Woe is me… I have SPD.

As I’ve documented over my recent Weekly Updates, I’ve been suffering with what I thought was just ligament pain. Albeit, with ‘just’ ligament pain I should have probably kicked up more of a fuss (I hate causing fuss and I hate fuss!). But since Saturday last week I’ve been in absolute agony with my coccyx. To the point of screaming to just roll over in bed. And I like to think I’ve got a high pain threshold! Needless to say, I’ve not slept since Friday night (and that was a rubbish night’s sleep anyway!). On top of this, I’ve had a cold… a proper cold. Every single time I’ve sneezed it’s felt like my undercarriage was going to rip out of me. Horrendous.

I’d reluctantly started taking paracetamol on Sunday as the hot baths and heat compresses had failed to ease the pain; and had the long Jubilee weekend to rest. But forced myseld into work yesterday. I cried on the train journey in, just limbering on the edge of the seat. I got to work and was completely drained. I felt emotional and tired out. I couldn’t sit in my chair at my desk. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m the first pregnancy in my department, EVER. So have found it difficult when having even just standard Midwife appointments – people continuously asking why I’m at the Midwife so much. (As if I need to explain my medical situation anyway! I would NEVER ask a colleague why they’d visited the Doctors, would you?!). So when I’d been suffering with the aforementioned ligament pain, I found that people were more or less confused or found my blatant explanation “distasteful”. Goodness knows why! So of course, when I got to work yesterday in obvious pain, explaining that my coccyx were killing me didn’t go down all too well. I don’t think people understand just how sodding painful it is!

So I thought SOD IT. And got myself to the doctors at 5pm. The Doctor examined me and diagnosed me with SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction). I’ve been referred to a Physio (not sure how long it will be before I get my appointment mind!) and has given me a cream to rub onto my coccyx and upped my paracetamol intake. He did offer to give me Codeine aswell, but refused this as it can affect the baby. He also gave me a sick note. My first sick note. So close to the end of work, before my Maternity Leave begins on 22nd June… so I’m quite disappointed with myself. I’ve never ever had a sick note. I didn’t even know what to do with the damn thing.

So that’s that. I’ve had my first day off work today and literally slept the entire day through. The paracetamol and sitting on a hot water bottle has helped.

I just need to keep on top of resting and relaxing. This is definitely my body’s way of telling me to SLOW DOWN.

Has anyone else suffered with SPD? What are your coping techniques? Did you get better post-partum?

MM.

 

Bump watch: View from above, 28+2 weeks.

I just shared this photo via Twitter for the #Snaphappybritmums theme of the day, which is ‘View from above’. So here we have it, this is how baby boy bump is currently looking from above, at 28+2 weeks.

MM.

 

 

That old argument: To eat or not to eat the Placenta?

It’s just been revealed that Mad (wo)Man, January Jones, ate her own placenta after giving birth to her first child last year.

The placenta hold key, essential vitamins that can boost energy after a draining birth. But what are your thoughts on consuming your own placenta? Do you know anyone, or have you yourself eaten your own placenta post-birth?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

MM.

Lifehouse Country Spa Resort – long weekend away…

 

So, Lifehouse Spa!

We had booked this little break away after having all the scans and tests a few weeks ago. We’d decided that we would need a relax after such a rollercoaster couple of weeks…

Being 19 weeks pregnant, we jut wanted to go somewhere where we could relax and chill out for a few days. Get away from it all. A spa was perfect. I literally spent 3 days alternating between the swimming pool and jacuzzi (Hydrotherapy Pool). Unfortunately, all of the treatments were too expensive for our budget… in fact, they were just overpriced in general.

I’m well aware that this review is just going to sound like a right moan! It was our first trip to a Spa though, so we would have expected a bit more in some areas. Albeit, we had a wonderful time and would return tomorrow! But with hindsight of course ;o

Pro’s

– Drinks were relatively cheap.

– Comfortable bed.

– Contemporary room with lovely bathroom and great views of the gardens. Usual coffee and tea making facilities.

– Lovely staff – all very polite and always had a smile.

– Easy place to relax.

– Food was great, restaurant quality.

– Great swimming pool and hydrotherapy pool. Can’t review the Steam, Sauna or Salt Inhalations rooms as I can’t use them being pregnant… but DP absolutely loved all three. So they kept him quiet! 😀

– Loved the Orchids Bar area too… must recommend the bread and olives. Best olives I’ve ever eaten! Amazing! Just £2.00 too!

– Very very nice gardens… it was absolutely blowing a gale outside and raining but this did not deter us! We borrowed some Hunter wellies from reception and had a great walk right around the gardens.

 

Con’s

– We weren’t given a ‘welcome’ note or shown around the complex. So didn’t know what facilities we could and couldn’t use.

