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Debra Hunt is a pregnant nzgirl, who will write a regular column, filling us in on her journey from pregnancy to parenthood! Click here to read her first entry. ___________________________________________________________________________
Over the past month I’ve really started to feel like the whole pregnant thing is more ‘real’. I went to see my GP and he gave me lots of information and organised the ultrasound that you get at 11 weeks.
The little one was all squished up at one end though, and the ultrasound operator couldn’t see much so I got to go back and have another scan the next week. But it seems like the baby must be a bit camera shy because they still couldn’t get clear pictures. The 11 week scan is to check for abnormalities like Down Syndrome, and is usually referred to as a nuchal fold scan.
It’s quite a strange experience really! I mean, the clearest thing on the screen is the baby’s spine, which makes it look a bit like it’s just a skeleton floating around in there.
I’ve met my midwife who is just lovely. When I go into the clinic she listens to the baby’s heartbeat, measures my tummy and weighs me to check that I’m gaining enough weight. I also get to test my own wee with a little test stick which is always fun. She’s great to talk to and tells me I’m worrying too much about food safety, assuring me it’s fine to eat sushi, as long as it doesn’t have raw meat in it. She then hands me a brochure which says pregnant women should not eat any kind of sushi. Hmmm.
My midwife is going to be my LMC (Lead Maternity Carer). Some women have their GP or an obstetrician as their LMC, especially if they have medical problems. But as my pregnancy seems pretty standard, I’ve chosen to have her. This means that she takes care of organising all the necessary scans and tests, and will be there for me and the baby throughout the pregnancy and for the first few weeks after baby is born.
I’ve started noticing some nausea. I’m lucky because most women have had it long before 13 weeks! In fact, that’s when nausea usually starts to calm down.
I took the bus one morning, and ended up arriving at work looking more than a bit green. It was something about the combination of stuffy bus air, slow rocking motion, being pregnant and anxiety at the thought of what I would actually do if I needed to throw up. I mean, you don’t have many options on a bus! It’s not like they provide sick bags like on a plane. I’m sure the other commuters would be really impressed if I pulled out a plastic bag! But I might have to start carrying one with me... just in case.
I’m also really exhausted. I’m in a play at the moment, and I know this is terrible, but I have been sneaking naps between my scenes! Even if it’s only a 10 minute break, I can’t keep myself from trying to sleep. Anywhere out the back... on the stairs, under the props table, in the dressing room...
Apparently you get much more energy in the second trimester, which is from week 14 through to week 26. So I’m looking forward to that! I’ll let you know whether or not it actually kicks in (which is hard to imagine) in the next column. Bye!
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The little one was all squished up at one end though, and the ultrasound operator couldn’t see much so I got to go back and have another scan the next week. But it seems like the baby must be a bit camera shy because they still couldn’t get clear pictures. The 11 week scan is to check for abnormalities like Down Syndrome, and is usually referred to as a nuchal fold scan.
My midwife is going to be my LMC (Lead Maternity Carer). Some women have their GP or an obstetrician as their LMC, especially if they have medical problems. But as my pregnancy seems pretty standard, I’ve chosen to have her. This means that she takes care of organising all the necessary scans and tests, and will be there for me and the baby throughout the pregnancy and for the first few weeks after baby is born.
I took the bus one morning, and ended up arriving at work looking more than a bit green. It was something about the combination of stuffy bus air, slow rocking motion, being pregnant and anxiety at the thought of what I would actually do if I needed to throw up. I mean, you don’t have many options on a bus! It’s not like they provide sick bags like on a plane. I’m sure the other commuters would be really impressed if I pulled out a plastic bag! But I might have to start carrying one with me... just in case..jpg){kind=small}