Gender prediction - Boy or Girl?

We elected not to find out the gender of our baby - perhaps it's the traditionalist in us, but we wanted to wait until the moment of birth to have the midwife announce:

"It's a [insert gender here]!"

However, just for fun I thought I'd go through a few old wives' tales and see if they swung one way or another.

Baking soda test

For this one you pee in one cup and put 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a separate cup. Pour your urine into the cup with the baking soda. If it fizzes, it’s a boy. If there’s no fizzle-it is a girl.

No pictures of this one because... well... urine... But no fizzle.

Result: Girl

Wedding ring test

This is probably one of the best known ones. Tie a string around your wedding ring and then lay back. Dangle the ring right above your belly. If the ring swings in a back and forth like a pendulum, it's a boy. If it swings in a noticeable circular motion, it's a girl.

Result: Girl

Chinese calendar

This test is based on the Chinese lunar calendar. You take the mother's age at conception and the month of conception and then look at them on the chart. 

Image from Yahoo images

Result: Boy

Acne test

The saying behind this is that: Girl's steal their mother's beauty, boy's enhance it. I haven't had any spots so...

Result: Boy

The Mayan calendar

If both the age at conception and the year the baby was conceived are either even or odd, those kicks are coming from a girl. If one number is even and the other is odd, it's a boy.

Result: Boy

Nausea/Morning sickness

If you have horrendous morning sickness in the first trimester, it's a girl. If it's not so bad, it's a boy. I didn't have any at all so maybe I should call this one a dud?

Another popular one is cravings: if you crave salty/savoury/meat you're having a boy. If you crave sweet/fruit you're having a girl. Again, I didn't have any cravings, so I don't have a result for this one.

The scores:

Girl: 2
Boy: 3

Old wives' tales prediction: Boy

We actually had......

Boy!

Did you try out any old wives' tales? And were they accurate?

A New Beginning

I have a friend - a very good friend, despite our opposing life views. To her, my life is tedious. Her opinion is that men who are happy to live on the Isle of Wight are boring, that she is too young to get married, that women who have children are gluttons for punishment (and crazy to be willing to give birth - the pain! The mess! The horror!) and that women who chose boring men from the Isle of Wight, who get married, get a mortgage and embark on family life have settled for less, have no ambition and have boring lives.

A flattering opinion, when you think about it. I'm not sure if it's occurred to her whilst she's sat on my sofa, large wine glass in hand, pouring scorn onto this way of life that she's actually talking about my life.
I ignore her opinion and smile politely whilst offering her another top up.

I've no qualms with the direction I've chosen for my life - after all, it's my life not hers and I'm the one that has to live it.

Then there are days that truly set us apart, that almost make me pity her life view and the things that it causes her to miss out on. Days that Bilbo Baggins springs to mind:

"Yes to others our ways seem quaint but today of all days it is brought home to me it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life"

In fact this very quote rattled through my head on the evening of May 16th.

After 40 weeks of pregnancy and 14 hours of labour our son arrived at 19:03, 7lbs 10oz, with a full head of hair and his Daddy's dark brown eyes.

I'm struggling between the desire to show off my beautiful baby boy and the need to protect his privacy, so for now I'll leave you with this photo, taken in the hospital when he was almost 12 hours old. (The curtains were drawn, that's why we're blue!)

The Hospital Bag

The title says hospital 'bag' but it's more like 'bagS'. I'm slightly concerned that we're going to turn up at the hospital and they're going to think we've packed for a two week holiday.

So here's what I've packed:

Main bag

(From top left)

• Maternity notes (top photo)
• 2x packs maternity pads (from Boots and Superdrug)
• SBB's swim shorts
• Tankini
• Towel
• Dressing gown
• Toiletry bag
• Flip flops
• Breastfeeding bra
• Washable breast pads
• Fluffy bed socks
• 3x underwear
• PJs
• Nursing top and two t-shirts
• 1 pair trainer socks 

(From top left)

• 3 x newborn bodysuits
• Hat
• Baby blanket
• Going home outfit
• 4 x newborn sleepsuits
• Cardigan

Toiletry bag

(From top left)

• Ear plugs
• Lip balm
• Facewipes
• Nivea In-shower moisturiser (from my month 8 Project B box)
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Antibacterial handwipes
• Painkillers
• Toothbrush (again from my month 8 Project B box)
• Toothpaste
• Dry shampoo
• Sanex fragrance free shower gel (decanted into plain bottle)
• Contact lenses
• Hand cream
• Comb
• Deodrant
• Disposable breast pads (freebies from Project B, Bounty and Emma's Diary and several pairs from pack I bought from Boots)

