It's been another busy couple of weeks what with battling to get an appointment for fetal monitoring at the hospital and doing the last blood tests and salmonella tests required for both me and A (who is going to be present at the birth). We battled and we won. We've got it all done including the fetal monitoring which was one of the hardest tasks seeing as half of the expectant mothers in Rome are all trying to book them at this very hospital. I've got an appointment with my gynecologist Saturday where I'll be one day away from being 37 weeks and officially full-term!
It's all very exciting at the moment but at the same time the anxiety related to the actual birthing process is mounting up.. I'm quite nervous about labour and what to expect, everyone keeps on going on about how utterly agonising and painful it is: this really doesn't help! I can understand that it's going to be painful but all this emphasis on the pain is just making me terrified. I hadn't given labour a second thought until recently and all at once the anxiety of it all has set in. I'm going to do my breathing excercises that they taught us in my antenatal classes just to calm me down a bit!!!
So yesterday I had my first monitoring appointment. It was quite moving as it brought back a few memories of when I was in hospital and as I was going in to be scanned there they were, the 'full term pregnancy' women with their enviable big bellies going to be monitored whilst I was in a wheelchair with nothing but a tiny bit of swelling around my waist unable to move freely for fear of aborting. Now it was me the 'full time pregnancy' woman with a big belly confidantly walking over to the comfy bed and being attached to the monitoring machine and hearing a strong heart beat: that of my little baby, now as healthy as can be with no threats at all.
It was quite relaxing just led there on a reclinable chair in a big air conditioned room with four other women just enjoying the view of the hills from the wide windows at the other end of the room. Flavio probably wondered what was going on having those pads strapped tightly around him, he kept flipping around poor thing. The doctor then checked the printed off papers and said all was fine and to come back next week. No sign of contractions yet so apparently labour isn't imminent.
This week has been quite exciting as A and I are buying our family home. We've decided to stay where we are in the country just outside Rome. There are some beautiful villas here and being away from the chaos and pollution of Rome is priceless. We think we've decided on our future house. It's a new construction still being built. It has gardens and a terrace and I liked the fact it was very light inside. We haven't put in an offer yet but of all of the houses we've seen, this is our favourite and I'm already starting to dream about living there. Exciting times! A new house and a baby on the way...
Friday, July 30, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
34 + weeks!
What a week it has been! In and out of the chosen hospital doing test after test and booking fetal monitoring which I have to do once a week from 35 weeks.
It hasn't been easy. Rome is now in the middle of a lethal heatwave with temperatures soaring (over 40 degrees celcius) so going out in this climate is awful. I'm a sun-worshipper and I love warmer climates but anybody would be afraid of melting in this heat! It really is too hot.
I had an electrocardiogram which stated 'tachycardia' but this was due to the fact I was lying on my back (which pregnant women should never do) and I felt quite light headed and so my heartbeat went a little haywire. I also had the appointment for the epidural. The doctor explained in detail the procedure and all risks involved it was really quite scary I just wanted her to stop listing all these terrifying consequences as I was already feeling quite faint. After she'd finished A came in with my pregnancy files and we went over my blood analysis' and I got asked a few questions about general health and that of my family. I passed the tests and got written permission to have an epidural if I desired it. Yippee!
I had to have a general check up with a mid-wife and gynecologist from the hospital which went fine and now all there is left to do is book weekly fetal monitoring. We've tried on various occasions to book these but the hospital has so many patients you have to be lucky to get a place. We'll try again Monday morning and if there's no luck I'll have to book at a private clinic.
One of the most surprising events of the week was at my appointment with my private gynecologist. She calculated my baby's weight to be just over 3kg! That's much heavier than average, he should weight that when he's born! She did however finally admit that this being the case it could be that baby Flavio makes his appearance a little earlier than anticipated but of course it's impossible to know exactly.
We're starting to get excited about the birth now. I still can't imagine finally holding my baby for the first time, hearing his first cry as he's born, I just know it will be the most emotional event ever. I can't wait to kiss him and thank him for being such a little fighter and never giving up. I can't imagine how it will feel taking him home. A and I will be parents, Mother and Father! It just sounds like such an important role but I can't wait to enter into it.
It hasn't been easy. Rome is now in the middle of a lethal heatwave with temperatures soaring (over 40 degrees celcius) so going out in this climate is awful. I'm a sun-worshipper and I love warmer climates but anybody would be afraid of melting in this heat! It really is too hot.
