We write... about the 20 week scan

For such an important occasion, we present our first tag team post!

John: Another fantastic occasion! The Fetal Doppler was more great preparation for the scan, especially since the scan didn't involve the heartbeat or any sound (perhaps I should have brought the Doppler for some discreet heart beat monitoring as well). We weren't overimpressed by our scanner again, (maybe we're expecting too much of the NHS staff!) What a joy to see Flump again! I was reminded recently at Grandad's funeral of how uplifting it is to see babies, when Nathaniel was a blessing of joy to all of us despite our sadness. However, this doesn't compare to how it felt to see our own little blessing. I'm finding it hard to imagine how awesome it will be to see them face-to-face. Anyway, we have four pictures of Flump, all slightly different. My favourite is a good close up of Flump's face, in which I believe they look like a cute little monkey. Our own little chimp!

Stel: While John thinks Flump looks like a chimp, I think the baby has daddy's nose! It's true. When you see the photos, you'll see. The best bit was when the baby opened it's mouth very slowly and waved! Our sonographer was a bit odd...it was certainly the first time I've ever been asked to lie on my side for her to get a proper look at certain angles. Leah had the same one and was asked to do the same thing. And we have both been asked to come back in three weeks as she couldn't see the heart properly because of the way the baby was lying...I think it's the sonographer, not our babies!?

Anyway, Flump is currently breech (which I think is why the sonographer couldn't see the heart properly) and measuring in the normal range for all measurements! So we praise God for that and really thank Him for this incredible life he has knitted together. We are so amazed at how He has provided everything our child needs and we really look forward to meeting our precious little wonder to see God's intricate work in detail...thank you for all your prayers and kind words!

(By the way, we have found out the sex of the baby - those who want to know can find out!)

20 week scan...

We are giddy with excitement. We had another little listen to the baby's heartbeat last night and chatted away into the night wondering about what we would see today. The appointment is at 2:20pm at the PRUH and we have the rest of the afternoon off, so we may wander down to the great-grandparents for a cuppa after much cooing and praising of our little one!

We keep being told that the first 20 weeks are the longest and the second 20 weeks zoom by. While we hope this is the fact, we also want to relish every last moment so do bear with us if we tend to gabble on a tad. The nursery should be clear soon from tools and boxes so we'll be able to get cracking on choosing carpets and paints. The great thing is, the cotbed we wanted is now on sale in Mothercare so we'll be ordering that this weekend to store until the room's ready! Why waste a good opportunity.

We'll be back soon with more information about Flump Stevens' and what they were up to during the scan!

A Father Writes about ... marvellous gadgets

In particular the fetal Doppler that we have rented. This marvellous little toy, seen above, can be used to listen to what's going on down in mummy's ever expanding abdomen: in particular to listen to Flump's heartbeat, can the little thing be located! After much application of gel and moving the little stick about, we were able to track down a fairly persistent swishing noise, before getting Stel's heartbeat followed finally by the much faster and unmistakeable rhythm of Flump! This would then disappear, causing us to move the stick again until Flump could be heard again! Great fun.

This was like having our very own scan, and an absolutely fabulous treat for me; I haven't been able to feel Flump kicking yet while Stel can feel them alot, so this was something we could experience together, and what an experience! Bless God for this new life. We love Flump so much, and cannot wait to meet them!

20 weeks...

We're half way there and beside ourselves with excitement because this week, we get to see Flump in all his baby glory! On Friday at 14:20, we shall be attending the PRUH with a full bladder (goodness) and waiting with bated breath to see our little wonder.
It now feels very real and we're actually quite shocked at how fast the weeks have been going. I was sure I'd missed some days at work last week because it didn't quite seem a full week. But then, my brain seems to have turned to milk too. Quite scary really, but it has given us plenty of laughs! I'm sure John makes up some things that I have 'forgotten' because it really doesn't seem possible to be that bad. 'Tis though.

In six weeks, the first of the five pregnant mummies will hopefully be giving birth (if it's on time!) so excitment all round. Then it's the countdown from then on. So in order of congratulations, it is as follows:

• Eugene & Corne


• Louis & Jeanre


• Albert & Kerry


• Toby & Leah


• John & Stel - aka us!

It is jolly exciting.

This week, baby's skin begins to thicken and will develop four layers. It will be covered in a weird, waxy substance called vernix caseosa which they'll be born with. The vernix caseosa is crucial because it protects the fetus' fragile skin from the continuous dunking in amniotic fluid! Scalp hair and toenails are beginning to form at this point. Hair can also be seen on the upper lip and eyebrows.

Brilliant!

This is what Flump currently looks like...good gracious!

19 weeks...

Too excited! And baby one is kicking tremendously. So far the routine appears to be a gentle exercise around midday, then the rest of the afternoon with bigger kicks and punches and then in the evening until about 10:00pm. He occasionally starts up again right before I go to sleep but it's kind of soothing actually.

Anyway, above is bump at 19 weeks! When I lie down, we can feel the uterus just under my tummy button and it's such a weird feeling but pretty incredible. Next week is our 20 week scan which we are itching to get to but there's a slight anxiety to it to. Just because we know they check everything with the baby and everything with the placenta etc. We trust God obviously but clearly not totally! So we're just praying for the health and protection of our precious little one.

Also, for those who tried to convince me that the tummy button usually looks like it's about to pop but doesn't...I think you might be wrong in this instance. Gross.

We were at Soul Survivor last week (got back on Sunday with a lovely sunkissed glow all round!) and there has been a sweepstake on the sex of our baby and the Widdicombe's baby, as we find out a day apart from each other. I think the youth win chocolates to share if they're right! It's all good fun - especially as we're not planning on releasing any information until January. Ha. That may be hard to believe but it really is true!

