Positivity over no-sleep-stress, now for hypnotherapy all the way!

After a particularly stressful time with my restless legs last week my Mum practically dragged me to the Doctors on Monday. It's been years since I've had my Mum come to the Docs with me, so that was weird but useful as I know I would have been heaps more rosy about the situation had she not been there to probe the Doctor a bit more. As it turns out there is really nothing that can be done about Restless Legs Syndrome and at the point that the Dr confirmed this to me I actually broke down in tears as it felt like my last bit of hope had been snatched from me! How embarrassing! It's frustrating that there's nothing that can be done but at least I know for definite now and can just get on with the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy in a different frame of mind. Rather than stressing about finding a solution, I'm just going to have to deal with it and not let it totally wind me up, after all there really isn't long left now . . . I did go and see a hypnotherapist the day after about my legs and also to discuss hypno-birthing and I have agreed to work with her for the next few weeks to see what we can do about both. If anything the whole thing should relax me and a relaxed state of mind must be a positive way forward for the RLS and definitely the upcoming labour experience, which I have to say I am really not all that phased about. Believe me I've heard all of the horror stories under the sun from friends and about friends of friends etc but at this point the way I look at it is that labour is a short process at the end of a long pregnancy to finally allow us to be with our baby and whether it's painful or not it will be over before we know it. What is the point in stressing when I don't know how long, painful or stressful it may or may not be, after all there are people out there that have virtually pain free and good labours. I'm focusing on it being a natural part of life with an amazing end product (actually two if the RLS stops immediately afterwards!) and in a weird way I'm actually really looking forward to the experience. Laugh if you must folks, but I'm at the very least going to go into this as relaxed as I possibly can and let's see what happens . . . if it totally sucks and all I do is complain about the horrific pain and terrible experience afterwards, then you can laugh out loud and tell me 'I told you so', until then just humour me - oh go on! ;-)

Bump at 34 & a half weeks

Bump side on at 34 and a half weeks

I don't know whether it's the hypnotherapy or my change in attitude but I have to admit that I've had a bit more sleep over the past three nights, probably between 3-5 hours a night! I've tried to go to bed not thinking that it's time to try and sleep and have put films on, sometimes three films until I start drifting off and yes my legs have been going, but rather than kick about, stress or get up I've just shuffled around (not the easiest task when you're 34 weeks pregnant with a rock hard, bowling ball like bump attached to your front but never mind), taken a few deep breaths and continued to try and watch the films. Granted I haven't been able to concentrate on the plots all that much, but actually watching them isn't really my intention, it's just to calm my mind down and take the emphasis off of my legs. In the end it works and without having to work or bath at 3am I've been drifting off and sleeping for an hour here and there between about 2am and 8am, lots of toilet stops and wriggling in between but it's a start and if it means storing a little more energy before the little one arrives then it is very much welcomed.

Work wise it's been a pretty good week too, lots going on and lots of positive feedback from existing clients. Plus I'm feeling confident about bringing in some more new clients over the coming month due to the enthusiasm of our new Business Development Manager, so all looking good! I don't think I'll have quite enough clients for James to be able to become a house husband as soon as the babies born, which is a shame as the people he works for (although self-employed) have said they're likely to be really busy soon and he won't be able to have that much time off when she arrives, which is a bit of a pain. If any of you know anyone that has a company that you think would benefit from Social Media then any referrals you can pass my way would be really appreciated, particularly by James! ;-) Any queries can be emailed to us at info@visionodyssey.com and if they want to have a peek at our website it's http://visionodyssey.com  - thanks in advance folks ;-)

Socially I have had a really great week too . . . we had a family get together at Mums for my Grandpa and Uncles birthday, I caught up with a friend who I haven't seen for months which was lovely, James and I had another interesting Ante-Natal class and then went to his cousins house Saturday for a big family garden party to celebrate his Auntie and Uncles Ruby wedding anniversary and then today I went to a friends to discover they had very kindly arranged a surprise baby shower for me!! Very spoiled, as not only did I get to spend time with the girls themselves but also I was plied with a lovely spread of savoury food and cakes (plus a special plate of celery and radishes!!) but they also had treated James and I to some Mothercare vouchers, which will come in handy for the last minute bits we need to get - what a fabulous week and what wonderful friends and family I have! Many reasons to feel positive!!

