39 weeks!
Dear Baby Swaff,
I haven't updated in ages, so here is probably my LAST entry before you make your arrival. =) We have one week until your official due date, but you could turn up at any time. I'm so excited!
Over the past few weeks, Daddy and I have gone to NCT antenatal classes to prepare us (as much as possible) for labour and birth, and life with you! The course was really enjoyable and we definitely feel more informed about what's to come. You're about to change our lives massively, and we'll never be just the two of us again. You will make us 3 a family. <3 It's daunting, but so so exciting! What an adventure! We just want you here now!
We have written our birth plan, and I know the labour signs to look out for, for when we need to phone the midwife-led unit in Ashford. Our antenatal classes highlighted the importance of breathing and relaxation techniques in labour, and I want to make the most of this knowledge so that we have a calm labour and birth. Hopefully, if everything goes to 'plan', you will come into the world in a birthing pool! I hope to just use gas & air as pain relief, but am open to having pain relieving injections too. At the midwife-led unit, they don't offer an epidural but if I really felt I needed one, they could transfer me upstairs to the labour ward, where I could get one. I'm hoping that won't happen!
Your nursery is all done, but we're going to have you in our bedroom for a while before putting you in your cotbed. It'll be easier during the night to feed you, and - if you're little enough - the Moses basket will be fine for a few months. =) Here are some photos I took yesterday of your room...
So, we're ready for you, Little One! We even have a little bath for you. I can't wait for bathtime before bed - I hope you'll like baths!
My last day at work was 23rd January, and my maternity leave officially started on Sunday (10th Feb) for 26 weeks. =) I then have three weeks' annual leave, so I don't go back to work until September. I am all yours until then! I'm hoping the shift in job from full-time mum to mum/part-time nurse won't be too hectic, but it's all about balance and I'm sure we'll get there.
It's Valentine's Day tomorrow! Our last one as a two! That's a bit special! Daddy has got the day off work, and has told me he's going to cook us a lovely meal! Yum! We're not getting each other presents - just cards, as usual. The only other plans I have for tomorrow is meeting the girls from our antenatal classes for coffee at 2pm. =) We met last Friday, and it was lovely - we chatted together (5 of us in total) for a good 2 hours! Hopefully this time, there will be 6 of us - one of the girls couldn't make it last week.
Auntie Megan and Uncle Dan came to visit last Thursday, and we all went to Whitstable for lunch and a pregnancy photo shoot! It was really really cold on Whitstable beach, but we got some really good shots of me with you in my tummy. <3 She hasn't sent me the photos she has just yet, but she took a few on Daddy's camera. Here are some of my favourites...
I think the ones she took on her camera are a lot better, but we don't have those yet.
So, that's it! We're just waiting now. =) I'm making the flat lovely and tidy for when you get here, and all of the family is so so excited for you to finally get here! Both sets of Nannies/Grandads want to be here when you're born and help out in the weeks following. That's so nice of them. <3 You arriving will be such a huge deal for EVERYONE in the family - it's all so new to everyone, and they're so so excited. We can't wait to show you off to the world. So far, you've been mine - for the past 9 months, I have carried you everywhere I've gone. I have never been alone (that's such a nice feeling), and once you're born, everyone will be able to share you. How nice that will be - though I do think I'll be a bit protective/possessive of you. We'll be okay though. Everyone will get their cuddles, I'm sure! Me and Daddy will get more anyway, because you'll live with us. =P
Well, we love you so much! We can't wait for you to get here. Waiting, waiting and waiting! You just let me know when you're ready, and we'll be happy to have you. As long as you are happy and healthy, everything will be okay.
We love you so much!
Mummy
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
NB - (Added on 10th May 2013) Less than 12 hours after I posted this entry, Harrison Joseph was born!
I haven't updated in ages, so here is probably my LAST entry before you make your arrival. =) We have one week until your official due date, but you could turn up at any time. I'm so excited!
Over the past few weeks, Daddy and I have gone to NCT antenatal classes to prepare us (as much as possible) for labour and birth, and life with you! The course was really enjoyable and we definitely feel more informed about what's to come. You're about to change our lives massively, and we'll never be just the two of us again. You will make us 3 a family. <3 It's daunting, but so so exciting! What an adventure! We just want you here now!
We have written our birth plan, and I know the labour signs to look out for, for when we need to phone the midwife-led unit in Ashford. Our antenatal classes highlighted the importance of breathing and relaxation techniques in labour, and I want to make the most of this knowledge so that we have a calm labour and birth. Hopefully, if everything goes to 'plan', you will come into the world in a birthing pool! I hope to just use gas & air as pain relief, but am open to having pain relieving injections too. At the midwife-led unit, they don't offer an epidural but if I really felt I needed one, they could transfer me upstairs to the labour ward, where I could get one. I'm hoping that won't happen!
Your nursery is all done, but we're going to have you in our bedroom for a while before putting you in your cotbed. It'll be easier during the night to feed you, and - if you're little enough - the Moses basket will be fine for a few months. =) Here are some photos I took yesterday of your room...
So, we're ready for you, Little One! We even have a little bath for you. I can't wait for bathtime before bed - I hope you'll like baths!
My last day at work was 23rd January, and my maternity leave officially started on Sunday (10th Feb) for 26 weeks. =) I then have three weeks' annual leave, so I don't go back to work until September. I am all yours until then! I'm hoping the shift in job from full-time mum to mum/part-time nurse won't be too hectic, but it's all about balance and I'm sure we'll get there.
It's Valentine's Day tomorrow! Our last one as a two! That's a bit special! Daddy has got the day off work, and has told me he's going to cook us a lovely meal! Yum! We're not getting each other presents - just cards, as usual. The only other plans I have for tomorrow is meeting the girls from our antenatal classes for coffee at 2pm. =) We met last Friday, and it was lovely - we chatted together (5 of us in total) for a good 2 hours! Hopefully this time, there will be 6 of us - one of the girls couldn't make it last week.
Auntie Megan and Uncle Dan came to visit last Thursday, and we all went to Whitstable for lunch and a pregnancy photo shoot! It was really really cold on Whitstable beach, but we got some really good shots of me with you in my tummy. <3 She hasn't sent me the photos she has just yet, but she took a few on Daddy's camera. Here are some of my favourites...
I think the ones she took on her camera are a lot better, but we don't have those yet.
So, that's it! We're just waiting now. =) I'm making the flat lovely and tidy for when you get here, and all of the family is so so excited for you to finally get here! Both sets of Nannies/Grandads want to be here when you're born and help out in the weeks following. That's so nice of them. <3 You arriving will be such a huge deal for EVERYONE in the family - it's all so new to everyone, and they're so so excited. We can't wait to show you off to the world. So far, you've been mine - for the past 9 months, I have carried you everywhere I've gone. I have never been alone (that's such a nice feeling), and once you're born, everyone will be able to share you. How nice that will be - though I do think I'll be a bit protective/possessive of you. We'll be okay though. Everyone will get their cuddles, I'm sure! Me and Daddy will get more anyway, because you'll live with us. =P
Well, we love you so much! We can't wait for you to get here. Waiting, waiting and waiting! You just let me know when you're ready, and we'll be happy to have you. As long as you are happy and healthy, everything will be okay.
We love you so much!
Mummy
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
NB - (Added on 10th May 2013) Less than 12 hours after I posted this entry, Harrison Joseph was born!