Can Coughing Dislodge My Baby? HACK! HACK!

Wow! Lashings of apologies for not posting sooner, all 4 of you which are following my blog. I have been near death with a chest infection, which was ghastly… I think my body was too busy with all the baby-building to help fight it off!

But I’m definitely on the mend, and everything is as it should be. Despite a small flutter of panic over the last few days wondering if there was any possibility that the severity of my horrible cough could somehow ‘dislodge’ the baby – yes, it was that bad – we are moving along quite nicely. I am feeling a bit ropey at the moment, the nausea is coming and going but I haven’t actually been sick yet… which is encouraging; I didn’t puke a lot with Ben and I’m hoping to be the same with this one. I’m also in the funny phase where I’m tired alllllllll the time. I could sleep anywhere, anytime, on anything at the moment. But all this is totally normal, and thankfully I have a very accommodating and understanding husband who has let me come in from work and just relax, while he runs around like a lunatic sorting out Ben, and baths, and laundry and meals. Bliss! What would I do without him?

We have been to see the midwife – the wonderful Lynnette. She was the midwife I had with Ben, and a kinder, more accommodating and helpful woman you will not find. First, a bit of background for the benefit of those across The Pond – here in the UK, people having babies are all handled by midwives, who work at the hospitals in partnership with obstetrics staff. My understanding is that in Canada, if you elect to use a midwife it’s still sort of seen as an ‘alternative therapy’ kind of thing, completely separate from regular hospital and family doctor. But here, it’s the norm.

And yes, the lovely Lynnette, Jason and I had a good hour together on Monday 17th November, filling in forms, etc. According to Lynnette, the baby will be due on 11th July 2009, but sometime during the week between Xmas and New Year, I will have my first ultrasound scan, at which they will measure the baby’s bits and pieces and decide, from how big he/she is, how pregnant I actually am. And then they’ll give me a definite due date. Lynnette took a gazillion phials of blood from me, which I wasn’t too keen on. But she was very gentle and complimentary (she said, “Ooh, haven’t you got nice veins?” to which I replied, “Er… thanks – I really like your hair!” Ha ha.)

So, basically we’re looking forward to the dating scan…which typically happens somewhere between 11 and 13 weeks. I remember how magical our first glimpse of Ben was – and I’m really looking forward to having a peek at this baby. Also, I’m waiting for my Maternity Exemption Certificate to arrive… here in the UK, while you’re pregnant and for a year after the baby’s birth, you get free prescriptions and dental care. Whoo hoo!! So needless to say, I have booked an appointment at the dentist for late January. There’s nothing like free treatment to take the sting out of dental work!