Second Prenatal class – breathing techniques

Friday our things arrived from Prenatal! The baby stroller, carseat, newborn stroller and the Crib with mattress. It was really exciting to finally get them!

My Cat Ciro went crazy over the boxes and kept trying to open them but after about 20 minutes he realised they just wouldnt open and gave up which was kinda funny. As i wanted to wait until that evening to open them and enjoy the things with Alex.

The boxes were huge! one long one for the crib which will go in the shoe cupboard until we decide to use it.

It also came with a mattress wrapped in plastic so we will keep all these togeather until the time comes when Peanut is big enough for them 🙂

Another huge box containing the carseat and stroller/newborn stroller combo! We decided to take them out of the box so they took up less room and also keep them in the shoe cupboard until needed. Although the carseat can be kept in the boot of the car so wont take room up in the house.

Saturday we went to meet another Expat Mum who was super nice! She was full of helpful advice which is always good to know and helps prepare you for whats to come. It was really good to talk again with a mother of 2 so she had been through it twice!

We bought her second hand baby swing off her which looks brand new and i love it! It has several swinging speeds, plays 10 different pieces of classical music and can be run on batteries or by plug in the wall.

Its going to be wonderful to use when Peanut arrives i can’t wait even Alex loved it and cant wait to get using it!

She also gave us a bottle sterilizer  (sterilize everything in 4 minutes) with bottles, all we need to do is buy some new nipples for them 🙂 And a musical toy and a mobile for the crib with different little animals on which is so cute!

I still can’t believe how lovely all the expat Mothers i have spoken to have been! And some of them offering us 2nd hand stuff which really does make a big difference when your trying to save money for when a baby arrives! Even all the advice we have been receiving is helpful, useful and direct 🙂

The second Prenatal class was held today (saturday) at 2.30pm again at Santa Famiglia clinic.

As i said before its so nice to have it just us and the Obstetrician! We get all our questions answered, can take our time and go over things more than once.

Today we were Learning about breathing techniques for the big day. She started off explaining that when the contractions start the uterus will tighten and its very important to breathe while there happening.

The baby recieves all its blood, oxygen and food through the placenta so its very important to make sure theres enough oxygen going to the baby when the contractions happen.

I have to breathe in as deep as i can using my diaphragm slowly and then release slowly, this has to be done continously like a wave in a relaxed way.

We did practise this with me laying down while the Dr had her hand on my chest and belly to make sure my belly filled up with air while i was doing this breathing then going down again.

Its not actually as easy as it sounds because you dont breathe this way naturally so when you start your very focused on filling yourself with air. So i kept breathing in holding it them releasing it which is wrong as i end up tensing which isnt good when your having a contraction.

So i have to practise this breathing twice a day now until D Day and try and relax and keeping it going like a wave, breathing in and out very deeply but very very slowly.

Apparently this breathing technique helps the contractions and stops you fighting against them because apparently if you tense and pant you just prelong them so 10 contractions can turn into 20 contractions instead. So when this all happens you have to stay focused on the breathing through the entire labor as this can shorten the whole event 🙂

The Dr then explained that when the contractions come you have to let them go and dont fight them, also my back has to be straight weather im laying down sitting or with my back against the wall.

This is very important and again will help and has to be done correctly! She stood behind me and showed Alex how if a contraction comes i could lean back against him breathe through it with his help. If a contraction happens you have to stand still and not move through it.

So we practised that for a while which was fun. She said a contraction feels like cramp going from the bottom of my bump then all the way upwards. I told her as i dont know what a contraction feels like yet it might take me a few minutes to get into the breathing when it happens.

Then we asked some questions of our own. Alex asked if i would need the breathing if i had to have a C-section and she said no.

He also mentioned that this morning i woke up with really itchy hands! seriously i could not stop scratching them and in the end had to run them under cold water. This helped a little but i decided to have a Google and see if this was a normal pregnancy symptom.

Apparently it can be a normal symptom and alot of women can get it in the third trimester due to an increase in estrogen. But its always best to mention these things to your Gyno/Doctor as it can be a symptom to something more serious and you always need to have these things checked out.

She said i would have to have a blood test to check my kidneys to check on the bile level just incase. If it was high i would have to stay at the hospital for a few days while they sorted it out.

If it was managable then i should have some pills for home. But she agreed it was better to just check to make sure this wasn’t the problem and it could just well be to do with the circulation and swelling which is normal.

We then asked about bringing the newborn baby outside and she said we could take Peanut out straight away especially as we would have check-ups etc.

She also said we would need a baby towel and blanket for D Day at the clinic to bring with us. And that a new floor was opening there on the 2nd of August with brand new rooms!

Each room would have 2 beds & a bathroom, there would be the baby beds, a place to change the nappies and a place to bath the babies! And each room was Painted in a different bright colour and thats where i would be staying! 😀

She told me i had nothing to be worried or scared about she would be there the whole time and i should just focus on my breathing and from moment to moment.

She’s such a nice Obstetrician and again really put our minds at rest about alot of things.

