Pregnancy musings: week 23

[juliet]

Officially, I'm at 24 weeks today, which is the point of theoretical viability (i.e. if I went into labour today, they'd try to save the baby. Without very good odds, I might add). By my dates, actual theoretical-viability is next week, but it's still a slightly odd moment. (It also means that I'm now past the legal abortion limit.)

The 20 week scan went fine; all measurements still fitting within the relevant population curves, all organs limbs digits etc apparently present & correct & doing what they ought. I cast on for the baby blanket I'm knitting whilst in the waiting room (it's going surprisingly fast right now but previous experience suggests that it will slow down again & I'll be knitting frantically come the start of February).

I'm feeling him move much more often and much more vigorously now -- yesterday could actually see my stomach hopping up and down a bit. Being kicked in the cervix from inside is a particularly bizarre experience.

I'm also looking more pregnant, although only when wearing tight-ish clothes (it doesn't show under a loose T-shirt or jumper). Even then it's not "definitely pregnancy" but more just "looking bigger"; I seem to be growing more upwards than outwards. I can still get into most of my trousers, but really do need the button-on-elastic expandy thing now.

I'm also noticing the effect on my joints more. I had problems with my right sacro-ilial joint last week, and went along to the osteopath, who gently suggested that perhaps building raised beds at the weekend (thus doing quite a bit of sawing) wasn't the best thing for my back right now. I am Unimpressed with this. More generally I'm starting to get lower back achiness, I presume related to the increased weight & related difficulty with keeping my back straight. And yesterday I seem to have pulled two muscles doing basically bugger all. (more DIY, but nothing strenuous!)

On the other hand, I'm still cycling & climbing, although I get tired quicker, and I've mostly stopped having daytime naps as long as I get around 8 hours sleep a night. So in general I guess all is going as smoothly as might be expected. (I can eat sugar again, too, albeit only in limited quantities; it still makes me tired but it's an overstated version of my usual response to sugar, rather than it making me sick.)

It's odd: I feel that everything's going smoothly at this point, and it's not having too big of an impact on my daily life (although certain physical things are harder work), but I wouldn't say that I like being pregnant, as some women do. Nor do I particularly dislike it. It's interesting, certainly, but mostly it's just a thing that is happening.

We have acquired a certain amount of baby stuff (some clothes, newborn-sized cloth nappies, some other useful bits & bobs, including all angelmine's unused cotton-wool!) second-hand on Freecycle/ebay/etc, which seems absurdly organised for this stage of affairs but mostly I think is about some kind of displacement activity. (I have a list! If I have all the things on the list, then I am ready! That is how it works, right?) Mostly I am currently interested in the Christiania cargo trike that we're intending to get to cart the kid around in. You can put a car seat in it & use it from day one! This is clearly awesome! Child as excuse for application of n+1 bike theory! Must clear out the garage some more.

Nine months is a very long time. I have a lot to get done before March, for sure, but still. It is a long time.

Comments

[pauamma]

Yay good news!

(BTW, I think DW doesn't like the mixed quotes in href='http://bikenoob.com/2010/08/31/n-1/".)

[juliet]

fixed, thanks for letting me know!

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love my Bakfiets, and it's the thing that's keeping me coping. We plan to fit the baby seat after Christmas.

[juliet]

Glad to hear positive experience from someone else! I am pretty sure that it's the best bet for us for a variety of reasons, but it's a lot of money to put down in one go... We did consider a Bakfiets but in the end I concluded that I'd prefer a trike as I'm not sure how well my knee/hip would get on with having to support a two-wheeler when stopped at lights & so on. (At my best it would be a bit hit & miss, and I gather that for a few months post-birth my joints are likely to still be a bit loose. Am having to be quite careful already.) all of that is still true but I just looked at your journal & your Bakfiet is a trike too! The ones I saw were all two-wheelers. Anyway, Velorution sell Christianias so will stick with that :)

NEW BIKE. yay.

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was about to write a variety of irrelevant things because our local shop only sells the next model down Christiana, which was what I expected to want before trying the cargo trike...

[juliet]

I'd love it, if it's going spare! Thank you v much.

[juliet]

it shouldn't be, but I see no sign of anything. Try juliet.kemp at gmail.com ?

[jvvw.livejournal.com]

If you haven't discovered them yet, NCT Nearly New Sales are an excellent source of second hand baby stuff. They can be a bit of a scrum but if you either volunteer to help at the sale for a few hours or are an NCT member you can get in early.

(We've also got plenty of things you'd be welcome to if there's anything you'd like, but not sure what you are after - drop me an e-mail if you might be interested. I'm going to be in roughly your part of London at the start of December for a couple of days).

[juliet]

Unfortunately the only one anywhere near me in the next 6 months is this weekend & I'm away -- but will keep an eye out for the spring, I guess! Am not an NCT member at the moment but likely will become one at some point, although my local group doesn't seem particularly active. (There's a bumps & babies thing in Greenwich, though, which with the NEW BIKE will be perfectly accessible.)

about to email :)

[jvvw.livejournal.com]

You don't actually have to join to go along to the groups. The NCT varies a lot from area to area depending on the people involved. I think Helen used to go to the Greenwich group. Main reasons for joining I guess are to get the publications if you think they are worthwhile, get into the sales early and to support what the NCT does generally. I renewed our membership but more because it would have felt embarrassing to be on our branch committee and not be a member than for any other reason!

[half-of-monty.livejournal.com]

Meandering past on now-rare lj visit. Congratulations! etc.

[titaniccapybara.livejournal.com]

Lovely to hear an update. Glad all going well. See you soon hopefully...

N.B. 9 months is not a long time. it is a ridiculously short time. When it is over, you will consider this post to have been written approximately 2 weeks ago.