The stuff nighmares are made of...

I was shocked to read that a Russian woman has given birth to a 7.75kg baby - that's 17.5lbs and more than double the average newborn weight! I thought perhaps I'd misread the headline and it should have read Russian woman gives birth to toddler. This is the type of story that makes us expectant mums very nervous...

Read the whole story here.

TMI?

There are days when questions regarding my pregnancy are met with annoyance and a curt response, especially when those questions come from strangers. There are other days, however, when I can’t stop burbling. Makes me wonder, how much information is too much? What do people actually want to know and what am I forcing upon them when I’m in my “receptive” mood?
Today has been a day of burbles. I’m in a familiar environment with a familiar group of clients and I seem to be talking an awful lot about myself. And my bump. I think the type of information I give is relatively innocuous and certainly not TMI in the sense that I’m not talking bowel movements or discharge. But really, is the type of information I’m disseminating interesting? Due date, gender, agreement that my feet are a bit swollen and I’ve broken out my jandals on non-working days, minor complaints about the physical aspect of my job, the fact that my maternity leave starts on Friday… Blah, blah, blah.
I was looking at yesterday’s newspaper today while eating lunch and I saw in the “Sideswipe” column, a reader submitted blurb about parents over-indulging their desires to talk about their offspring. Apparently this man had been stuck on a long international flight beside a new mother and heard all sorts of interesting tid-bits about whether baby slept the night, how many diapers they went through in a day, how much the bub was eating, when the first smile was, etc, etc. I thought to myself, “Poor man, nowhere to escape on an airplane” and then began wondering if I’ve started to morph into the woman sitting next to him.
If you end up sharing space with me before or after I give birth and I can’t find a more interesting topic than the impending arrival of my child or what it’s been like since she’s arrived, go ahead and tell me if you’re bored with it. I won’t be offended…I promise. Well, I’ll try not to be offended. It would be good if you managed to let me know how interesting other things I may have to talk about are though…

"It's the Pits", or "Cankle Chronicles"

I was reading a post on ONTD the other day which featured some photos of one of the many currently pregnant celebs. As I scrolled down to the comments on the post, I noticed one poster sympathizing with just how swollen the poor girls feet were. Then I looked at my own (they were propped up at the time so I could see them). This celeb's feet and ankles were perfectly thin and lovely compared to my own.
I'm currently suffering from constant swelling in my feet and ankles. It goes down after I put my feet up for about an hour, but never fully away. Not even after a whole night in bed. The other night I noticed the colour of my poor feet looking a bit purple - yuck. Then I pressed in on the swelling and the indentation of my finger stayed there. Pitting Edema. As a nurse, something I never thought I would have. Pitting edema is for elderly ladies with heart failure, poor circulation, kidney problems. Of course, it happens to preggos too, but I guess I assumed I'd be one of the lucky ones kicking up my heels in...well, heels. I've been wearing flat shoes for ages now, any mostly ballet style ones at that since many of my laceups and other covered shoes and boots have been a bit uncomfortable. The last time I attempted to put on a pair of heels was 1 Aug when we were going out to the Specials show - they lasted 2 minutes.
So, another thing to chalk up to my list of pregnancy complaints and discuss with the midwife on my next appointment. So long as my BP and protein tests stay normal I guess there's not a huge issue with having huge ankles...except cosmetically, of course.

Bunny Bump

Hubs and I have chosen a name for our little girl, but we're not advertising. If it was up to Miss Almost 3, her name would be Suzie (Siouxsie, perhaps?) or Charger but I don't think those pass muster.

The ever-cute Kendra, of Girls of the Playboy Mansion fame, is expecting as well. She's due on Christmas Day - about 11 weeks after me. That makes her about 21 weeks at the moment. She's recently found out that she and her football player husband, Hank Baskett, are having a boy. What are they naming him? Hank Baskett IV, of course.

Here are a couple pics of Kendra and her hubs as she shows off her new bump.

If you want to keep up with Kendra's development, you can follow her blog, her facebook page, or her twitter!