We arranged for the 3rd meeting next weekend which i think will be about Breastfeeding and then we thanked her and left. 🙂

Again our minds were a buzz with all the new information and we chatted about it as we went to get an icecream and head back to the car.

We have both been feeling a bit anxious and scared this week as the weeks seem to be Flying by now and having this class Always seems to relax us!

My Cat Ciro has been even more clingy the last 2 weeks! He constantly wants my attention which is not normal for him! He also looks at my belly alot. He doesnt seem to want food or to play when he cries he just wants me to lay beside him and stroke him while he purrs and rubs himself against me and my belly.

He’s not a hugely huggy cat either as i have mentioned in previous posts but lately he wants me to pick him up and just hold him for 1o minutes or more while he purrs. If i try to put him down he complains! Its like suddenly having a furry toddler in the house.

Im not sure if hes feeling insecure or if he’s sensing the baby in my belly more. Even Alex has commented on his clingyness and we both keep trying to reassure him.

I cant see my feet anymore to as you can see from the photo!!

Everyone said it would happen and i have finally noticed it has! lol Its really weird not being able to see them anymore. I thought it would be weird to have a big belly but i actually love it! 🙂 I know Peanut is in there growing and Alex loves my baby belly so much!

Peanut is 30 weeks along so a cucumber today lol and should be 15.2- to 16.7-inch, 2.5- to 3.8-pound as she continues to grow. Her skin is smoother & shes now strong enough to grip a finger! 🙂

Food Review – Ponte Vecchio restaurant

Last night we went out to dinner with a big group of friends to a really nice restaurant called Ponte Vecchio which is a Griglieria – Pizzeria – Enoteca – RistoPub.

We already knew where it was as we had walked past it a few times in the past and always said that one day we would try it but never had. So we were really happy to have the chance to get in there and see what the place was like.

That atmopshere was really nice and open they had an inside area and an outside area and seemed to be very popular which is always a good sign in a restaurant here in Italy.

There was a huge choice on the menu including, pizza’s, fish, pasta! And everything sounded so good!

One of our friend’s is also pregnant and she sat beside me comparing what we could and couldnt eat which was kinda fun. It was nice to have someone to chat to about symptoms and the excitment of it all.

Anyway for my L’antipasto (starter) i decided on a crocchette di patate which was really good! (the starter menu choices was several pages long!)

Next i had a Il secondo which is a second course and which is mainly meat and fish based. I decided to skip the Il primo (first course) which mainly consists of soup, pasta, rice.

So my Il Secondo (2nd course) was bistecche di maiale which is a pork chop and it was massive!! I had asked for it ben cotta (well done) and it was perfect when it arrived and very delicious.

Also with this i had arrosticini which is little pieces of lamb on a stick which is one of my favorites! I only had 2 sticks though but really enjoyed them.

For my Il contorno (side dish) i had patate al forno which is roasted potatoes which were also very very nice.

Everyone enjoyed their food and i was interested to have a look at the fish pasta dishes a few people had ordered. The amount of food on the plates were huge! And everyone was very happy and satisfied with that 🙂

It was a very relaxed evening with everyone chatting away, lots of questions from the female friends about pregnancy. Also alot of people rubbing my belly wanting to feel Peanut kick.

But she would stop or kick very lightly when they did as if she sensed it was someone different from me and Alex which was sweet lol

The other pregnant friend is only 4 months along so shes only just starting to feel her little one kicking so she was really interested to find out how strongly it could get.

I didnt take any pics of other peoples food as i dont like doing that i think its kind of rude unless its Alex’s food of course lol

There was lots of wine going around and bottles of water and it was a really nice evening chatting away very comfortably.

I did decide to have an Il dolce (dessert) and chose the creme caramel but they had just ran out so settled with a panna cotta instead which was really good!

Others had the tiramisù which is my favorite dessert but which i can’t have while pregnant. (But im looking forwards to having it again after september lol)

Ponte Vecchio is a really nice place to eat and i dont think its to bad money wise especially for the amount of food you are given. Everything tasted perfect, the service was friendly and polite.

We did have to wait a while for some of our food orders but we were in a big group and the place was quite busy but we didnt mind.

I would recommend this place to anyone interested in trying a new restaurant here in Roma as we all really enjoyed it and our evening out there 🙂

http://www.ristorantepontevecchio.it/

Anxious and Nesting

I have been feeling a bit anxious the last few days at what the future is going to hold for us after the baby is born.

We have started to make room for the baby stuff in the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom so everything has its place already before Peanut arrives. At first i was excited and happy to have started nesting and Alex helped me.

Now i have begun thinking about the major life change having a baby will cause….i did think about this all before we got pregnant but now its really hit home. 

I even had a chat with Alex about it and he was honest with me saying he feels the same way! So i was relieved that its just not me. He said he was worried that we wouldn’t be able to cope or what if we didn’t like the experience which were things i was worried about to.

Also about how our lives are going to change completely with this suddenly small demanding wrinkly little person we will have to take care of.

But these are natural worries every expectant parents must go through…its just the fear of the unknown and weather we will be good at it etc.

We both agreed that once she arrives alot of these fears will probably melt away because we will have her to hold, hug and look after! Right now we can’t see her or hold her and it must be more frustrating for Alex as i at least get to feel her kicks.