One last minute thing before I sign off for the week . . . the midwife confirmed that the baby is finally head down and heading in the right direction and I've definitely felt feet sticking out of my bump this week, which is really amazing!

Desperate times!

So after a bit more sleep last week on our hols it seems I was lured into a false sense of hope as since I've been home the restless legs and no sleeping has reared it's ugly head again with a vengeance! I also have it in my arms and hands and it's not just at night anymore so I haven't even been able to snatch a snooze during the day. I find it so hard to believe that there is nothing the midwife / doctor can do about this and if I'm honest the thought of going another 8 weeks with little more than an hour or two sleep every 24 hours makes me feel sick. Even as I am writing this blog (at 5am Sunday morning) my legs, arms and hands are fidgeting like crazy and yesterday all I wanted to do was watch a film in the afternoon and relax whilst it was chucking it down with rain but no sooner had I got comfortable (which is a challenge in itself at the moment) the urge to move and thrash my legs about began, so I saw no more than five minutes of the film before I was pacing the house in tears at this hopeless situation. Wow, it all sounds quite dramatic doesn't it and believe me when I tell you I hate moaning more than anyone, especially when despite this I still consider myself exceptionally lucky to be having a baby. However, what is the point in me writing a blog about my journey through pregnancy if I'm not honest . . . hopefully my whinging will not put you off reading! ;-)

I have got an appointment with the midwife tomorrow so am going to have to stress a little more about needing help. I have suggested a few times that perhaps low iron levels may be causing this but each time she has said it has nothing to do with it. I have got to have some more blood tests after seeing the Doctor before we went on holiday but stupidly put this off this week as knew I had this appointment tomorrow and don't like making too much of a fuss so every day this week kept thinking 'it can wait' - looking back that was probably stupid. I'm just hoping they put me on iron supplements and agree to me trying magnesium (suggested by a herbalist I spoke to) in an attempt to make the next few weeks a little easier. I can't see that taking these supplements will do the baby or me anymore harm than me simply not sleeping, plus at this rate I'll be a zombie before she is even born - which I thought was supposed to come afterwards! The thought of sleepless nights with her once she is here doesn't phase me at all, which some of you are probably sniggering about to yourselves, but the likelihood is that she will sleep at some point during 24 hour periods and without RLS I'll actually be able to lay down and do the same - that thought alone is one of the things keeping me going at the moment as being able to do that will be like the best gift I could ever have (aside form the baby herself of course). I told my midwife this last time I saw her and her response was 'well the thing is you'll be so tired then that you won't know what you're doing and you won't be thinking that then!' - just the positive attitude I need! She clearly isn't listening when I tell her I've been sleep and rest deprived for the last two months . . . if someone hasn't suffered personally with RLS I don't think they'll ever understand the extent of it and she is obviously one them - lucky thing!

So, let's put a positive swing on this blog so I don't put a cloud over your head today . . . erm, well, erm, oh crikey something good must have happened this week! Oh yes on Monday! I had a lovely lunch out with my Mum, Sister and our lovely friend Sarah - I went for a ploughman's (in the hope that I'd get some celery) followed by a chocolate cupcake with pistachio and amaretto ice cream, which was lovely but not quite as enjoyed as the celery and radishes I bought afterwards. My craving has continued for these and I've gone through nearly four bags of radishes since Monday so far this week! Now whilst I type I want them again and it was only about 3 hours ago that I was downstairs munching on some and probably 3 hours before that too! I didn't really believe in cravings before I was pregnant but it really does take a hold of you and once you've thought of the thing you want, that's it, there's no going back - you just have to have it! To give you an example of how much I love these things at the moment, on Friday night we were at my Mums to watch the first part of the last Harry Potter film (which, you guessed it, with my annoying restless legs I didn't end up being able to watch it, neither did poor Mum who gave me some treatments in an attempt to help) and James and Yaz had come back from the shop armed with a bag full of popcorn, chocolate, biscuits etc etc but I just wasn't interested - all I wanted was a crunchy juicy radish! ;-)