The Third Trimester

So, baby is getting close and I should be getting excited, right?
I am in the 2nd week of my third trimester and baby is 11 weeks away. In terms of normal every day stuff, 11 weeks seems like ages. In terms of the reality of having a baby here 24/7 it seems like an impossibly short amount of time.
I wake up from dreams of being an inadequate mother and still would rather lounge on the couch than set up a baby room. I get jealous when I run into people doing the things I wish I was doing - like riding a scooter along the water and then going for coffee, or having a glass of wine. I feel nothing but selfish when I allow someone to do something nice for me (like the other day when my MIL took me out shopping and I came home with a multitude of tops and even a pair of shoes).
Hormones are raging and I'm very moody and not toddler friendly. It seems to me that almost 3 year olds should be able to act in the ways they are asked and be lovely creatures at all times. I know, in reality, it's a big ask for an almost 3 year old to sit quietly or play only with their toys and not various household items they may prefer but honestly...
Week 29 is characterized by edema (swelling), moodiness, and the need to nest. I'm there, almost. At least baby is doing well - supposedly 15 inches and 3lbs - and would be 90% viable if she were to come early.

The Pregnant Pin-Up

Some time ago, I posted about my friend Shayna Kerrie of Shayna Kerrie Photography who has done some great pregnancy and newborn photography. As I get bigger, I have days where I hate my body but other days when I marvel at the amazing shape and proportions. I'm about 80% certain I'd like to get some professional photos done while I'm pregnant, but I don't think the style that Shayna favors (and it seems similar to most of the local photography websites I've found featuring a pregnancy gallery).
Instead, I'd like to have a bit of fun with the whole thing. I'm into retro and pin up art and think it would be great to do some photos styled in a 1940's Vargas girl theme. I've found a local photographer who specializes in pin-up photo shoots including hair, make up, and wardrobe called Miss T Pin-ups. Their gallery looks good, but I'm hesitant about the $470 price tag for the package I think would suite me.
I've been mulling this idea over for a while but haven't been able to decide if I thought it would "work" to have a pregnant pin-up girl. Today, I did a bit of searching and came across some great images...

I'm enjoying the lingerie and parasol in this one.

A cool illustrated Pregnant Pin-up.

A very cute classic pin-up pose.

Food, Glorious Food

Hello, my name is Angelle, I'm 6 months pregnant, and I'm addicted to food.

I suppose being obsessed by food is normal for a woman when she is six months pregnant but I am starting to wonder about myself. I've always loved food but am not sure I've ever been so food-centric. I get asked if I have cravings and I answer honestly, "no, no particular cravings." I just crave food, in all it's forms. I spend my time tweeting about what I'm eating, looking up photos of beautiful foods, and researching recipes.

Recently Raspberries featured quite heavily in a dream...


Savory and sweet ethnic foods including Mexican, Indian and Asian have been on the radar.


We went to a craft fair recently, and my favorite purchase was a cupcake...and a cross stitch pattern featuring a CUPCAKE.


Even foods like this cous cous salad get me salivating and thinking about the perfect accompaniments.

My favorite websites at the moment are:
Smitten Kitchen
AllRecipes.com
Jamie Oliver's Official Website
Martha Stewart's Food Section

Products for Preggies that bring on the LoLs

Ages ago (okay a few months ago), I was complaining about belly bands and my pants falling down. No one came to me and told me there were garter belts that would keep my pants up. When I saw them today, I burst out giggling. Would I actually attach suspenders to my bra to help keep my pants up? They seem really funny but at the same time, useful. Hmm... If you're interested, you can find Belly Ups here.


So I suppose I'm at the stage when people are going to start touching my bump. I'm not sure how I feel about that. When I teach classes now, to avoid being bombarded with questions about the bump during breaks, I've begun to add small details about the bump in my introduction (it's a girl, due Oct). The bump is certainly quite big now and there are times when you can't just feel the movement but see this little monster kicking me. These temporary tattoos are a good novelty item if you're into exposing your belly. These tell people where they can touch, what the sex is, or on a bad day tell them to get lost. If you want them, you can get them at Perpetual Kid.