I guess these anxious moments may come and go more now as the D Day looms closer and my hormones surge again.

We are also a little stressed as we aren’t going anywhere on Holiday this year..no UK to see my family and no mountains either as its a 7 hour drive away.

So we both feel like we need the Holiday but Alex need’s to save the 2-3 weeks for when Peanut arrives so he can spend time with us. Which is what he wants to do 🙂

I intend to not lean on him to much in those weeks so he can have a bit of a break and i can learn some kind of routine with the baby. Which means when he goes back to work we should have a comfortable routine to settle into by then 🙂

I am trying to stay as positive as possible about it all and focus on the good stuff like all the baby things we have collected from people now.

Another Expat Mom gave us some more free baby stuff which was really nice of her! 🙂

I was given a book on breastfeeding and a book for the husband/partner about them helping out during the Birth. Also a breast feeding pillow with two pillow cases for it which will be extremely handy!! 😀

Quite a few little toys for the pushchair which can be washed, some more cute baby clothes again which can be washed well. And a very lovely cover for winter which fits on the pushchair and zips up to keep the baby warm! Which is perfect for when we visit the UK next year with its unpredictable weather lol!

Also this friday the baby pushchair/carseat/newborn pushchair & crib should be arriving which we ordered from prenatal! So i will have to make some space ready for it all.

Alex has said he doesnt want me doing anything now until we hit 33 weeks as he wants me to take it easy not get stressed and not over do it.

So i have still been nesting but not in a huge way..i sorted out a cupboard in the kitchen for the baby bibs, bottles, sterilizing tablets, breast pump etc. Some things we will need straight away other things we will need in the months ahead when Peanut is here.

But at least they have a place now which makes me feel much better rather than having them still all boxed up in the shoe cupboard:)

Next i want to sort out the Bathroom space for her changing mat and even though we cleaned out the cupboard in there we need to sort out a space for baby stuff inside it.

But that will be done next weekend as Alex wants to finish it himself 🙂 The baby bath we think we might keep in our bath and then just pull it out when we need to us the normal bath.

Baby blankets i think we can keep in the wardrobe where we keep our own blankets and just pull them out when we need them.

Baby clothes i have two big draws im using for them they just need to be washed and folded ready 🙂

We have also been given toys that clip on the stroller but the big stroller not the newborn one so i think i can probably keep them in the baby clothes draw. There all really cute and washable and will keep peanut amused when shes a bit bigger.

We do have some other toys for the house to but im not sure where im going to keep them! Going to have to have a think about it even if i get a cheap basket to hold them all in or something!?

I dont intend to go to crazy with toys and she wont need a million lol 🙂 Of course there will be favorite toys and then others she wont be interested in. So that will save space and money probably 🙂

My tummy is really senstive now as tuesday morning i woke up at 2 am to be violently sick 😦 it was not a nice experience throwing up never is.

I was up again at 6am to experience some more and i felt like crap 😦 I spent the day sleeping and drinking lots of liquids with Alex looking after me.

White rice in the evening was good and i seemed to be over the tummy upset by then 🙂

We think it was the pizza i had eaten on monday night my tummy just had been unable to digest it. Apparently this can happen so im going to stick to much lighter foods now no more pizza until after september for me 🙂

First Prenatal class – talking about birth

Alex phoned the obstetrician this week to arrange the first Pre-natal class we would be taking part in. And so Yesterday we started our first Prenatal class at the Santa Famiglia Clinic at 7.30pm.   

They were really nice and flexible saying we could do the course on the weekends as Alex worked in the week 🙂 so this was a great thing for us!

I knew it was going to be interesting especially as earlier in the week Alex had told me we would learn how to ‘milk the baby’!

As you can imagine i found this hilarious and couldnt stop laughing at the weird image i had in my head. I asked him what he ment by his comment and he explained it was when i would give the baby milk!

Ohhh you mean Breast Feeding!? hahahhahaa you have to love a man’s understanding of things sometimes!

Anyway we turned up at Santa  Famiglia about 10 minutes early for the course and after finding the room it was being held in we sat down on some benches to talk.

We were both pretty nervous and not sure how the course was going to start or what we would be talking about first. Just thinking about it all and talking about it makes D Day loom even closer!

The obstetrician came to the room at 7.30pm and let us in 🙂 It was just her and us which was really nice and cosy and we got the chance to ask all the questions we wanted.

She explained that we would be talking about Birth this first session and everything to do with that. Apparently if my water breaks before 33 weeks then we have to go to one of the hospitals that have incubators. As they do not deal with babies that premature there, they dont have the facilities. (But they do have all the equipment to resuscitate a baby if needed).

If my water breaks from 33 weeks onwards then we can go to them at Santa Famiglia like we want to! 🙂

Alex explained that Peanut hasn’t turned yet and the Dr said we still had plenty of time and she might even turn at the last minute. She then went on to explain that if she didnt turn i would have to have a cesarean (c-section) which they could do there.

