Irregular movements

Emergency monitoring and scan. 

I touch up on my last post that I had to go up to hospital and got sent for a scan due to different patterns of movement with baby. 

First I will say that is any point your worried about babies movement, if they slow down, not as regular or change and you don't feel right go get checked. It's normally nothing to worry about and very common. As baby could of just moved or something however always go get checked just incase. Do not sit and worry. As your midwive or hospital will always say to go in. 

So my movements changed. This little one as been wiggling round alot. I felt the first movements at 13 weeks. Then from around 18 I felt the baby everyday. From about 22 weeks there was a clear pattern. I would feel movement at set times in the day or like every time I had a bath or played music. Our pot of gold was constantly on the go by this point. At least every half hour. Then certain times I would get full body movements limbs pushing put and stretching so much you could see my belly move from the outside. 

Then at 27 weeks I still felt lots of movement just not as much or as strong. It was just small flutters. I then started getting regular rhythmic pattern which I assumed where hiccups. Which is probably is but they were happen alot of longer amounts of time. Then on top of this my bump was going very hard like Braxton Hicks but again more often. 

So I rang the day unit and they told me to come up, where they put me on the monitor for a hour. This measure baby's heartbeat, and movements. It also measure my heart rate. I then had a button I had to press when I felt a movement. Typical that the moment the midwive put the probs for monitor on my bump the baby starting kicking them and moving like they would normally. 

The monitor showed baby was moving lots, I also felt alot of them too. also that both our heart rates where  fine. However because my tummy was still going hard which could be seen on the monitoring too, they booked me a scan just to check baby's growth. They also routinely do this at some hospital if it is the first lot of irregular movements in the pregnancy. 

So two days later I was back up the hospital for the scan. Luckly Ben was able to come, while Ariyah had a play date at her friend's house. Baby was absolutely fine, moving around. The scan showed that their growing well measuring around 2lb 4oz at 28 weeks which is great. So all is well and we were reassured that our pot of gold was all healthy. Since this I had my normal movements of constant wiggling, kicking and body parts pushing out. I feeling much better after being able to see our baby again as it had been 5 weeks since our last scan. 

We do have another private one booked in 3 weeks, for a 4D ultrasound whilst we are in London which will be amazing to see if baby looks like Nico or Ariyah. We can't wait as she can come to this scan too so she get to see her sibling too. As she definitely starting to understand more now we talking about the baby. We are trying to prepare her for the change but how she will be a big sister who can't help and who is very important. 

We have been sorting more of the house, baby bits and general things out. So feeling productive at the moment, being busy with lots to sort out. I think I am finially getting to the nesting stage where I just want everything sorted. While it also means I am doing to much. 

7 months pregnant

 28 weeks! 

I can not believe I am 28 weeks already it has gone so fast but at the same time so slow. With just over 11 weeks left we have lots to sort out. 

 I have had two midwives appointment since my last post and a phone call with a consultant about my c sections. 

1st midwive appointment was 25 weeks which was routine, nothing really to report just did my blood pressure, urine sample and listened to baby. Spoke about how I had been. Everything was good with me and baby health wise. Spoke to her about my hips and back pains, and my physio coming up. Things I can do to ease the pain and help me sleep better. 

Then the consultant call was the following week. I was expect a long phone call outlining why I wanted a elective C-section and all about the risks. I thought I would have to really push and fight to have one but the consultant was like yeah I will do the request as your midwive put through for you to have one. That they will call in 8 weeks time to see how the pregnancy is coming along and get a date hopefully book. Which could be anytime from 39 weeks- due date. Hopefully on 39 weeks as I spoke to him about how Nico anniversary of birth and death was the 29th of August. How traumatic it was and contributes to why I want to have a  C-section early. To ensure baby is here safe before that date. He did go through the risk over the phone briefly because I knew them, where Ben had a C-section with Ariyah.

Second midwive appointment was today did normal blood pressure checks, urine ect then took some blood to check my iron levels and antibodies. We discussed the hardening I have been getting and that it's probably Braxton Hicks. As well as what appointment I have next. 

She also went over recent scan and monitoring I had due to having irregular movements and having to be checked up the hospital. Again post to come about this. Meanwhile all is fine with baby and me. 

How I have been: 

Generally I been okay actually, been getting intergestion which is not nice and few odd times where nauseous has randomly come back. Very tired and bump getting heavier now too which does put pressure on my hips and back. But I have physio later.

We been doing lots more as family because Ben has been off work and the weather has been nice. Therefore we have been walking about which does help but running round, park, beach and soft play after a toddler is exhausting when pregnant. 

