Birth Story Mark II

Monday 2nd December had been an emotional day.  C seemed to be being more hard work than normal, however in reality I expect it was just my ability to deal with her which had altered.  I was overdue, tired and uncomfortable.  I had been having lower back pain all morning which I took to mean the baby had moved further into my pelvis, a positive sign!

In the afternoon I had my 2^nd acupuncture appointment. This seemed to temporarily make the back pain worse however by the time I went to bed everything was back to normal again.  I woke up at 12am feeling uncomfortable.  I got up and went to the toilet and felt better.  I returned to bed only to wake again at 1am in similar pain.  This time after going to the loo I stayed up to monitor and assess the pain I was in.  Could I be in the early stages of labour?  It was too soon to tell.

Pre-Natal Anxiety - Coping With Being a Mummy of 2

I am getting increasingly anxious about blue bumps arrival.
Only 7/8 weeks to go officially.... or as little as 3 if C is anything to go by!
At 32 weeks pregnant I am starting to find days at home with a young toddler a challenge.
The fault is not hers, I am just not as mobile as I want to be and I tire easily.
Getting out of my seat to help her with a task takes effort.
Sitting on the floor to play is uncomfortable.
Simple tasks like preparing meals and washing clothes are exhausting
and keeping my eyes open past 2pm is a struggle.
I find myself hoping the last few weeks of this pregnancy pass quickly...
...but then I think about the new challenges that will bring and I am terrified.

A Very Late Early Birth Story

Watching someone give birth on television last night made me realise that I never actually blogged C's birth story. Although 15 months ago, I feel writing it down now might help me focus what to put in my birth plan this pregnancy.

I am sure many of you saw my tweets during labour last year and therefore are familiar with how the situation unravelled however hopefully this will piece it all together and fill in any blanks.

I Want One Of These

It surprised me how helpful my Pushchair Ponderings post was in collecting my thoughts for what I most needed from a double pushchair and what type of pushchair most suited that.  I originally assumed I wanted a tandem pushchair as I needed something narrow enough to fit on the pavements along the country roads where I live.  However the impractical arrangements of the front and back seats for a newborn and a toddler meant that I could not find a solution that really worked for me.

I therefore concluded that a narrow, all terrain, side by side like the Bugaboo Donkey was the best solution. However at over £1000 new, I had huge concerns about the price and whether I would get my money’s worth.

It was then I came across a post on a pushchair forum where someone posted asking what double pushchair was most suitable for getting on and off public transport.  The first response was from a mum highly recommending a Mountain Buggy Duet.  I had never heard of this brand before and went off to do some research.

On the 20^th May 2013 the Mountain Buggy Duet was awarded a Which? Best Buy.

The Mountain Buggy Duet is only 63cm (25in) wide and therefore the same size as many single pushchairs.  It is also, importantly, suitable for newborns, even without purchasing the additional carrycot attachment.  Additional key points for me are it is suitable for multiple terrains and it is compatible with Maxi Cosi car seats, our car seat of choice.  Surprisingly, it retails for approximately half the price of the Bugaboo Donkey...  A huge consideration when you have 2 small children!

I am hugely impressed by what I have seen of this pushchair on paper.  I now intend to visit our local retailer to look at it in more detail, test the weight, how easy it is to put up and down, and finally (and probably most importantly) whether once folded it fits in the back of our Kia Sportage.