I had an electrocardiogram which stated 'tachycardia' but this was due to the fact I was lying on my back (which pregnant women should never do) and I felt quite light headed and so my heartbeat went a little haywire. I also had the appointment for the epidural. The doctor explained in detail the procedure and all risks involved it was really quite scary I just wanted her to stop listing all these terrifying consequences as I was already feeling quite faint. After she'd finished A came in with my pregnancy files and we went over my blood analysis' and I got asked a few questions about general health and that of my family. I passed the tests and got written permission to have an epidural if I desired it. Yippee!
I had to have a general check up with a mid-wife and gynecologist from the hospital which went fine and now all there is left to do is book weekly fetal monitoring. We've tried on various occasions to book these but the hospital has so many patients you have to be lucky to get a place. We'll try again Monday morning and if there's no luck I'll have to book at a private clinic.
One of the most surprising events of the week was at my appointment with my private gynecologist. She calculated my baby's weight to be just over 3kg! That's much heavier than average, he should weight that when he's born! She did however finally admit that this being the case it could be that baby Flavio makes his appearance a little earlier than anticipated but of course it's impossible to know exactly.
We're starting to get excited about the birth now. I still can't imagine finally holding my baby for the first time, hearing his first cry as he's born, I just know it will be the most emotional event ever. I can't wait to kiss him and thank him for being such a little fighter and never giving up. I can't imagine how it will feel taking him home. A and I will be parents, Mother and Father! It just sounds like such an important role but I can't wait to enter into it.
Monday, July 5, 2010
33 + weeks!!
We're getting there, baby boy! I think you're going to be a strong little baby, those tiny feet are capable of some fierce karate kicks, are those elbows that I see rolling from one side of my bump to the other? One thing is for sure, you're very active and that's quite reassuring! The jabs in my ribcage are quite painful but it makes me smile thinking that jab is a miniature foot with tiny little nails on it, how cute is that?
I'm so blessed to have shared this experience with you baby boy we've been the closest any two people can ever be in that your life depends on me and strangely enough my life now depends on you. If I get ill, you get ill, if I die you die but on a more spiritual level if I'm happy you thrive off my happiness whereas if I'm upset I feel your distress. If I'm tired, you sleep and if I laugh you wriggle around contentedly. What a couple we are! Yet you don't know who I am nor I do you I just feel as though I have to protect you by all means, my little world now revolves around you, my heart beats for the survival of us both and my lungs are breathing enough oxygen for two, your little body is enclosed in mine and your soul is in my heart forever.
I'm now thinking about how you're going to be physically and personality-wise. I think you'll be fair haired like me but maybe you'll have golden skin like your father and maybe I'm biased but I think you'll be perfect! I think you'll be kind-hearted, have a big personality and hopefully you'll be confident and bright. You'll be bilingual like your Mummy but you'll be half-English and half-Italian I hope you'll acquire the best of both mentalities.
I'll do all I can to bring you up in the best way possible, you'll be my biggest joy and I want to teach you what I had to learn for myself the hard way. I'm not going to be over-protective, I want you to live all your experiences to the maximum but I'll be keeping my eye on you! I want you to be well-mannered and educated but worldly wise and able to understand and empathise with people from all walks of life. I realise you'll be who you are and I will only be able to advise you but I'll make sure you get the best start I can possibly offer you as your mother. You've given me so much joy already, it's the least I can do for my baby boy, my fantastic Flavio!
I'm so blessed to have shared this experience with you baby boy we've been the closest any two people can ever be in that your life depends on me and strangely enough my life now depends on you. If I get ill, you get ill, if I die you die but on a more spiritual level if I'm happy you thrive off my happiness whereas if I'm upset I feel your distress. If I'm tired, you sleep and if I laugh you wriggle around contentedly. What a couple we are! Yet you don't know who I am nor I do you I just feel as though I have to protect you by all means, my little world now revolves around you, my heart beats for the survival of us both and my lungs are breathing enough oxygen for two, your little body is enclosed in mine and your soul is in my heart forever.
I'm now thinking about how you're going to be physically and personality-wise. I think you'll be fair haired like me but maybe you'll have golden skin like your father and maybe I'm biased but I think you'll be perfect! I think you'll be kind-hearted, have a big personality and hopefully you'll be confident and bright. You'll be bilingual like your Mummy but you'll be half-English and half-Italian I hope you'll acquire the best of both mentalities.
I'll do all I can to bring you up in the best way possible, you'll be my biggest joy and I want to teach you what I had to learn for myself the hard way. I'm not going to be over-protective, I want you to live all your experiences to the maximum but I'll be keeping my eye on you! I want you to be well-mannered and educated but worldly wise and able to understand and empathise with people from all walks of life. I realise you'll be who you are and I will only be able to advise you but I'll make sure you get the best start I can possibly offer you as your mother. You've given me so much joy already, it's the least I can do for my baby boy, my fantastic Flavio!
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