In any case, I am going off on one. With this I will finish.

27 weeks! Update!

I am 27 weeks! Not long to go now, this feels all the more real considering David Cameron had his baba today, me and his wife fell pregnant around the same time, so it is a little scary! - Horrifying Torie babies aside I shall update you on the pregnancy niggle front: the 'morning' sickness has pretty gone just gone, or has actually been left to just the morning, thank goodness. I now waddle rather than walk, and I eat all of the time.
Cravings are kicking in now, albeit them ever changing ones. The longest cravings I have had have been Spaghetti hoops and Aeros, not together, I don't really have any exciting stories on that front really. I usualy just prefer really starchy foods like potatos and bananas and insanely fruity drinks. Nothing really exciting like coal i'm afraid - unlike my friend who had a severe craving for bubble bath foam!
Regarding the hoops and chocolate, not sure what defiency that could be highlighting, if any... maybe its that I don't eat enough junk food and my baby is giving me a helping hand.
CHANCE WOULD BE A FINE THING.

I had a scan last week where they told me I had a lot of placenta, meaning baby is getting a big ol' connection to my blood supply, this has been said in the same fortnight where had had t come in and out of hospital for collapsing. It isn't regular pregnancy fainting spells, either, I lose my vision, get a fever and pass out followed by violently throwing up - We have been in and out of different health services trying to find out the answers but thus far Doctors seem to think I have bad anaemia brought on or exasperpated by the pregnancy. M blood levels were low at the start but it goes to show its got to the point where baby is literally sucking ALL OF MY blood. Cheeky bugger! Thankfully though, everything is fine on the baby front, all tests on the baby have come back more than positive and he is kicking me now, more than ever. [Sigh]

We have had it also confirmed I am in fact having a boy! - something I always had a feeling I would, but now I can stop panicking about all those baby boy clothes and toys impulsivly purchased.
This news has brought on slight anxieties though, I am worried about raising a boy, I know where I am with a girl, but what if my little boy turns into a macho woman hating man, or worse, ANOTHER GAMER? (like his Father) - I don't think I can take another nerd in the house!
How do I keep the balance between keeping an open mind and remaining vigilant with my own views? I am probably getting really ahead of myself, these things, they have a habit of just buzzing around my head at night. It's all just a part of a bigger problem, that I am getting nervous about actually becoming 'a Mother', being responsible for a person and as well as a unit, being a role model, and entertaining another little soul's imagnation till he becomes an independent person...

BUT I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE YET. ARG.

On Sunday I have my baby shower, we are having a Mexican theme, as one of my many cravings have been burritos, this hits two nasty birds with one stone, this way the men can make ridiculously hotwraps and smoke cuban cigars whilst the women get on talking about the horrors of childbirth. Hooray.

Here comes the fun bit - Nursery inspo!

Baby hamock.

The bednest

A 50's space age stroller.

Vitaminer Ikea curtains.

Eames rocker chair.

Sorry to those who have seen this post before, I accidentally deleted it and have got round to salvaging it. Those on Google reader will not be impressed!

Introduction

My name is April and at this point I am 7.5 weeks pregnant.
I wanted to make a blog documenting the process (if not just for my own amusement) I want to have a place where I can bring all my research together, I hope to cut through all of the information given to pregnant women and caring partners bring just the facts ma'am, whilst hopefully and simultaneously discovering and highlighting tips on the way!

I am 22 years old, me partner (Richard, 24) have never had a child, we live in Manchester, United Kingdom. Neither of us are in full-time work as I am an Art student in my final year and Richard is currently between two courses.

For obvious reasons we are worried about what's lies ahead. Money woes, loss of a social life, discomfort, and then even the idea of bringing in our own little life; we worry about our own abilities of becoming parents whilst hoping to maintain a high quality of life for our new arrival.

Are all these horror stories about labour true? - Is it merely over exaggerated secondary source material that makes women like myself fearful...Probably not, eh ladies? But here's hoping that's the case!

I hope to find out more about each anxiety that pregnancy brings and offer the facts ma'am. Or rather, my interpretation of them.

I hope you enjoy, April (and Richard)