Alex would not be allowed in for this but she would be with me the whole time and wouldnt leave my side which was a relief. She explained i wouldnt feel a thing but i would be awake as they would use an epidurale and the whole thing would take 30 minutes and be over and done with. I would still have the after Birth bleeding like a normal post-labor but i would also have some stitches on my belly where Peanut would have come out.

It actually felt nice to have her explain everything in detail so i knew what would happen if i did end up having a C-section. All the little details like not being able to eat for 24 hours before, not feeling anything going on apart from a bit of pressure when the baby came out etc.

Next she went on to explain what would happen if Peanut turn’s and i have a natural Birth! Alex would be allowed in the room with me and we would be in a pre-room where i could stand, sit or squat or how ever i wanted to be while having the contractions. Alex would be there with me helping and holding me until the baby’s head appears then i would be taken into the room next door to give Birth 20/30 minutes later.

The baby would be placed on my tummy and they would wait for a while to sort out the umbilical cord as blood and nutrients would still be going to the baby. Once it was time Alex would cut the cord himself.

Alex looked a little emotional when told this and said if he hadnt passed out by then he would do it lol!

Next the Dr explained about nursing the baby as soon as she was born and that my milk wouldnt start for 24/48 hours after Birth but the baby would have to suckle straight away to stimulate the production of milk. So that was all very interesting! 😀

She then told me if my water broke normally i would know it/realise as there would be alot of water! But if my water only broke partially it would only come out in drips so in that case i have to put on a pad and if the pad is completely soaked within 2 hours my water has broken. Then we would have to go to the hospital/clinic depending on the week i am on in either case.

Then we talked about the left over umbilical cord the baby would have and she told us we would clean it daily with alcohol which would help it dry up and then eventually full off. After this we would just keep cleaning it to make sure it didnt get infected and we couldnt bathe the baby for the first 7 days.

We told her about the dull pain i get when i walk around outside and she said it sounded like the ligaments attached to the uterus stretching on that side as my uterus grows. She said it will get worse and its just part of pregnancy.

It was alot to take in and after a while me and Alex ran out of questions to ask her!

So we talked about the next session which would be next sunday in the afternoon where we would talk about breathing techniques for the big day.

We thanked the Doctor for her time and the session then went outside to walk with our heads buzzing with all the information. We both felt happier with all the new information and glad she had told us everything in detail. We both agree its better to understand whats going to happen than have no information at all!

Also we are happy she is following us now until i give Birth as its nice to know who will be delivering your child and know the person who is taking care of you and bond a little with them 🙂

We stopped off to grab gelato on the way back to the car and popped in to see our friend to tell her how it went before heading home it was a pretty good day!!  🙂

So today Peanut is an Acorn Squash! not quite sure what that is lol i think its an American vegetable!

She’s getting a little cramped in there, since she’s growing so fast now and i know this from all those jabs and kicks im getting lately. Apparently Peanut is growing white fat deposits under her skin, and her energy is surging because of it. 🙂

7 months scan and Dr appointment

So today was the 7 month scan (Its around 7 months or just over usually) and once a month check-up for June with our lovely Gyno/Dr.

 So this scan was to check the blood flow in the baby and make sure everything was going ok.

We were in a bit of a rush this morning and while Alex parked the car in the underground carpark near the clinic i quickly used there toilets as i am again peeing every five minutes. A few minutes later i hear Alex say in Italian to someone ‘I have lost my Wife!’ as i came back out.

The couple he was talking to burst into laughter and he smiled when he saw me which was really funny i couldnt stop laughing.

We ended up getting to the appointment with 1 minute to spare then had to wait 10 minutes for the Dr to be ready 😛

Alex had to help me onto the table this time from the side as my belly is big now before i could lay down and be gelled up for the Dr to take a look.

It was again Amazing to see how big Peanut has gotten! She’s huge now! We could see her face, head, arms, tummy and legs. And it was very surreal to feel her kick and see the kick on the screen at the same time!

The Dr commented on her active movement and said ‘wow she likes to move alot & practise her boxing!’ which made me smile!

He then pointed out her ears and asked which one of us had sticking out ears! Alex looked closely at the screen and admitted he had had them as a baby lol.

Everything with Peanut was fine the blood flow was normal, her heart sounded normal and we even listened to my heart to from an artery down there.

Peanut weighs 1.25 kilograms which is normal for where she is at 28 weeks even slightly over 🙂 But her head is still up and she hasnt turned yet.

The Dr said the last scan from him would be around 35/36 weeks to make sure her head was engaged in the right place ready for Birth.

We had time before our next appointment with the Gyno at the same place so we stepped outside to get some air for 10 minutes.

Alex was pouting and said he was worried about Peanut’s sticking out ears and he wanted her to be perfect lol. I pointed out that he didnt have sticking out ears now if he had had them as a baby. And im sure that they wouldnt be sticking out permantly with Peanut and she was already perfect with or without them.

Just then a Young girl and her Grandmother walked past us towards the clinic. The Young girl had down syndrome and as she saw me she stopped walked over and held her hand out towards my belly.

I smiled at her and moved forwards so she could put her hand on my belly and she stared intently waiting for the baby to kick. But Peanut i think was being quiet and i had to explain to her in Italian that the baby was sleeping and wasnt kicking right now.