I am getting lots of movement now and even felt baby hiccuping a few times. This baby is a wiggler as I feel the kicks and movement almost all day, everyday. Getting whole body parts moving my belly. Can see clearly from the outside the kicks and where their head is. It is amazing to feel and watch as my skin stretches out, with wave motions when baby moves. But some can actually be uncomfortable or even a bit painful when baby digs in or kicks ribs or low down. People forget to tell you this, sharing  joys of pregnancy but leave out the hard bits. 

We have been getting baby bits ready, like washing and iron clothes, putting them away. Cleaning other toys and bits. As well as generally sorting everything we have and what we still need. 

Baby's hospital bags are packed, now sorting out bottles and essential because these next few week will go so fast. 

We off to London in a few weeks too for my gender consultant appointment at 31 weeks. We have a private 4D scan booked, at the same place we had Ariyah's. So lots to pack and look forward to. I will do an post about these both. As well as a guide to what to put in your hospital bags in the next few post. Please share, comment and follow my blog. Thank you for support do far. 

Stereotypes- why do people judge.

 Judging sex based on colour or theme. 

So this post is a bit of a expression of my current feeling really. As trans gay daddies we do not care what biological sex our child are. We raise them to express themselves, have access to any toys or activity that they like and enjoy. Whatever they express interest in we will support and follow. 

We do not stick to certain colours, toys, roles, jobs ect to restrict our children based on their sex assigned at birth. 

Yes while for Ariyah we do use her biological sex and female pronouns. We use the correct terms for her body parts, like vagina. This is for safety and for her to understand anatomy. However as she grows up we will teach her that this does not define her at all. She can choose to wear or do what she is comfortable in and express her own identity. From a very young ages we let her choose what she wanted, from what to wear, toys, and even what she wants to eat out of chooses. Because of this we got to see her own little personality and express unfold. She was happy and independent to make up her own mind. Instead of being like you have to wear pink and dresses or play with dolls because your a girl kind of mind frame. That is not how any child should be raised in my opinion. As it restriction them as well as contributes to society old expections based on sex/gender. Why so many children have anxiety, mental health and do not feel like they fit in. Why bulling happens to those that are deemed different. Instead of embracing uniqueness

Anyways that being said Ariyah is very typically girly same many say. But in other ways not so much. Which is why we love to just see her interests and will support her no matter what. Because while yes she would choose to wear a dress, saying pretty and wow when she has one on. Anything flowery and bright she loves. Yellow seems to be her favourite colour right now. She very caring and sweet. She loves babies and animals. But on the other hand she loves Welly boots, football, running around in mud and climbing. She into Paw patrol and dinasours at the moment. She also seems to make friends or get on with boys rather then girls at baby groups and the park.  She loves to rough play and jump on daddy. But she a daddies (Ben) girl to. So this shows that why do they have to just be one or the other that children and well anyone can like different things at same time and be who they want. As she grows her understanding and own identity will come through and whatever that is it's okay!. 

So along with having had comments about how we raised Ariyah very neutrally. We have comments on this pregnancy and baby. 

Everyone first question is do you know what your having? Not how are you feeling how is baby. We were going to keep in a surprise however it does not matter to us as why make a big deal over it. So we have told people now and il do a whole post on this. But why announce it when it should not be important. 

But we had people say well I know what your having because of the colour and theme we have in babies room. Which I actually laughted at. Because we did babies room before we even found out biological sex. So not sure how they can know from that. Just because of one colour. 

So our theme is moon, stars and clouds which is to honour Nico our son in heaven, our little star. As well as to match Ariyah theme of rainbow as she is our rainbow baby. Again she choose that she likes them. Because of the stars and moon theme we are using night time colours of gold, silver and navy blue. The gold is also because this baby is our pot of gold baby. 

So people who are judging just because there is a bit of blue in the babies room. Really like Ariyah theme was jungle and green, yellow and orange no one said anything about that. But use a bit of navy oh it has to be a boy because girls can not possibly have blue. It is very frustrating when we are getting these comment and trying to bring our babies up to be themselves yet they have people all around them influencing and pushing gender stereotypes on them. 

This post was very much my opinion and in no way to upset anyone or say how they should raise their own children or views they have. Just to highlight our parenting choices and that everyone should respect each other. To spread awareness on how engrained society expections on sex and gender are. Then to challenge people to maybe not jump to conclusion and think about how we view the world. 

If you have any concerns or comments please feel free to comment or message us. Thank you.