I don't write a huge amount of pregnancy-related posts here on the blog as it's not really a space for that - but I thought it might be fun to mark the half way mark with a little update, a few pictures and of course our gender reveal...
I've been genuinely shocked and was totally unprepared for how different this pregnancy feels to my last. I had such bad nausea from week 6 to 17 this time round: it was truly horrendous and really knocked me for six, as I had no sickness or nausea at all with Bert. In the end I was prescribed some medication, which did help ease the symptoms and rendered me a bit less useless, which was at least something. Finally, it began to ease just as Christmas approached, and now I've come out the other side feeling much more normal.
During the extreme nausea I went off all my usual foods and drinks: I couldn't stomach tea, or any sort of vegetables and all I really fancied was salty/carb heavy foods and fresh orange juice (which I never drink!). It was pretty grim, and the lack of nutritious food/drink and balance really got me down. I was very aware that I needed to be kind to myself, to let myself eat and drink what I could stomach, rest when I got the chance (fairly rare with a toddler in tow!)...but mentally more than physically it was hard to be existing on the junkier foods I've spent the best part of 2.5 years cutting down on, it was infuriating to feel so ill that I couldn't exercise like I usually would, and I couldn't play with Bert with quite as much gusto as usual. I couldn't even indulge in cooking the evening meal (usually one of my favourite times of day) in fact, by the evening, after a day of juggling Bert, work and sickness I would often find myself heading straight to bed as soon as Hubby arrived home at 5pm. I found it really tough to fit in all my work hours around feeling so constantly sick, and as for trying to do the Christmas shopping, well thank goodness for the internet is all I can say!
I was so disappointed when 12 weeks came and went and I was STILL feeling dreadful - "it'll go at 12 weeks" I'd heard from so many. But alas, it took another five weeks before I felt myself again. Thankfully, Christmas saw me almost back to normal, and now at almost 21 weeks all that awfulness is a distant memory. Obviously, the outcome (our new little bundle) will be totally worth a few weeks of illness and feeling crap - but it was tough while it lasted.
As well as the nausea this time round, I have also noticed some other clear differences to my pregnancy with Bert. Despite being four stones lighter than I was at the start of my last pregnancy, this time round I've felt so much bigger, so much sooner! I seemed to have a rather sizeable bump from around 8/10 weeks and was into maternity wear well before my 12 week scan. I also began to feel flutters of movement so much sooner than with Bert. Now, at 21 weeks the kicks are stronger, more frequent and very reassuring, and I'm beginning to properly enjoy being pregnant. Minus the exhaustion and my ongoing back issues (three slipped discs & a growing bump!) I'm determined to make the most of feeling well, and soak up every bit of these last months as a family of three.
6 weeks
12 weeks
13 weeks
17 weeks (Christmas Day)
20 weeks
I'm so thankful to report that all was well, normal and healthy at the scan, and our little one wiggled around, waved and put on a right show for me. It felt brilliant and emotional and such a huge relief.
The icing on the cake came in the form of the knowledge that our new arrival will be a...
How lucky we feel to be completing our family with a little princess. I feel so blessed and hugely excited for what lies ahead for The Bishop Family. Yesterday (scan day) was such a blissful family day - Liam took the whole day off work and after our early morning scan we headed into town with Bert for some baby-girl clothes shopping and a spot of lunch. I cooked us a huge Greek mezze dinner in celebration last night, and I *might* have consumed a very small glass of red wine. Gosh, it tasted good.
I still feel a little bit in shock and today I just keep pinching myself!
A few baby girl purchases to celebrate the news!
Now that I'm feeling mostly well once again I'm enjoying trying to eat as well as I can, get out and walk each day if I can manage it (I'm banned from anything over an hour due to my chronic back problems, boo!) and I'm trying hard to be kind to myself - indulging in rest when I can get it, 'me time' in the form of my hobbies, reading on my kindle and long, warm baths, and regular pilates/core exercises to help me cope with the back pain as bump gets bigger and heavier.
This week I've been enjoying looking back at my bump photos from my pregnancy with Bert, and I put together this side by side comparison shot to see the differences/similarities between the two pregnancies.
I was surprised by how similar I look...I feel so much bigger this time round, despite being literally smaller in terms of weight - the bumps are just slightly different shapes/heights.
Now to prepare myself for the third and final trimester...
Looking back at pictures like the one that follows fills me with a fair amount of dread...
Me at 40 weeks gestation with Bert. WOW. Now that's a baby bump!
And don't even get me started on the birth!! *runs and hides, pretending that I don't have to do it all over again*
That being said, I'm so excited to introduce our new little bundle to you all come June - so watch this space...and keep an eye on my Instagram feed @lucybishop2012 for more regular updates and pictures between now and then...
Bye for now!
Mrs B
xxx