19 weeks pregnant – feeling kicks & uncomfy sleep

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The last few weeks have flown by with Christmas, New Year and hubby going back to work. I’m now 19 weeks pregnant and bump #2 is kicking daily. Time is flying by as I spend my days chasing Toddler H, and forgetting I’m pregnant. Oooops.

Here is a bit of an update of the last few weeks:

16 weeks – a cheeky monkey

Just before New Year I had a midwife appointment and mentioned that I wasn’t really getting any kicks, I had had flutters for a while, but in the last week I hadn’t really felt anything. She said she thought I should be, and definitely by 20 weeks, given it’s my second baby. It did make me slightly paranoid, however, it’s weird, no where near as paranoid or distraught as I would have been with H. I say all that, but a few minutes later, I led on the table and she brought out the doppler. She had the familiar warnings of, baby is still small, can hide away and I may not find a heart beat. As soon as she placed the doppler on my tummy, baby wholloped it. I felt it, heard it and pretty much saw it. I just didn’t realise completely it was a kick, it was only the midwife telling me that let it sink in. I think in my head kicks would feel like the huge baby kicks that come from 30 weeks plus. I did know in my head that I hadn’t felt anything like that for the last couple of weeks, and had felt small versions before that such as at my 16 week gender scan (more on that later!). The midwife then spent quite a while searching for little monkey’s heartbeat, telling me she wasn’t finding it, baby was hiding away and kicking instead. So she was quite happy baby was find. Just being a monkey. At the last second there it was, baby’s heart beat. I did feel relief to have heard it, but to be honest, I was just relieved baby was kicking away. That might sound odd, but I felt relief with the knowledge that if I give baby a prod, they might kick back.

Baby kicks

Fast forward a couple of weeks and we now are approaching 20 weeks. Baby has it’s own routine now, kicking regularly. I felt Toddler H kick from 16 weeks, so you might then understand why I was puzzled as to why I wasn’t feeling kicks, having felt flutters since before my 12 week scan. It appears baby is just much lower, in a different position. Baby loves, and I mean LOVES to kick me down low, opposed to out the way. Now, at just over 19 weeks, I can absolutely say this is another very active baby. The kicks feel like constant tapping at time. Maybe they’ll be a tap dancer? We thought H would be a cyclist as her wee legs cycled round and round at every scan. Her kicks were forceful right from 16 weeks. I mean really forceful, hubby felt the huge prod come out of my tummy. She hasn’t stopped having strong legs since, shes always been very strong and had brilliant balance. At just-turned-two she can scoot her scooter, and tries so hard to peddle her tricycle, occasionally managing one foot round then the other.

16 week gender scan

Back to Baby #2, all is going well and we’re looking forward to seeing baby again at our 20 week scan. I mentioned above that we had a gender scan a few weeks ago. We decided to have a private gender scan at 16 weeks as we were convinced baby was a boy. Absolutely convinced. Gut instinct convinced. I saw boys clothes and my instinct was we’ll be able to buy them. I’ll blog more about that after our 20 week scan. The pregnancy continues to be very different, with baby in a different position. I’m not sure I’m as tired as before, nor having any sickness twinges, like I did with Toddler H. The gender scan was lovely though, as it meant Toddler H could come with us and see her sibling for the first time. She understood, she pointed and said baby. She sees the photos and says baby. She knows, she does appear to understand. It’s very cute and she loves to hug my tummy, if she leans on me, she immediately says sorry baby. She loves to kiss my tummy button. She’s still convinced baby is my tummy button – I’m not sure how that tallies with understanding baby is in my ever expanding tummy, but hey ho! She’s very cute all the same!

Forgetting I’m pregnant

Although I say baby is tap dancing away and sat really low, I do still keep forgetting I’m pregnant. It’s my ever expanding tummy that reminds me. I run after Toddler H all day, and after lunch collapse in need of a good sit down, or nap ideally. H has got quite good at letting me put my head down for 10 minutes on a cushion, although apparently I have a cushion and so does she. She’s quick to tell me off if I use the wrong one. She is very understanding, again making me think she does now actually understand.

Pregnancy sleep issues

I am starting to feel my bump hindering me slightly. Bending down, there is a bump there, and picking up Toddler H, I seem to be lifting her leg above my bump. Lying in bed, I’m on my left side as it’s become un-comfy on my back and I just seem comfiest on my left.

I’m starting to wake at night in sheer pain. I’d remembered that pain, but forgotten the real sheer utter intensity of it. My hips on fire. And at times being stuck, just not able to move. I know it will get worse, so I’ve just got my pillows and cushions out to get onto this pain before it gets worse. I know I didn’t buy a pregnancy pillow until much later last time, so I’m trying the pillow between my knees sooner this time. I don’t want to say it’s working to jinx it! But, I did sleep better last night!

I only have one of those straight 5ft pillows, not a DreamGenii or any other the other more fancy pillows. I’ll cross that bridge if I need to try those later. For now I’ll try my wedge pillow and spare pillows. I’ll upgrade to my 5ft pillow soon. It’s all a trying game I think. What works for one, may not another… but if you do have tips, I’d love to hear them!!

 

Time is flying by, I can’t believe we’re almost half way. I’ll try to update in a couple of weeks after our 20 week scan,

Lynne x

  

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