23 Weeks

At 23 weeks, I have dull hair, carpal tunnel syndrome along with swelling in my hands and feet, occasional bleeding noses, and the attention span of a fruit fly. Overall, I feel fine and can't complain too much; I did sign up for this after all.
The other day, I was reading a synopsis of what is happening when you're 23 weeks here. Yes, I am starting to feel better about my body - looking pregnant is preferable to looking fat. No, I'm not having back pain or sciatica. Good news! Apparently, baby is about a foot long (30cm) and weighs about 1 lb (just 440g) which gets me wondering how I've gained so much but that's another train of thought all together. Over the next few weeks, baby is working on developing her lungs, practicing breathing (sucking in amniotic fluid), and gaining fat. The article recommends cherishing your sleep ins - I'm so there - and looking for options for baby's sleeping arrangements (done and dusted).
So here I am continuing to plod along. I've managed to pick up some more day to day clothing and find some things in my wardrobe I'd forgotten about. I even purchased a new wool jacket for the winter - a wonderful fit in the shoulders and arms and plenty of room to grow in it (it's a swing style jacket from the label Bahaus which is sold in Jet stores in New Zealand). I might start using some sort of shine enhancing product in my hair and go see the physio for wrist braces to wear at night to help with the carpal tunnel. Next midwife appointment at the end of the month to ensure things are going as well as they seem and hopefully a couple dates with hubby over the next few weeks also.

Bundeling the Bump

It's June and it's COLD. Despite the lovely blue sky and shining sun over the first days of June I have been able to recognize winter is here. Each morning this month there has been a layer of frost on my car requiring a good scrape or for the car to run 10 minutes to defrost it.
I grew up in Canada and am so used to heading into summer around this time of year. This will be my 3rd winter here in New Zealand and although I know and understand summer can't last all year, I still subconsciously expect nice weather in June.
I have said before that I'm finding dressing during pregnancy a challenge. The the colder weather, one of the biggest challenges I'm finding is keeping warm enough! I have a long wollen coat that I've worn in years past that has always been a bit roomy...unfortunately, only the top 3 buttons do up at the moment and it's a wee bit drafty.
I thought finding a maternity coat would probably be like looking for any other maternity clothes - lots of them out there without many suiting my style or budget. What I've found, however, is a distinct lack of cold-weather coats for those of us "in bloom" at the moment. Many of the coats I see in maternity shops are not lined or they are cropped-sleeve jackets (which I love the look of, but can't rely on to stay warm).
Why don't I just buy a larger sized regular coat a friend asked me. The thing is if you buy a winter coat several sizes too large, it may be too long and look frumpy; also, the sleeves may be too long and the shoulders probably won't sit in the right spot. Right now I'm looking at cape and swing style regular coats to get the right fit in the shoulders and arms with a free size around the belly.
Online, I've found several reasonably priced options in America but once shipping is added (sometimes as much as doubling the cost of the item) and the exchange rate calculated, all illusion is shattered and I'm spending as much as $500 for a coat. If you're in America, however, A Pea in the Pod seems to be a great source for a range of maternity and they have a lot of sales on currently.

It's a Girl

So we were lucky enough to have baby in a good position for our ultrasound on Tuesday and to find out that baby definitely looks like a girl. Grand-daughter #8 for the Lockie's!

Although a boy would have been a welcome change, we are very excited for another girl. Shopping for baby thing is so much better when you know the gender of the baby. I've already been and bought several pink things I'd been eying but putting off until we knew the sex of the baby.