Nappy bag

(From top left)

• 2x bamboo muslins (pre-folded)
• Wetbag containing extra flip disposable inserts
• Cotton wool balls
• 2x Diddy diapers from Nature Babies
• 2x newborn wraps
• 2x newborn pocket nappies (in red and black) from Tiny Nippers
• Mothercare smart nappy
• Flip cover
• Water wipes
• Nail clipper
• Shea butter balm
• Nappy nippa

Extra stay/just in case bag

(From left to right)

• 3x 0 - 3 month sleepsuits
• 2 pairs trainer socks
• 4x tops/t-shirts
• Pack of disposable nappies
• 6x underwear
• Hat
• 3x 0 - 3 month bodysuits
• 2x packs maternity pads
• Rest of pack of breast pads (from Boots)

39 weeks pregnant - Plug watch

I have to admit I'm feeling super organised. I actually turn 40 weeks tomorrow so I'm writing this on time!

This week was my first official week on maternity leave. I've been doing Bodyrock Baby videos and my Tara Lee pregnancy yoga every day, but trying not to overdo it as the PGP is getting worse - last night was the worst it's been so far. Possibly because I jogged to the post box yesterday. Slightly inadvisable, I think.

The baby has apparently engaged and I've been feeling quite a lot of pressure. I've also been experiencing  false labour - cramping and some back pain almost every day. Possibly some Braxton Hicks - my stomach goes hard so I assume that's what it is, but they don't hurt at all and aren't uncomfortable.

The false labour has spurred us into finishing final preparations for hospital and we finally packed SBB's bag.

The weather has taken a turn for the warmer side and all my maternity clothes are suitable for the cooler side of things so I'm struggling a little to find clothes to wear in public - my stretchy workout shorts are fine for slobbing around the house but not for going out and about. The bonus of that, I suppose, is that it forces me to take it easy.

We've already been to Tamarind this week and I had some Beef Sagwala and Potato and Chicken Madras to see if it would start anything off. It didn't, but I enjoy any excuse to go to Tamarind! I think we're going back once my due date passes.

Speaking of starting off labour, in addition to keeping as active as possible I've been drinking pineapple juice and using my gym ball every night.

My mother has been putting the 'S' in 'mothering' - texting me every day to check how I am. If anyone has any suggestions for how I can - sensitively and politely - tell her to stop pestering me I will gratefully receive them!

I am currently on plug watch. I have a feeling that this baby will come when I'm least expecting it - much like it 'arrived' when we took a pregnancy test. But, as SBB pointed out, from this point I'll be expecting it every moment - so it won't be that much of a surprise!
Still, I'm equal parts excited to meet our baby and still enjoying pregnancy so all at once I'm looking forward to the 'end' (and the rest of our lives!) and a little bit sad that it's almost over.

38 weeks pregnant - A swollen ankle

They say that women in late pregnancy can only handle smaller meals due to the size of the baby. Not so with me! In fact over the last couple of weeks I've turned into a Hobbit.

Hello, Second Breakfast!

My first breakfast is a bowl of bran flakes and the second is crumpets or toast - always with peanut butter. I've eaten more peanut butter over the last eight months than the last two years. I think it's because I've discovered natural peanut butter - just peanuts, no additives. Yummy.

I'm just so hungry all the time, which isn't helping with my constipation!

My right lower leg is swollen - from the knee down - but it's mainly the ankle. Just the right one, mind you, the left is fine. Everything seems to be happening on the right side, now that I think about it - the shooting pains from the PGP and now the swelling.

This week I had a night where I slept through from 21:30 to 4:30. 4:30! It felt like a serious luxury. I'm sort of wondering whether my body is allowing me to sleep more in preparation for impending labour.

People keep asking me if I feel like labour is on the way. The short answer is no. I have no inklings at all. I don't know if anyone ever does, but I find the subject interesting. I mean, at any other time the 'status' of the uterus changes - i.e. for periods or new pregnancy - there are symptoms, so I sort of think there should be some sort of hint... Unless the first hint is just supposed to be when you go into early labour. If you have any thoughts, please let me know.

We had our 38 week midwife appointment and she asked if I wanted a membrane sweep when I turn 40 weeks. The previous night SBB and I had read about membrane sweeps in our pregnancy book. They do not sound like fun. When the midwife asked, I said no.