Socially, I haven't seen anyone else this week unfortunately, apart from the people at our first ante-natal class that we went to yesterday. There was one girl I knew from school, so it was nice to catch up with her and the class itself was quite interesting actually. It was all about pain relief and we got to try gas and air, which was worth going for alone! The midwife holding the class also took a tens machine around for everyone to try and after about 2 seconds each person was wriggling and saying how much they could feel it, me however . . . nothing! She had to turn it right up before I felt anything and it wasn't until I noticed my wrist and hand twisting up towards me that I realised it was in fact doing something, I just couldn't feel the tingling sensation everyone else was talking about. I'm not sure what that says about me? Perhaps it's due to my whole body being numb through lack of sleep ;-) One thing I took away from the session was an overwhelming feeling of relaxation when thinking about the birth - something I definitely didn't think I'd feel like! I definitely want to have a water birth if I can and if possible to go without too much pain relief - I feel like relaxation is the key and will be pursuing my research on hypno-birthing and other similar relaxation techniques so that I can try and remain as calm as I can throughout - perhaps easier said than done but that's my intention. I'm sure many of you experienced mothers out there are once again laughing to yourselves and imagining me begging for an epidural at the earliest opportunity, which perhaps I will and I'm certainly not writing it off but I will be trying to do it without if I can use other methods of relaxation that I know have worked for others. Watch this space to see how I get on!

 Growth wise, I'm not sure whether I've grown much since last week really. The bump is rock hard still and plenty of regular moving from the little one to show me she's doing ok in there. Last night James and I were playing her our favourite music with my big headphone cans on my tummy and we're going to make a playlist to play to her between now and the birth that will hopefully be something she'll relate to once she's with us so we can play it to her to get her off to sleep (worth a shot!). Talking of playlists I'm also going to create a playlist for me during labour and would love some input from you, my lovely friends and readers. I want a playlist of songs that are both relaxing and positive, something that is harder to find that you think as it turns out most of the chilled music I listen to has really depressing lyrics! Therefore, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to recommend a track to me to add to my playlist - this way I can think of you during labour when your song choice is making me smile instead of wince with pain! I know a lot of you are into music as much as me so I'm expecting heaps of great suggestions from you - now is not a time to be shy, comment  on this blog with songs to your hearts content please - the more tracks the better, labour can go on for a while you know!! ;-)

A UK holiday - first for me in a while!

Firstly, apologies for the delay with this blog - technically it should have been with you last week but I thought I'd use our holiday as an excuse to put it on hold for a few extra days . . . the cheek of it!! ;-)

We had a lovely weekend leading up to our Suffolk holiday, kicking it all off with Melissa and Kev's wedding in Reading which was fabulous and in the most idilic setting you could imagine. 

'Melissa & Kevin Board on their big day!'

It was lovely to catch up with lots of friends I hadn't seen for a while and weirdly three of us girls out of one very close group are all pregnant and due within a few months of each other, there has to be something in the air!! I don't live close to any of these girls unfortunately, with one in Nottingham, one Australia and the rest in Kent (outskirts of London) but we do make an effort to see as much of each other as possible so it will be lovely to have babies of similar ages. These ladies are the ones I met when Debbie and I first went travelling to Australia, almost 12 years ago now, so we've remained very close and I'm sure will be friends for the rest of our days. The Saturday morning after the wedding we met up at a pub in Reading, where a lot of people were nursing hangovers. We stuck around for one drink and then had to head off to Hertfordshire to my Dads, where he was having a BBQ for his birthday. I'd given him a list of food to buy so that I could make a variety of side salads and dishes (not a man's forte!) so as soon as we arrived I got stuck in with the help of my lovely cousin Leah. It was a family get together, so great to see some of my Auntie and Uncles and another cousin (Faye), as well as my Dads Uncle and Cousin too, who I hadn't seen for years. We didn't stay very late as had to get back for our dog (have I mentioned our dog before?? If not he's a soppy chocolate Labrador who unfortunately has pretty much every ailment going poor thing!) but it was lovely all the same. Sunday morning we packed our stuff for the holiday, filled the car up and then headed off to Suffolk to our holiday cottage (http://www.wenhaston.net/lemancottage) . . .

