KAREN & THE CONSTABLES

Third trimester here we go! And don’t I know it!

We had a midwife appointment this week and I was given a combination injection which covers whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus and polio. I haven’t had an injection since school and I forgot how sore it is! I’m booked in for my flu jab next week too, so with those and blood tests I feel like a pincushion!

This time the blood tests were to check my blood sugar levels for diabetes and my iron levels for anaemia and I’ll get the results in a week’s time.

I saw a different midwife this time my usual one is on holiday. She was very thorough and on checking my file, found out I’m a carrier of Strep B, which is a bacteria that lays dormant in 1 in 5 mums-to-be but can have serious repercussions for newborns.

As a precaution I’ll be given antibiotics during labour and will have to remain in hospital for 24 hours to make sure the baby isn’t showing any adverse effects.

After reading up online it’s surprising how many expectant parents aren’t made aware of the dangers or even the fact they carry Strep B. There is only a 1 in 2,000 chance anything will go wrong, but if the parents aren’t informed how are they to make sure their new family is receiving  the best possible care?

I must admit I find the prospect of passing it on to my baby really scary, but I’m glad I know so I can ensure it’s dealt with properly. You can find out more from Group B Strep Support or through the NHS.

How I’m Feeling

I visited the doctor a few days ago about issues with my breathing, which is a part of pregnancy I hadn’t really considered. As your body makes room for the baby everything inside gets moved about and squished up and it has left me pretty breathless at times. I’ve been given an inhaler just in case it’s my asthma flaring up but it’s quite likely that it’s just limited lung capacity.

Other than that I’m definitely starting to get more achy and tired, noticeably more so this past week. My shifts have been a bit better at work, allowing me to sleep more in the mornings, and I’ve changed into more comfortable shoes and rested my feet and legs more.

What I’m Wearing

As I mentioned last time, I’ve bought some new clothes to fit the ever expanding bump! It was becoming impossible to get my skinny jeans off now that bending is a chore, so after a bit of a search I chose these boyfriend jeans and a striped t-shirt from H&M:

I also bought a few tops from Tesco as they had £5 off when you spend £25 in store:

Yeah, so there’s a bit of a stripe theme going on! The top on the left has a split back so is great for a maternity top at a fraction of the price! The middle top and the top on the right are just long sleeved t-shirts, but I bought them all a size or two bigger to make sure they are comfy and long enough. I also bagged some longer white vests and baby clothes in the sale!

What I’m Eating

Less ice poles, but more ice cubes! Crunch, crunch, crunch! I’m still eating lots of fruit and veg and luckily my work provides us with freebies so I get a good mix.

Lunch mostly consists of soup and a roll with yogurt, fruit and a bit of chocolate these days, which is enough to fill me up. Apparently you are allowed 200 more calories in the third trimester but I just stick to what I feel is the right amount.

How does this compare to you at 29 weeks? Are there any products that you would recommend I buy? I’d love to hear your experiences too!