12 weeks

It's been exciting over the past few weeks, finally telling everyone! I'm someone who likes to call with news like this, so there has been lots of catching up with friends I've not spoken to since the wedding! I was speaking with a family friend who works at the local radio station last week, whom I've done several interviews with in the past. We have been talking about doing a follow up interview for a while now. One of her colleagues overheard me talking about the baby and asked to do an interview with me about it. Actually he wants to do a couple, but we did the first one this week, with more to follow next year. Once I get a link to the story, I'll put it up here. 

I have noticed a real difference between how I feel when I get enough sleep and when I don't. It's frustrating, because I need at least 10 hours  a night at the moment, if not 11-12. It leaves so few hours in the day! But if I don't get that rest, it just wipes me out completely for days! We are also in a Tassie heatwave at the moment, which would be enough to wipe me out normally. It's been around high 20's, low 30's the past few days and will be up to 34 this weekend! We are going away down the coast for a wedding, in which Tim is a groomsman. This will be my first beach wedding post injury and I feel it's going to be an exhausting weekend! 

I haven't been having craving as such (apart from the occasional up of hot chips, although I'm going off them after the way they've made me feel the last few times) but there are definitely foods I can't stand right now. The smell of bacon cooking sets me right off, as does cooked asparagus. Mostly I just want plain carbs, like toast, crumpets and lots of potato. I have been eating a lot of fruit too. We have these amazing raspberries coming out of our garden at the moment, but I'm trying not to eat too many, since they are so acidic. I have been doing better at my water intake, after weeks of drinking water making me feel nauseous, I'm finally managing to get a bit more down. The fact I'm not vomiting everyday has probably helped too!

I have had to admit to myself that I definitely have put on weight the last few months, almost all on my belly. I shouldn't be surprised- I have spent so much time in bed and on the couch. So I really have to make an effort to be getting out for a push or a swim most days. I'm going to have to drag out my one piece because there is no way these boobs can be squeezed into my bikini! I have gone out for a push a few times this last week, but due to the gravel on our driveway, I'm not up to going out by myself at the moment. It's just too hard to get in and out of our place by myself!

I have decided my discomfort going to sleep is indigestion. I've got some Mylanta, which I've tried a few times, but I have found that a simple pillow fort actually does the job nicely most nights. I'm not joking about my bed being a pillow fort, there are so many pillows involved Tim almost needs a grappling hook to kiss me goodnight! Quickeze has also been suggested to me, so that's my next experiment. One of my cousins used them, since she found mylanta made her sick, which is something I've noticed a couple of times when I've taken it.

I took the plunge and decided to get my referral sent through to the public system. I got a letter recently saying I had my first appointment at the hospital booked, on a Tuesday, the only day I currently work! So I've had that changed until just after Christmas.
Dr H did call me last weekend again though, to talk to me about testing for downs syndrome. Basically she told me the different ways they can test and the costs etc involved in each. The cheapest and most common is the combination ultrasound and blood test, which has to be done within the next week if I want to do that. I had her send through the paperwork so I can decide while that comes through, but to be honest I don't think I'm going to do it. I'm 100% pro-choice, but my choice is personally that I would only ever terminate if it was going to come down to either the baby or me. Downs syndrome is not enough for me to 'start again'. So for me, knowing would just mean that I was thinking about that for the next six months, rather than the excitement of the baby itself. Apart from anything else, we are basically in the lowest risk category for it, I've got other things to worry about.

My sisters finally got back this week! So there will be lots of sister time over the next couple of weeks, while Ellie is briefly home, and with Becca over the next few months I hope. It's so good to all be back together, even if it's only for a while...