This morning I had my 31 week midwife appointment, which was all pretty standard.
She repeatedly told me I had a lovely, neat bump, something I quickly told her isn’t the case when he sticks his bum out and makes it all funny shaped – she laughed at that!
Jackson squirmed like mad when she felt his position (head down, bum sticking out) and used the Doppler, she had to keep moving around to find his heartbeat as he kept moving out the way. It really does make me wonder whether he can feel the ultrasonic waves as he always jiggles a lot whenever a Doppler is used. She measured my bump as quite big on the scale, being well over the top line, but she didn’t seem worried by it, however my last growth scan showed his growth to be spot on the middle of where it should be. We shall see how it all measures up at my next midwife and scan appointments which are only 2 days apart.

She did tell me that my blood tests she did last time showed up as slightly lacking iron, but not enough to prescribe me iron tablets straight away, so she has requested another blood test to check these levels in a couple of weeks. She suggested that because I am vegetarian to eat anything dark green, broccoli, cabbage, spinach etc as these are all high in iron and to have them with a glass of fruit juice. This helps for the iron to be absorbed, and to avoid tea and coffee within an hour of eating anything iron rich as this can stop absorption.

She briefly discussed breastfeeding and I told her that was my plan, (I’m not sure my answer to her question of “why” being “it’s free” was what she was looking for but she seemed to like it!) she also told me about skin to skin contact, as baby is going to be cold and exposed when it’s used to 37degrees and being really snuggled in, so skin to skin helps to ease the transition. She also talked about baby led feeding, feeding the baby when they want it and before they get distressed and start screaming, just to notice the signs they are hungry. I’m sure this will all become clearer when I actually have a baby to feed, at the moment I feel like I’m just nodding like a yes man and hoping the fog lifts and it all suddenly makes sense!
She also told me to read through my baby notes and start thinking about a birth plan, especially after the antenatal classes which I am booked in for in July.

I also booked in for my whooping cough vaccine, the earliest slot available was this afternoon!
I returned to the doctors this afternoon absolutely terrified. I don’t really know why because I inject myself every day and I’ve had so many blood tests you’d think I’d be used to needles by now! But the injection was over very quickly. She told me it may feel like I walked into a door and may swell up a little bit. A few hours later and all I’ve felt is a tiny ache in my arm.

It’s quite scary that it is now only 8 weeks until I get to meet my little man! There is still so much to do, sort out and buy before then!