She gave me the biggest sweetest smile then went to her Grandmother 🙂 Alex couldnt stop smiling and said that that had made his day and what a lovely little girl she was.

I had a cousin who passed away with down syndrome and he was the sweetest, kindest person so i was happy to let her try and feel Peanut kick it seemed to make her happy.

As we walked back in her Grandmother smiled at us and the girl said ‘ Pregnant?’ looking at me. Her Grandmother said ‘yes very pregnant’ as they walked up the stairs 🙂

So then we went to see our Gyno and show her the results of the scan and also the blood test results from begining of June.

Apparently i have to eat more protein and less carbs from now on which is fine with me 😉 So Alex cant insist on pizza and pasta all the time lol

The aches and swelling in my hands are normal and she told me to try and stay laying/sleeping on the left side which will allow more blood flow to the baby better which i already knew.

I mentioned the dull pain i sometimes get low in my right side when walking about outside sometimes on my walks and she said we would get a blood test done to take sure its not my appendix to be on the safe side.

I also mentioned the weird feeling i had tuesday night when my Whole belly went tight and my lower part of my bump felt really heavy with dull pains. I also had a shooting pain from top of uterus to bottom of vagina.

The Gyno said this could have been a random contraction and so she gave me some pills to take just incase i got them again which would stop them from happening. She also checked the neck of my uterus and said it was still closed but very slightly softer.

Alex then went on to ask what we should do if the baby came early etc etc and she gave us all the information and told us to phone and text us if we needed her.

She also said if Peanut doesnt turn i will have to have a c-section but we have plenty of time for her to decide to turn and engage her head in the right place. Also when she turns i will feel it as my Whole belly will move!

Apart from this she said everything looked good and we could see her begining of August when we did the last scan 🙂

So we headed home feeling quite happy and relieved as we Always do once we know everything is going ok. But walking back from the Car to the house i got the heavy feeling again low down and had to walk really slowly. I even got the sharp shooting pain again and once we were inside i had to lay down until the feeling stopped after a few minutes.

It felt similar to the sensation on tuesday night but without the tightening feeling in my belly so im not sure it was a contraction or not but we are going to keep an eye on it. Apparently it can be very normal to experience them from now as your body is getting ready and exercising the muscles which will be needed on D Day.

                                                                                  (My Sister and Niece sent me this cute EMO baby grow which we both love its so cute!!!)

Now these appointments are out of the way we have contacted the  obstetrician at santa famiglia clinic and arrange the first pre-natal classes which we will have on saturday!

Also on tuesday night i woke up to Peanut poking me! Literally it was a poke from inside and happened twice very strongly during the night!

It felt very different from the kicks im used to so it was an interesting feeling. Shes very active now dancing, wiggling, kicking & punching about inside my belly alot of the time:)

So its always nice to feel something different and know shes growing and becoming curious about the outside world she will eventually be part of.

Coping with Heat when Pregnant

So today i want to blog about heat….basically about being pregnant and living in a hot country like Italy.

I have been kinda lucky this year as the hot weather which usually starts in April didnt start til half way through June this year due to wet weather. So i have missed a huge amount of the spring heat.

But the heat has hit now going up from 26c to 31-32c and slowly begining the creep up to 37c-38c. (July/August boo!)

Normally i dont mind the heat that much as i will go out swimming or enjoy walking around in the parks and going to the local markets.          

But when your pregnant heat and alot of sun is a big no no and bad for you and baby. So this summer it will be me indoors most of the time under the fan, aircon and having cold baths!

Pregnant woman apparently are more sensitive to temperatures which can make them feel unwell. Remember your already having hot flushes here and there already! To much heat can also be bad for the baby itself. Also the sun/heat can cause more swelling in your hands and feet as well.

I have noticed several times this week when i have gone out in the day just in my local area i have felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. I overheat quite quickly now and do feel the heat alot more than i normally do.

But i plan to do more evening walks when its cooler and the sun is down so i get some exercise and some fresh air which is what you need when your indoors most of the day.

Plus i need to drink tons more water now its getting hotter as i will be sweating more so i have started drink 4 cups of tea a day, 1 glass of orange juice & 1,5 litre bottle of water a day ( sometime one of those bottles and half as well).

Yes i end up needing the bathroom more especially at night but at least i know im getting enough liquid for both me and little Peanut which is very important during hot summers when pregnant.

I have read in several pregnancy books if you dont drink enough liquid when its hot it can be a cause of premature Birth!

So i found some suggested tips for keeping cool when pregnant during summer!

• Do outdoor tasks in the morning or evening when the sun is lower and temperatures are cooler.
• When temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, stay indoors in the shade near a fan or air conditioner.
• Wear light-colored clothing.
• Drink plenty of liquids to remain hydrated. Sports drinks with electrolytes can help replace lost salt and retain fluid.
• Carry a spray bottle of water with you at all times.
• Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 20 minutes before going into sun. Reapply throughout the day.
• Take quick showers frequently to keep cool.
• Put feet up to alleviate swelling.
• Minimize salt intake, which will combat water retention.
• Take frequent naps.
• Ask for help if you’re too tired to cook, clean, or run errands.
• Alter your normal schedule to minimize time in the heat.
• Wear light, comfy, roomy clothing with breathable fabrics & light colours which wont absorb the heat.
• Choose your footwear carefully to allow room for afternoon swelling in your feet  and ankles.