James & Woody at Walberswick

We were lucky for the first two days with sunshine and warmth-a-plenty so made the most of that, although I did have some work commitments to tend to on the Tuesday which took up most of my afternoon. Working for yourself has it's downfalls sometimes I suppose, but it's early days for the building of the business and the aim is to have managers employed one day to deal with the day to day queries and stuff - continually working towards the dream! The great thing is that with my business I could potentially work anywhere, so me, James and the baby could be in a luxury villa in Asia somewhere and so long as I've got wifi, a phone and laptop we can make it work from anywhere. James is particularly keen for things to take off more and more so that he can be a full-time house husband! In my mind I think it would great to run the business together in the future and share the responsibilities of that and the bringing up of our child - he can continue with the housework though . . . well he's so good at it! ;-)

The Tuesday of our week we jumped on a train in Ipswich to London and spent the afternoon wandering around Camden, until the rain started anyway and then we hit one of the pubs at the Lock for a cheeky beer and half a Guinness for me! 

After this we headed to the Roundhouse where we watched Beady Eye and got upgraded to the balcony seated area due to my convenient pregnancy! I never would have even considered playing the 'pregnancy card' but a guy that worked there suggested I ask about an upgrade at the help desk, as I think he was concerned about me being amongst the rowdy Liam Gallagher fans! I would never have asked off of my own back as am a stubborn so-and-so at times and don't like to be thought of being any less able than anyone else, however by the time we reached the Roundhouse I'd realised that perhaps at 32 weeks pregnant I'm not as agile and capable as I was 7 and a half months ago! I seriously thought I'd be able to continue as normal until I gave birth but my bump appears to have dropped and when walking I feel like I need to hold it up and have my legs a lot further apart than normal - believe me this is not a good look and I am trying my best to fight it, but it seems like I'm getting nearer and nearer to the point of having to give in a little!

Walberswick

Walberswick

James at Thorpeness

The rest of our week was filled with sightseeing (Walberswick, Southwold, Aldeburgh, Thorpeness, Snape Maltings, Halesworth and lots of walking locally in and around Wenhaston itself), seeing my brother and his partner James quite regularly as they live ten minutes down the road, plus we also had a BBQ on the final Saturday as my Mum, step-dad and Sister had stayed the Friday night on their way back from Gatwick, plus Karl and James and James' Mum, Sister and Niece all came over. We also went to watch an open-air cinema screening of Dirty Dancing in Ipswich, which was something we've only ever done in Australia before. It was a good atmosphere but a tad cold and uncomfortable for me sitting on the ground - what an old woman I am!

Southwold Harbour

Snape Maltings

Southwold

Snape Maltings

Southwold

That just about sums up our week really . . . baby / bump wise I feel like I've grown massively! I slept heaps better in Suffolk even though it's tough to get comfortable and I do wake every couple of hours but it's better than the last few weeks, although the restless legs seemed to happen during the day more to make up for it! I've also developed a craving for celery, radishes and if they're not available crunching on ice!! Strange but true and I'm quite happy with such a healthy craving! I only weigh 9 and a quarter stone still so have put on a stone and a quarter since being pregnant, which means I must have at least another three-quarters of a stone to gain by D-Day - better get some more chocolate and cakes down my neck and fatten this baby up! I'm going to wish I hadn't said that next month aren't I?!! ;-)

Bump at 32 weeks

Bump much bigger at 32 weeks!

 I hope you've all had a good week or so since I last wrote - anything to report?? Please feel free to comment to keep me inspired to continue writing . . . ;-)