20+2

20+2

Last week we had our 20 week scan. Thankfully everything seems to be growing right for the baby, although (s)he doesn't like having photos taken! At every scan (s)he hides away, and this time put his/her hand over the face when the sonographer tried to look at it.

The scan is incredible in what they can look at. Ours wasn't the best picture, but even so we could even see the valves of the heart opening and closing among other things. And we are now certain the baby has all it's limbs and is growing well which is great.

The only problem at the moment is that I have placenta previa, with the placenta, as the sonographer put it, partially blocking the exit. So we go back for a scan at 32 weeks to see if the placenta has moved out of the way (fingers crossed). If not, this baby will be exiting through the sunroof, but we are hoping it doesn't come to that.

19+6

Although I have felt faint flutterings and potential baby movements for a couple of weeks now, I was never 100% sure that it was the baby I could feel moving. But at 19+6 weeks, while having a bath, the baby suddenly turned into a jumping bean! I felt a sudden kick and when I looked down realised the kicks could be seen bumping the skin low down on my stomach.

As soon as the other half of us got in I yelled for him to come and see, and thankfully baby obliged when he asked, and gave his hand a good kick too! So we both got to share in the amazing moment of the first absolutely certain kicks. Things are definitely beginning to become more real now...

A little while later...

I haven't written a bog post for months. Busy, stressful, and yet amazing months.

After months of hard work, in which my husband says he barely saw me, I can now use the title Dr., having passed my PhD viva last week. I have three months in which to do my corrections, but this long weary stressful journey is nearly at an end. And I am infinitely ready for this particular journey to be over.

But a new journey is just starting. I am now 18 weeks pregnant, and (sometimes) believing we will become parents at Easter-time. A somewhat unknown, daunting journey is ahead of us, but one I cannot wait for.

24th September. 12+1

Looking back at my sister's blog, she started blogging about Pip-to-be at 10 weeks pregnant here. Somehow I didn't feel ready to blog about my pregnancy until I felt a bit more confident. I had a miscarriage at over 11 weeks at the beginning of the year and so this time round, have felt very cautious about getting to excited or taking it for granted that things would progress well this time. We have now had two scans, and I have heard the heartbeat, and so I should be able to believe a little bit... and some days I now do. The other half of us spent the first 12 weeks in a nervous state, but is now getting very excited. I cannot wait for him to be able to feel the baby move.

We were lucky enough to be offered an early scan at 10+3 (due to our worries after the miscarriage last time), and although we have no photos from the time, we will never forget the relief of seeing a dancing, wriggling foetus doing backstroke and kicking off the side of my womb. The journey to the hospital felt like the run-up to an exam, fearing the unknown, hoping for the best. But what a fantastic feeling to see this pregnancy progressing well.

We then had our 12 week dating scan at the end of September. At first he (?) was face down and refused to be photographed but after some turning this way and that on my behalf, was prodded awake enough for measurements to be taken. The sonographer tried to get some better pictures but we were happy just to come away knowing the foetus was doing ok and to have a visual reminder of it.

On not changing my last name

When we got married, I did not change my last name.

I was asked (and still get asked) when I will 'decide' what to do about my name. And that's the thing, I decided at the time, but for some reason as I didn't take my husband's name, people assume I just haven't decided to do so yet.

I have a few reasons, some more sensible than others:

1. I have had my name since I was born, and as I am still essentially the same person, I'd like to keep it that way
2. I don't like the way my first name sounds with his surname
3. My surname is quite unusual and is at the end of the line in my part of the family
4. As someone doing a PhD, my surname has begun to define me academically, and being unusual it's a good surname for someone in academia to have

Don't get me wrong, I actually like receiving personal mail to Mr and Mrs X, as we are a unit, but I still keep my surname for most parts of my life. And I'm planning to keep it that way.

The only niggle in my mind is what to do when we have children. Hyphenate? Use my surname rather than his? Use my surname as a middle name? Exclude my surname all together? And this is where I can't decide. But for now it doesn't matter. I can keep my name and be happy with my decision.

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