What if baby wasn't in a good position for the ultrasound? Well, there's all those old wives tales I mentioned in the last post but unfortunately they are not very accurate (about 80% of those were saying we were having a boy). Just today I found an interesting product called IntelliGender which uses a urine sample to predict the sex of your baby.
I thought it was pretty cool and looked at the website http://www.boyorgirl.com.au/ to find out more. According to the website, this test is 90% accurate and works by testing levels of certain hormones produced when mum depending on if babe is a boy or girl. Sounds pretty good so far. Unfortunately, the price tag seemed a bit silly to me $95 Australian dollars plus shipping (or I could purchase it locally for $139 NZD). Perhaps my thinking about the price would be different if I was one of the 25% of of people whose baby was not in a good position to see the gender on the 20 week scan...

Gender Bender

So, what'll it be? Boy or Girl? Girl or Boy?
Some parents wait until their due date to find out but I am that kind of really curious person who would peek at Christmas presents if I thought I wouldn't get caught!
Today is the day of our 20 week scan. Both my husband and I are hoping to find out the sex of our baby. Not that it matters mind you... I suppose we're hoping for a boy but only because of all the girls born in the family already (7 girls and no boys in the youngest generation so far).
There are a number of less scientific methods of predicting the sex of your baby. Are you hairy? It's a boy! Is the bump low? It's a boy! Is the bump high and visible from the back? It's a girl! Does your wedding ring swing like a pendulum over your stomach when suspended from a strand of your hair? It's a boy. Does your wedding ring move in a circle over your stomach when suspended from a strand of your hair? It's a girl. Is the fetal heart rate over 140? It's a girl. Do you crave cheese and meat? Boy. Do you crave sweets? Girl. Is your right breast bigger than your left? Boy! There are also various online quizzes which will tell you - mine have said boy. And last but not least if the year you conceived in and the age which you conceived at are both odd numbers then it's a girl.
It's all very confusing really so I'm really looking forward to something scientific today! Is it a boy? We'll see but we won't be disappointed either way.

Dressing for Two

At 19 weeks pregnant I’m definitely showing. I suppose I’ve been showing for several weeks now and indeed, I’ve been noticing changes in how my clothes fit since about week 11. I’m at the point now where my regular pants don’t do up and most of my shirts are too short, so I’ve really had to make an effort to tackle this belly issue.
I’ve looked around at brick and mortar stores, online stores, and online auction sites and have felt mainly disenfranchised. Much of the maternity wear doesn’t really fit my style first off, and then there’s the issue of cost. I’m not one to normally spend heaps on clothing (well, not lately anyway) so it seems extravagant to me to spend $100s on articles of clothing I may wear only a handful of times in the next several months.
I have managed to pick up several items and am coping for the moment. I’ve purchased jeans and work pants from a maternity shop, several nice shirts from a regular shop (but they are long and stretchy and will do for some time), and jeans and maternity lingerie online. I’ve also been very lucky to receive some hand-me-downs from a family friend; even though several of the items are still too big, I’ve got a long way to grow!
I intend to stick to my regular style, which is slightly alternative, throughout my pregnancy so I know I will have to continue to look carefully for pieces that suit my style and my changing figure. I may even have a go at making or modifying some clothes to my specifications. I’ll keep you updated :)

PS - If anyone knows of a great looking dress up or down style of maternity pant that won't threaten to fall down at every step without wearing a belt let me know!

Sun damage is like pregnancy...

I was surfing over at Brooke Burke's website ModernMom and this quote caught my eye:

Sun Damage is like Pregnancy. The only true form of prevention is abstinence. And just like sex, it is unlikely we will stay away from the sun.

Too right! And very funny. If you'd like to read the entire article, it's here.