I'm a little annoyed that I'm not even at 40 weeks and they're already talking about interventions to force labour to start. Despite the fact that 75% of women naturally go into labour any time between 37 - 42 weeks. There's still plenty of time. Plus, I only finished working the day after my midwife appointment so I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind for labour to start and I believe that a woman's state of mind has a lot to do with it.

Maybe as time goes on I might get a little more antsy, but actually I'm not that uncomfortable and not particularly eager to get to the end of pregnancy so I'm quite happy for baby to choose it's moment.

37 weeks pregnant - full term

So I'm full term! From this point baby could arrive at any time. I suppose, technically, there's always been that possibility but at least now there's less of a chance that baby would need to go into the NICU.

This week I had one of the best night's sleep I've had in months. I got up twice in the night but still felt incredibly rested in the morning. I've still been having shooting pains down my right leg, but I've been doing my best to take it easy.

The day I turned 37 weeks I experienced what I presume to be false labour. I had some clenching 'pain' similar to period cramps, quite a lot of watery discharge, some Braxton Hicks and some un-explained blood. Saying that sort of sounds like something was happening and I should have called my midwife, but suffice it to say - without going into icky detail - I monitored the situation and it wasn't anything to worry about.

Apparently the baby is now the size of a watermelon. When we saw the midwife on Tuesday she said it was partially engaged, but not to the point where it would stay that way. I'm still feeling lots of kicks and baby still like to shove its foot up under my ribs.

I can't believe how fast these last few weeks have gone. I'm equal parts reluctant for the pregnancy to end because I love having Monkey Nut inside me but I'm also really excited to meet them. I'm becoming more convinced it's a girl.

I find it hard to believe that I'll be going into labour - it just seems like the sort of thing that women do - like it's too grown up for me or something. Although, judging by some of the people on One Born Every Minute, even women without the slightest bit of maturity go through it, so perhaps it should be more believable.

Perineal massage is still very much hit and miss and I haven't been doing it nearly as much as I should. I just don't think I'm doing it right so find it hard to convince myself to schedule it regularly - particularly as my 'area' is feeling decidedly sore due to the PGP.

My belly button is so flat that it's almost - almost - popping out. It's weird - because it's almost turned inside out - the skin that would have been inside feels numb compared to the rest of my belly.

I haven't mentioned stretch marks at all in my previous weekly updates - because I haven't got any. I sort of thought that at least one or two would creep in at the end, but, here I am full term and stretch mark free. Instead, however, I have spider veins on my right lower leg. They're pretty ugly - it's like someone's taken a cricket bat to my calf and foot, I'm covered in purple splodges.

35 and 36 weeks pregnant - Hot Spots

I'm combining the two weeks because they were pretty similar.

Sleep is uncomfortable - my ear and hip hurt almost every night from constantly lying on my side (I'm feeling a little bit like a broken record saying that).

I have a hot spot on my left leg - on the front of my thigh. It's a bit weird. It feels like the sun is shining through the window and heating up one little patch. Except...I'm not sat in the sun and when I put my hand on my leg, it doesn't feel hot. Like I said, weird.

At the risk of sounding like I'm moaning I also have a headache that's lasted for two days - paracetamol hasn't put a dent in it so I haven't bothered to have more than one dose (no sense pumping myself full of drugs if it's not going to help), and some serious PGP which sends shooting pain through my right butt cheek and down my legs, but mainly down my right leg. I've also had heartburn a couple of nights so have had to sleep sitting up.

Baby has definitely dropped but hasn't engaged yet. From the emails I get from various 'baby companies' (Emma's  Diary, Baby2Body, Bounty etc) say that baby has less room so should be wriggling rather than kicking. Erm, no. That's not my child at all. The bony bum is sticking out on the left so the kicks are all on the right. Sometimes it feels like the baby's foot has got stuck in a tucked up position, then it strains to free it, before the foot pings free and kicks me in the side. Sometimes a little foot will get wedged up under my ribs but always gets removed after I rub my belly and ask baby not to shove their foot into mummy's ribs, thank you very much. I have such a well-behaved child!

On one final note - and I apologise for what for some might be TMI - I am horribly constipated. Bran flakes are now a regular appearance in my breakfast bowl.

I'm excited to finally meet baby but also feel these last few weeks are zipping by.

35 weeks

36 weeks