All of them good advice and well needed when its hot like this! I am really not looking forwards to the full summer heat and really needed to find this advice! Another thing i have started doing is keeping cheap icelollies in the freezer for when i want something cold. They really do make a difference in the afternoon when the room is really hot and your all sweaty and tired believe me!

But this is the joys of having a baby born in September! LOL I can see why people plan to conceive in the summer to give Birth in the spring now!

Anyway today Alex dragged me back to Prenatal Mega so he could order the Silver package deal  which included the carseat, stroller, basket stroller for newborn, wooden crib, all the bedding, mattress and the little bed which goes inside for a newborn! They gave us the bedding straight away and the rest of it comes in 10 days time straight to our door! So thats all very exciting!!

Also an Expat i talk to wants to sell some second hand baby stuff and has asked me if im interested in buying some things! And so we are going to hopefully have a look at the things next weekend 🙂

So today we are 28 weeks along and Peanut is an Eggplant! 🙂 Putting on layers of fat, she should now weighs in around 1.5 to 2.5 pounds and measures about 13.6 to 14.8 inches.

Baby Swaddling pro’s and Con’s

So a pregant friend of mine sent me a youtube video about how to swaddle a newborn baby.

Heres the video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4SnaQ1DVJM

How cute is that?? After i had recovered from the overload of cuteness i got to wondering how easy swaddling could be.

The man in the video did it like a pro! But when its your first baby your going to have the worry of hurting your little one or not wrapping her/him up right!

Then checking every 2 minutes to see if he/she is still wrapped up? did you wrap it to tight? is the child happy?

I guess after some practise you would become a pro to and could probably swaddle with your eyes closed.

So then i got to chatting with the pregnant friend who sent me the video over the option of swaddling or non swaddling. We both agreed the baby in the video looked very happy once it was finally all wrapped up like a little pink burrito.

But how many attempts would it take for a first time parent to get something like that right? Would all babies enjoy to be swaddled?

would swaddling be for us? was it completely safe? would both parents be able to pick up the art of swaddling? Do you swaddle all the time?

So i spent a week mulling over the idea of swaddling vs normal blankets. The baby in the video did look very comfy and happy at the end.

I havent seen many babies swaddled here in Roma, Italy so im not sure if its a big thing here or not. Although i have read that Others think its not a big thing done here but apparently it was very popular back in ancient Roman times.

Saying that i havent been around alot of babies here. So i guess its just down to the decisions of the parents in the end what they want to do (and of course the Italian Grandparents who usually take a big step into their new Grandchild’s life lol).

Then today while googling baby blankets i actually stumbled across these ready made swaddling blankets! Basically there already made to just wrap around your baby and secure in place. You dont actually need the blanket in the video i watched or to sit there for goodness how long figuring out how to wrap your baby burrito!

You just wrap and go within a minute or two and both you and baby are comfortable!

Finding these i did some more googling to see what are available and found some really cute ones in different colours and patterns. Different ones for winter and summer.

So after a bit i decided to order a few summer light ones as Peanut will be born begining of september here in Italy which will still be hot. So i want her to be comfortable as possible and they sound like the perfect idea for just that!

I will see how it goes when shes born and see if she likes the idea of swaddling or not at the end of the day its down to her and if shes comfortable.

The Benefits of Swaddling

Babies sleep longer: Babies are used to being snuggled tight in the womb. While being wrapped tightly in a blanket doesn’t sound great to most adults, it is for a new baby. Hospital nurses, friends and your mother will all tell you that babies do sleep better when they are wrapped.

Less crying: The movements of his arms and legs cause the baby to startle. This is upsetting to the baby and causes over stimulation. When they are over stimulated, newborns cry in an attempt to block out the stimuli. When they are swaddled, the jerky arm and leg movements are kept to a minimum, resulting in less crying.

Fewer scratches: Newborn nails are sharp and grow fast. Nearly all babies scratch their faces with those jerky movements in their sleep. When the baby is swaddled, she is less likely to scratch up her face the night before you have her portraits taken.

Update

A very nice commenter made me aware that you have to be careful with the child’s legs when swaddling as well!

Improper swaddling can lead to hip dysplasia or developmental dysplasia of the hip so this is why you have to be careful. This helpful link provided by the commenter i mentioned explains all and how to Swaddle safely! 🙂

http://www.hipdysplasia.org/developmental-dysplasia-of-the-hip/hip-healthy-swaddling/

How im feeling at 7 months along today!

So this is another round up of how i have been feeling from 6 months to 7 months pregnant as im 7 months along today! 😀 (Although theres some confusion in books/internet what week 7 months along begins! Its either 27 or 28. But im 27 weeks now & consider myself 7 months pregnant so theres another belly pic in this page)

And finally in the 3rd trimester!