Happy Mother's Day

Today is 10th May, Mother's Day. We will be celebrating by visiting my husband's parents for Sunday lunch. Sounds good to me.
Yesterday I had a nice day meeting up with a friend who recently, and unexpectedly, told me she's also expecting. She hadn't been planning on a baby, indeed she had been planning a 6 month trip to Europe instead. Things have changed substantially for her with her news but she seems happy and like she's adjusting to it well. We had a nice brunch and then went on the prowl for maternity clothing and for a browse at baby stuff. Each of us got 1-2 new tops and I bought some baby socks and booties as well as a onesie.
I hope all mother's out there are having a fabulous day today and that they end up spoiled by those who love them this Mother's Day. Which reminds me...Mom, if you're reading this, I haven't forgotten you, I'm just running late ;)

Baby Booty

I must be nesting. I spend my time online looking for next little thing we might need for the baby. At 17 weeks, these issues are hardly pressing but I'm a woman obsessed. Lucky for me, my husband's family have been very forthcoming with gently used items for the baby. Our sister in law has furnished us with a giant bag of soft toys and rattles, a wooden changing table, a brand new baby backpack thing (for hubs), and a gorgeous simple bassinet.
Today I'm trawling trademe for baby bargains on shoes and "nature baby" branded items.
Looks like I've scored these sweet checkerboard baby slippers for just $1 plus shipping:
I'm also on the look out for maternity wear. I've got a belly on me already and it's making dressing, especially for work, hard. I ordered a pair of maternity jeans on 19 April but they've not yet arrived. The lady I ordered them from said she would track them late last week but I've not heard back from her yet.
Ordering clothing has never been something I've been very comfortable or happy with but the styles offered online seem much preferable to those offered in the selection of stores I've been to. Out of desperation, I bought a pair of straight leg Pumpkin Patch pants with a stretchy band attached that goes up behind the waistband and although they are comfortable and don't look too bad, the waistband that is meant to make the pants look "normal" is a bit too big and folds down at times...yes, I should wear a belt but I don't have any that fit me at the moment that will go through the beltloops. I generally love shopping and trying clothes on in stores but have quickly got over that lately with the dissatisfaction I've felt with the maternity things I've tried on lately. I could use some advice on where to shop and even an extra set of eyes to help me spot things that will look good and last me through to October.

Busy Week

I read a few blogs and most of them are updated daily on weekdays, and sometimes even on the weekend. A couple of the bloggers I follow don't have regular day jobs and devote much of their time to writing their blogs, running their household, and other creative endeavors. How I would love to do just that... Unfortunately, I have a full time day job, a husband whom I love to please, a young child 3 days a week, and other various, albeit small, commitments. I thought doing a daily blog would be an easy thing to do but I'm finding out how much effort all of those wonderful bloggers put into each post solely for the entertainment of others (and perhaps for their own creative outlet, etc).
This week has been rather demanding for me. Several vaccination clinics at different sites daily plus working on immigration papers, trying to sort out a matter with a foreign organization, a midwife appointment, and arranging other upcoming appointments.
The midwife appointment was good and the woman we saw very thorough. She answered most of the questions on my list before I even had to remember them. She will be our LMC and we will meet her back up person in time. It's relieved a bit of stress to have this taken care of and the next appointment with her as well as the next ultrasound scan booked.
Now onto the next thing, dinner with hubs.

Finally, a Midwife...I hope.

I am now 16 weeks pregnant and a bit anxious about maternity care. I have been to the GP twice and have had my first ultrasound, but I don't have a lead maternity carer (LMC). In New Zealand, midwives are the most common LMCs as they are free and if you want to be followed for the duration of your pregancy by an obstetrician, it will cost several thousand dollars. I suppose one of the reasons I've been anxious about this is because a coworker who is also pregnant shared her frustrations about all the midwives in her area being "booked up" or "full" early on.
Today I finally managed to get a real person on the phone and chat about meeting for a first appointment, which is actually tomorrow. Working full time hours has made it hard for me to call when there might be someone in their office to speak to and I've not got any replies to voice messages I've left. The hours I work also makes it difficult to find a time that will work, so I was lucky to set up a meeting tomorrow so I can get it out of the way.
At the first appointment, it's about getting to know the LMC and asking any questions you may have about their style, beliefs, back up person, etc. I've not thought too much about this, but managed to find an excellent list of possible questions that the GP gave me which is put out by the Ministry of Health here in NZ. Some of the questions I may ask are:
-How long have you been attending births?
-How many other patients of yours are due about the same time as me?
-Will you provide all of my care or will others be involved?
-Who will provide back up care if you're not able to be there and will I be able to meet them?
-What birthing options do you offer?
-Which hospitals do you have access to?
-How many antenatal visits can I expect to have?
-What happens if I need specialist care during my pregnancy or labour?
-What will your role be if specialist care (including caesarean section) is needed?
-How many post natal visits can I expect?
-Will post natal visits be in the hospital or at home?
-What is the best way to contact you if I have any questions or concerns at any time?

