6 weeks to go

So much has been going on in the last few weeks and reality is finally dawning. Next month we're having a baby - AAAARGGHHHHHH!!

We've been going to the National Childbirth Turst Ante Natal classes. They've been great but really underlined how little I know. We've gone through the stages of labour, pain relief (very important!), bonding with the baby, interventions, breatsfeeding, how to change nappies - all sorts of things. There are another five couples on the course all from the local area and all are very nice. Today is our last session after which we're all off to the pub!

My idea of delivery has changed so much over the last few months, knowledge really is power amd I was very ignorant beforehand. I still am to a great extent but I really feel we are in a better place to make informed decisons now than what we were a few months ago.

So what would be the perfect delivery for us?? We'd start with a tens machine at home for pain relief when labour kicks in and then ideally end up having a water birth using gas and air for pain relief. Now that's in a perfect world. The one thing we have learned is that ANYTHING can happen and you've got to go with the flow and be prepared to change. Being too set in what you want can lead to bad birth experiences if it all doesn't go according to your meticulous planning, and lets face it, a million things could affect how things play out.

I've had to go to hospital for monitoring and assessment a couple of times now - my age is starting to impact I think. I've had a couple of pretty high blood pressure readings and other early signs of pre-eclampsia so its time to take things easy.

I finish up work on Monday which will be both a relief and a worry. I've got a great team handling things and everything will be OK, I just feel a bit guilty about some of them not only having to carry on with their own jobs but take on my responsibilities too. We've been planning it for a while although it still feels like I'm leaving everyone in the lurch, but some things are simply more important.

Poor HB has had to put up with me being a miserable cow over the last week or so. Things turned quite uncomfortable for me over the weekend - particularly as Blobby decided to use my bladder as a trampoline which made walking and standing up very difficult. Add some constipation and wind to that and I wasn't exactly a joy to be around. Note to self - must try harder not to provide HB with an ongoing list of niggles, it just comes across as whinging and he will be having doubts that I am going to be able handle the really big pain (I don't have trouble handling pain, I just talk about it). Having said that, he took to bed with man flu (had a headache and was feeling funny) this week so I was able to nurse him like all good wives do - I wouldn't have it any other way!