I have been snoring now since 5 months pregnant and driving poor Alex crazy! Apparently its normal to snore alot due to the added weight so i dont feel to guilty about it 😉

 My Mom told me she snored in every pregnancy and drove my Dad crazy lol

I have been sleeping on the sofa bed on and off to give him a break from my chainsaw snoring as he is the one who has to go to work!

Plus i can sleep better knowing i can roll over alot and not wake him up all the time 🙂

From about 6 months along i started to get some dull pains and cramps on either left or right side quite high up. But when i laid down i could feel Peanut kick in the area and wiggle away then the pain would stop.

So reading up i found that if the baby sits in a certain position or very high it can cause this pain.

Also i have been having more stretching pains as my belly expands more quickly now and my muscles have to cope with the extra weight of the fast growing baby.

I feel like a whale even though im not so huge as some women can get in the begining of the 3rd trimester. I am getting light back ache way more and can’t stand on my feet for more than an hour or both back and feet start to hurt.

And OMG the night leg cramps!! I have had them alot now and its so not nice! I tired the warm baths and having walks in the day to prevent them but its not working 😦

Hand swelling began from 6 months and has been happening on and off since then. But i have noticed sometimes its just my left hand which swells up! Its so weird! But i have read this can happen.

I actually had a nightmare the night after we went to check out the Santa Famiglia clinic a while back which wasnt nice and left me feeling very unsettled. Its never nice to have a bad dream that wakes you up with heart pounding and shallow breath 😦

I have also been feeling really anxious and scared for the baby to i know its silly but thats how i feel. I have read this can be normal but if you havent experienced it yourself then people dont tend to understand.

I know in my heart its probably linked to my loss last year and part of me is scared we have got this far healthy with Peanut but im still worried.

But I am getting excited, nervous and scared and i just want to have Peanut born and with us! Even then its scary thinking of having to look after this little wrinkly person as first time parents.

And even though we have read alot of books i dont think it prepares you fully for the arrival. Becoming a first time parent is a big and frightening step!

So some things they dont tell you about pregnancy!

Getting more hair on your belly! Its true!!! I have found just under my belly button area i seem to have grown more hair there which apparently is to do with the hormones! Even Alex has noticed lol but luckily i have been told it will go away after Birth.

This last week i have been getting pains in the pelvic/pubic area and was wondering what was going on. Apparently its my ligaments there stretching preparing for D day and nothing to worry about at all. It can be really uncomfortable and painful sometimes and apparently can get worse!

My belly button is still an innie  and not an outie belly button LOL i always thought you get an outie during end of pregnancy but apparently it doesnt happen to everyone! So we will have to wait and see if that changes for me or not 🙂

Wanting to get to D Day! Everyone tells you to enjoy your pregnancy how wonderful it is but you do get to the stage where you want it to be over and done with. And at 7 months i have hit that point where i would like to just have Peanut here now! Seriously 9 months is soooo long!

Scratching thats another thing i want to mention! Its really important to make sure your putting your oil/cream on your belly each day. Not to just help with stretch marks but to keep moisture in the stretching skin as it can become itchy and dry. I have found several scratch marks on my belly i have done myself so im very careful now.

The baby kicking like crazy! Peanut kicks like crazy sometimes and as she doesnt know what time of day it is it can happen at anytime. The books tell you how wonderful experience it is and of course it is at the start until your little one gets bigger! Then it becomes very uncomfortable and painful.

We are finally 7 months along and in the 3rd Trimester. So in the last stretch of our journey before D Day! And we both can’t wait until we finally get to meet Peanut in person 😀

Week 27 and Peanut is a turnip!!

At 13.6 to 14.8 inches and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds, she’s not just getting bigger, she’s getting smarter.

Mega Prenatal Shop Roma

So someone we know started asking us about what things we have already for the baby and if we had made a list yet. After we told her we had a few bits she kinda went into overdrive telling us we should have everything ready for D Day and basically scarying the crap out of us.            

I dont need someone else to tell me time is going quickly! I am fully aware how 3 months along has turned into over 7 month from Tomorrow and we only have 13-ish WEEKS LEFT TIL DUE DAY!!!!! eeeek!!!

So suddenly after this i became hormonal pregnant list woman and whirled around the flat making lists of everything we had been given!

I also Googled the essentials needed for a newborn baby at home and here are the things people suggested as you really need:

Baby Bed

Baby sheets

Push chair

Car seat

Nappies

Baby wipes

Baby Milk

Baby oil

Baby Shampoo

Light baby blankets

Baby bouncer

Baby lotion

Baby powder

Baby thermometer

These were the suggestions and so far we dont have any of this stuff! Mainly because you can buy the basic lotions, creams, nappies anywhere and the larger stuff like bed etc we wanted to wait until i was 7 months along. And so this weekend we decided to bit the bullet and go have a look at baby beds, strollers, car seat etc!

We had a Google as we didnt want to go to just any Prenatal shop we wanted to try and find a big one and by luck we found a Mega Prenatal had opened this May on Via Tiburtina!

So this morning we jumped in the car and headed over for a look to see what deals, offers and things they had available. I have to say right off i was really impressed with the shop it was huge!