Hopefully with the help of those questions, I will be able to decide if this midwife is right for me. This is someone who I will be seeing relatively often for the next several months and who will be taking a big role in my health at a very important time in my life. Fingers crossed that this one is nice and I won't have to go around making heaps of visits before I find someone I like.

I'm not one to pass up a party

Any reason for a party seems like a good one to me. 3 year old's birthday, I'm there; celebrating a promotion, there too; baby shower - bring it on! Not that I'm hoping to host my own baby shower or anything, but I've been checking out ideas on the web for putting one together. There are tons of websites with squillions of ideas to use at baby showers.
The very best themed shower I've seen online was blogged about by Kendra at MyInsanity. Her sister was acutally the hostess of the party, but Kendra helped think up the theme and design some of the decorations and invitations. The theme was "She's about to POP!" and included things like POPcorn, sodaPOP, POPart, etc. Take a look here at "the coolest baby shower ever".
If my friends and family don't go to such an extreme and amazing effort, I hope they at least take a look for some creative ideas online. Good places to start:
Coolest Baby Shower Ideas
NZ Girl's Guide to the Perfect Baby Shower
Martha's Alphabet Baby Shower
Martha's Noah's Ark Baby Shower
Martha's Spa Shower for Baby

Pro Photo Ponderance

So, I was walking through a shopping mall the other day and noticed a portable photo studio set up and a mother having a photo shoot done of her toddler and infant together. I remember the days of getting dolled up and heading out to the local department store photographer for photos with my younger brother. My mother was proud of her two beautiful children and wanted to have a record of us looking our best. I'm sure this is the sort of thing going through the mind of this mother in the shopping mall also.
I, however, have some misgivings about the quality of image provided by these type of photographers. I think to get good quality images, you're much better off going to a photographer who doesn't need the gimmick of being in a mall to drum up busines. A photographer can create cookie cutter "good" images such as this one of my brother and me in 1987 (this pose or a variation with my brother on the other side was repeated in a 1992 version).

Although this is a photo I look at and enjoy, it's nothing extraordinary. My brother's arm is cut off and there is no special feature to the background. We are what is good about the photo. I think this is the type of photo we could have set up and executed ourselves in our home without any trouble.

When you choose to use a photographer who is more about quality than quantity, you will come up with photos that you will be glad to display as works of art. The following images have been supplied by a Canadian photographer, and friend, Shayna Kerrie of Shayna Kerrie Photography.
These photos have a mood to them. Although the backgrounds are plain, it's unlikely you'd get this quality of light in a mall studio or in your own home unless you're a seasoned photographer. Each of the images is well composed and even though the child in them is not mine, I really do love them. To me, the style is much more sophisticated than that of, say, Anne Geddes, but no less marketable.

The other type of Pro Photos I've been thinking about lately are "belly shots". Shayna has also provided a couple of these for the blog today. I do really enjoy them, but I'm not to that stage in the pregnancy yet. I still feel more like a fat chick than someone who is special and glowing. Perhaps as I progress in my pregnancy and continue to look back on these "belly shots" and others, I will decide to get some done. Or maybe DIY. Hubs has a good camera and is a sometimes aerial photographer so I could let him have a go...
Might be a bit more difficult getting a great couples pose like that second one though! And to mention it, the lighting could be an issue as well. Guess I should start researching some good New Zealand photographers or saving to bring Shayna over for a special shoot ;)

To see more of Shayna's work, including more pregnancy and baby photos, visit her blog or photography website.