So this week, Flump Stevens is measuring around 15 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighs about 9oz. She has started to swallow amniotic fluid (charming), and her kidneys continue to make urine. Hair on the scalp is sprouting so we sort of imagine a potato with sprouty bits on it. Sensory development reaches its peak this week too so if she hears a loud noise, she jumps! How adorable is that. All the senses are developing in their own parts of the brain so that would be taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch. Also, she'll master complicated movements such as twisting, turning, stretching, grasping and even doing somersaults! Apparently, if we press firmly on my bump, she won't just sense the pressure but will actually move away.

Roll on next Friday!

A Father Writes ... about his feelings

I'm seriously looking forward to our next scan in a few weeks now: anything to be able to see what Flump is going to look like! As cute as the pictures of other babies are, and they are very cute, I am nearly obsessed with knowing what Flump is going to look like! I hope they have their mother's eyes!

I have become very comfortable with the idea that we are about to become parents, and Stel getting up at six o clock every Saturday seems like good practice for not being able to sleep once baby is here! Roll on 40 weeks!

18 weeks...

This pregnancy is getting fun now! Every morning we wake up and say hello to Flump as we're sure she can hear things now, she's been kicking away like she's training for 2012. In fact, today, Mummy was on the way home and couldn't wait to run to the bathroom when she got in but baby one thought it would a laugh to kick and squeeze for the journey home - non stop. Honestly. It was cute when I looked back but wasn't much fun on the way home.

We've been amazed at how my tummy has suddenly sprouted over the past week. We had John's dad's birthday BBQ on Saturday and everyone commented on the fact I looked pregnant - which I'm thrilled about 'cos for a while, I just looked a bit of a tubster! And now, there's no turning back with this mini-bump. It's very exciting!

So this week, we have exhaustion (falling asleep at 9:00pm at the very latest) and stretching pains in my tummy, like shooting pains either side of the uterus. Flump is 6ins long, and now becomes more sensitive to the outside world and shows her presence through powerful kicks and prods (which we know is happening)! The bones are now hardened and the parts of the brain that receives and processes nerve signals from the ears are developing. This means that our baby can hear now and will get used to familiar sounds, such as my heart beating, familiar voices, blood rushing through the umbilical cord and other daily routine sounds. Flump will become startled if he hears a loud sound - how cute is that! Apparently, it is going through the motions of breathing but it's just 'breathing' in amniotic fluid.

We can't wait to meet our baby! Now, baby's first camping trip - we're off to Soul Survivor Week B! Rock on.

The baby really is kicking!!

It's such a weird feeling! But so incredible and I feel like crying every time.

I was a bit unsure because so many people had said it feels like butterflies or fluttering so when I had a feeling like muscle twitching, I was a bit skeptical because it wasn’t a dainty butterfly feel at all, rather a sequence of teeny tiny boots in my lower stomach aka muscle twitches, or occasionally just one big smack. But it really is the baby! We sat on the sofa last night with John’s hand on my tummy where I’d been feeling some movements, and he announced that daddy had his hand waiting to feel something and the baby actually started moving around…annoyingly, John didn’t feel anything, even when I was sure he must’ve done because there was such a strong kick! I really hope he’ll feel something soon as I hate him missing out.

Cravings? What cravings...?

So I haven't really had any weird or regular cravings - how boring. Or just less expensive...how prudent!

Initially, I could still fancy a cuppa but about week 6 or around that time, I had completely gone off tea and coffee and the smell was enough to get me running for the bathroom. However, I have had two cups of teas over the past few weeks because I'm a bit scared I might go off it for life if I don't keep my foot in the door. Our friend, Sarah Cloudsdale, said the smell of petrol made her sick when she was pregnant and she hasn't been in a petrol station since. So my thought was, if I carry on having teeny bits of things I've gone off, there's a chance I'll go back to liking it after the baby is born!! And a cup of tea is always a good antidote for anything.

I also went off salmon (which we used to have loads of) so that sort of sucks because we have about four packets in the freezer. But that's it. We've been blessed so far!

The only weird craving (if you can call it that) is the smell of damp towels! Especially when they've come out the wash...mmmm...and the non-weird craving is strawberry milkshake. YUM! We had to go out to the shop one Sunday afternoon to try to buy some because nothing else would satisfy the feeling. Tesco's was closed so when the convienience store didn't have it, I was like a smack addict waiting for the next fix! It was a bit upsetting. We got some in the end because my husband is the best in the world!

17 weeks...

Wowza! It's really taking off now - it barely seems just yesterday I was writing about week 16. This week, growth and refinement of our baby's existing systems and organs occur and the ears stand out from his or her head! How cute! It is more or less depending on heredity so, as far as I'm aware, we don't have any major ear issues going on.

Our five-pound wonder is now around 12 centimeters crown to rump so growing very nicely and, according to sites, large enough to give me a good kick in the stomach! As previously mentioned, I have felt some weird goings-on inside but no feelings to report from the outside yet. I would be seriously freaked if that happened, considering the size of the mite.

And now onto the more interesting topic, meconium (which I mistakingly called molliculitis _ I have no idea what that even is, I think I made it up). Anyhoo. Our baby's first bowel movement is beginning to collect in the colon - what fun. Daddy John is mighty excited about THAT!

Flump is actually digesting swallowed amniotic fluid and I read that babies swallow more amniotic fluid if you eat sweet things and less if your food is bitter. I don't know whether that's a good thing or not!

We have Soul Survivor with a good-sized crowd in a couple of weeks so we shall be camping furiously for four days. When we get back, we'll start on the nursery - woohoo!