As soon as i entered i could see a section for baby food, nappies, kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff! you name it they had it! A big section for baby clothes newborn and upwards and everything was sooooo cute!!

I honestly was almost in tears touching the little pink dresses, shoes etc and Alex had to hug me as i was so overwhelmed with being hit that Peanut would soon be here!

Alex also was very over emotional with all the baby stuff and went straight into finding the best stuff mode! lol

He even found a deal in the shop which looks awesome! They have 3 packages silver, gold and platinum each a bit more expensive than the other but really good deals!

We really liked the silver package where for 499 euros you got a car seat, stroller, newborn stroller, wooden baby bed, the little newborn material bed, plus all the bedding!!

This to be honest is a really good deal for first time parents! Its practically all you need for the first 2 years of your babies life!

Next Alex went to inspect the strollers, car seats etc they had on display (and there were alot) and more specifically the ones included in the deal we were looking at. The sales woman was really helpful showed us how to put them all up and down. Also how to reattach and dettach eachthing and then let us push the stroller about over a little course they had with wood, stone and gravel flooring!

It was Amazing what they had thought of in this shop! I even found a maternity section! And several areas where Mom’s could go breastfeed!

The deals are on going and so we will probably order the silver package a bit closer to August as theres no point having all the stuff until then. Plus they deliver to your house which is a big bonus and makes it easier.

Alex said we would come back again soon and buy some more bits after we make a list of what we already have LOL. I did point out i have already made lists of EVERYTHING we have already in a hormonal moment.

So it should be easy enough working out what clothes we still need and other extra little bits like light blankets etc which im quite excited and looking forwards to buying!

We do have some baby stuff we havent completely just left it to the last minute  Some things given to us by a friend Becca and a suitcase full of baby stuff my Mum and Sister dragged to Roma from the UK. Plus a few baby clothes items as gifts from other friends! 🙂

 we have:

Baby Bath with stand

Maternity Pads thick and thin ( for me after D day)

Breast feeding pads (as you leak)

New Baby bowls & lids

New Baby bottles

Sterilizing tablets

Nappy Bags

Cotton pads

Burp cloth

Scratch mitts

New different sized teats for the bottles (for different months)

Plastic changing mat cover

Hooded baby towel

Baby sponge

Baby gel teethers

Nappy Rash cream

Plastic Baby bibs

Baby dummies

Changing mat

Baby monitor

Breast Pump

Strap on baby harness

So as you can see we do have stuff which we will need once Peanut is home along with baby onesies, socks, hats, baby blankets, baby sleeping bag, little outfits, etc and im sure we will be given more or buy more now we know where the big Prenatal is! 🙂

Men in Labor

So this website called ‘The bump’ i sometimes look on had this video where two men decided to see what labor felt like for women. Basically they were saying the normal ‘oh women exagerate  about this kinda stuff’.  So they went to a Doctor who stimulated their abdomen with electrods so recreate labour pains!

Its Worth a watch to see what these brave men went through especially as at the begining they thought women exagerate over this kind of thing! And they only did it for 1 hour when women can go through it for hours even days sometimes! (First time pregnancy labor can last 9 hours or more apparently!)

http://blog.thebump.com/2013/05/15/hilarious-men-in-labor-video-is-a-must-see-watch/?cm_mmc=facebook-_-may13-_-meninlabor-_-none

I have read that they have done this experiment before but its interesting to watch! I guess men do have lower pain threshholds then women after all! LOL

Even Alex was cringing when i showed it to him!

                                                                                                              

Its getting hard to bend down and tie my shoes now infact its getting hard to bend down and do anything now at all!Alex now has to help me feed the cat as i just cant crouch down anymore to put the food in the bowl its to uncomfortable and if i do manage it i end up with a low dull pain in my tummy.

I have kinda lost interest in food as well….i am eating but i dont fancy anthing anymore which is really annoying so i ended up staring into the cupboards for ages trying to work out what i want! And i have noticed an increase in my apetitie to!

Its weird i seem to have hit past 6 months then after that all these things i have mentioned have been happening really quickly! It hasnt crept up on me its almost from day to day stuff.

I have had more leg night cramps and now i have noticed swelling a little in my hands and my knuckles ache. This seems to happen when i sleep on my sides at night which im doing all the time now.

So i have to wake up and roll onto my other side in the night so one side isnt to effected as the other! Apparently this can be normal but i am going to mention it to the Dr!

We had to cancel a Dr/Gyno appointment today due to the public transport strike here in Roma! But she told us to text if i didnt feel ok or we had any questions and the next appointment is only in a few weeks anyway.

OMG i have gone completely off Tomatoes! They make me feel sick now when i eat them especially the tomato base they use in Sugo sauce and pizza base! My tummy gets really upset after eating them and i think its my tummy acid reacting badly.

So Peanut is the size of a lettuce today & weighs the size of a 2 pound roast chicken! :O  (i know the vegetable pics are becoming out of context now as shes growing bigger but i still think there cute 😉 )

Her kicking is becoming more uncomfortable and sometimes hurts as shes getting stronger! Some days she kicks like crazy and other days she seems to be lazy and more quiet!