half way!

I have just past the half way point of my pregnancy and we had our 20 week scan last week. Like most people I was a mixed bag of excitement and apprehension on the build up to the scan, and if I'm really honest I took some of it out on my work colleagues and husband (thankfully we have the hormones to blame!).

The day finally came and I busied myself in the house in the morning, doing the usual dance of shall I go to the loo now and drink more water straight away or leave it? For reference I went and drank!

Our appointment was at 11am so thankfully we didn't have too long to wait (I think I would have been completely useless all day until I had been). Once you are in there the scan takes around 20 minutes, our midwife explained that she would take the measurements that they need to complete their calculations and focus in on certain areas, such as the heart, spine and head, to check for any abnormalities before taking us through the outcome of the scan and going on a 'guided tour' of our baby. We stuck to the original plan and decided not to find out the sex of the baby, we are really looking forward to finding out when we finally meet him or her!

It is such an amazing thing to see your baby on screen, at this stage they have developed so much since the early scan and their movements are fascinating to watch. Thankfully everything is fine with the baby, no abnormalities or issues were picked up on the scan. We also got some amazing pictures (our first scan pictures look like a jelly baby in a balloon!) which we have been sharing with everyone and anyone!

I'll have to go back for another scan at 34 weeks, at the moment I have a low lying placenta which basically means that the exit is blocked. This is quite common apparently, one in five women have it at this stage, and usually things have moved on by 34 weeks. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!

Cx

team colours

Next Monday is the date for my anomaly (20 week) scan, something I'm really excited about but also a little apprehensive. This is where they look at your baby in great detail to make sure that they are developing properly and check for any abnormalities, it is also where you get to find out (if you want) the sex of your baby.

Now there are two sides to this, and very good reasons for both. Some couples prefer to not find out, to keep it more of a surprise, and some are eager to find out the sex, some say it helps them bond more or feel more prepared for their new arrival. We have friends that have done both. It really is such a personal decision and one that I think you need to make together if you are part of a couple. Us ... we're team lemon.

That is, we have decided not to find out the sex of our baby. I always thought that I would 'have to know' what flavour I was having in order to feel prepared, I'm a control freak and like to plan everything beyond limitation. However, when it came down to it I didn't want to know, the most important thing to both of us is that the baby is healthy and happy.

I'm also discovering that there are some things that you just can't control, or plan ... thankfully this discovery is taking place well in advance of the birth!

What about your plans? Any thoughts?
Cx

bump not frump

Maternity clothes are notorious for being ... well boring. However, with so many high street shops jumping on the yummy mummy bandwagon, and so many celeb pregnancies, I thought finding fashionable clothes to see me through these 9 months, at a reasonable price would be easy ...


First impressions weren't great - there are only so many 'does my bump look big in this' and 'hands off' t-shirts that a girl can take ... thank goodness for the internet, where style, comfort and expanding waistbands are plentiful.


I thought I would do a regular feature on maternity style, to show you what I've been wearing and when.


The outfit below is all based around the jeans, a bargain at £15 from the dorothy perkins sale and something that should see me through nicely. While you may think it's a little early for over the bump waistbands I couldn't disagree more ... not much to look at but sooooo comfy, especially when in the car! I've been leaning towards muted colours as I get used to my expanding middle but brightening everything up with fab accessories - I love the coral shades that are in all of the shops at the moment. I've been wearing this outfit at the weekend - perfect for browsing the shops or a nice walk in the sun.

Also, my skin seems to have settled down after the early stage breakouts so I'm making the most of my new glow with a gradual self tanner and an all in one lip and cheek gloss, all topped of with lashings of mascara - maybelline one by one at the moment although the brush takes some getting used to (have to admit I prefer the falsies).

Cx.

a new chapter ...

The hubby and me are now 18 weeks (well 18 weeks tomorrow) through my first pregnancy! The house is littered with all sorts of magazines, leaflets and of course the usual pregnancy related books (what to expect when your expecting and others). With so many new experiences every day and so many beautiful (and strange) baby related products out there ... not to mention a whole new level of luxury bath and pampering goodies ... I thought I would take the plunge and set up my own blog to document the next few months and beyond.

So here we have it, welcome to in bloom ... which will most probably end up as a dumping ground for my latest pregnancy/birth/baby related obsession ... something I will not be ashamed of (I hear it's quite common!).

Hope you enjoy. Cx.