– Because of the above, we didn’t know we had a safe in the room, until we were messing on with a rather ambiguous looking drawer underneath the TV!

– Again, because we weren’t given a ‘welcome’ note, we didn’t know that you could order Room Service.

– Couldn’t lock the door to the room.

– No bath in the room – albeit, the shower was incredible. I still could have done with a soak before bed!

– Treatments are expensive and need to be booked well in advance. Many people were left disappointment upon arrival when all appointments were booked up.

– Pregnant ladies cannot use Sauna, Steam room or Salt Inhalation rooms as they raise the body temperature too much.

– Packages that exclude food are very expensive. A lunchtime meal (main and starter) will be around £45 for a couple with one wine and one soft drink. An evening meal is per the set menu, £35 for 3 courses or £28.50 for 2 courses.

– Menu’s left a lot to be desired for someone who is both pregnant and doesn’t eat fish or mushrooms! I ended up having the same evening meal on both nights of our stay because the menu didn’t change… and the Duck dish was the only one that didn’t contain fish or mushrooms! There was also a £3 additional supplement on this.

– There were no decaff teabags! I also wasn’t given an alternative… would have definitely thought there would be decaffeinated everything with it being a health spa!

– No soft drinks menu! Just Wine and Cocktail lists… which isn’t great when you can’t drink! Imagine if you’re an alcoholic visiting for a detox!

– Restaurant was basic-looking; for such an ambitious menu, it was a shame that the restaurant was more like a canteen in a Sainsbury’s with cheap chairs and tables. The chairs of which offered zero support for a pregnant lady.

– There were no bottles of water for free, or even for sale! So it was a case of having to get up every 5 minutes to go to the water fountain in the corner of the ‘Wet Area’. Which is quite annoying when you’re pregnant and just want to lay down, but of course, you need to keep hydrated.

– Although this spa is relatively new, (about a year old), we did notice lots of signs of wear and tear. I actually stood on a piece of broken glass in the Hydrotherapy Pool! Turns out, upon further inspection, lots of the mosaic tiles were cracked and broken, but glued back together. Again, when looking up from the jacuzzi, the ceiling paint was peeling…

It was such a shame there were these little niggles – we really did enjoy ourselves though! Honestly! And we would go back… just hopefully when they have a different menu! 🙂

 

MM.

 

Mamas and Papas: Maternity Spot Tankini.

We’ve literally just got back from a long weekend away to the LifeHouse Country Spa Resort, in Essex. Had a wonderful few days but the Spa definitely had its up’s and downs. Going to review the weekend below…

First off though, I wanted to show you my new ‘tankini’… something I never ever thought I’d buy!

Mamas and Papas Spot Tankini, £30, www.mamasandpapas.com

I had been searching for a nice bikini that would grow with me, ready for my proposed water birth! But alas, it was February when I started looking… and apparently mothers don’t have holidays, or indeed water births, in colder months! (BOOHOO BRITISH HIGH STREET!)

I looked all over but just kept coming across full one-piece swimsuits or tankini’s… I’ve always been a bikini girl, so didn’t really contemplate a tankini and a one-piece will be well, useless during a water birth! ;o

I went to Mamas and Papas and looked over their range of tankini’s – DP said “Just try one on! See what it’s like!”. So I did and fell in love with this Spot Tankini. It’s the most comfortable piece of swimwear I’ve ever had! It’s supportive in all the right places and will definitely grow as bump grows!

MM.

 

 

 

And so the journey really begins…

We did another TWO pregnancy tests, just to be sure. And sure enough, all three tests came back positive. We’re so delighted I can’t even tell you. Albeit, I do feel very surreal and not very pregnant? I’m sure I’ll absolutely eat those words later into the pregnancy however!

So without further ado, I wanted to get all of the dates in place!

According to my charts, my LMP was indeed the ‘strange’ one beginning on 20th October. So as per my LMP, I calculate the below notable dates. We were intimate on 1st November, 3rd November, 4th November and 6th November; then my DP went on a business trip with work. So the Conception date of 3rd November rings about right!

Ovulation date: 2nd November 2011.
Conception date: 3rd November 2011.
Implantation date: 11th November 2011.
Due date: 26th July 2011.

So this all makes me around 4 weeks and 6 days pregnant. All in all, we were TTC for around 2-3 months… I know it felt like forever, but we’re really very lucky.

Next thing to think about is organising a trip to the doctors to register my pregnancy and of course, telling our parents the amazing news! Which might actually happen sooner than we thought it might… we have a trip to the motherland planned, TOMORROW!

MM.

 

Pre-Conception visit to GP.

This week I went to my GP for a number of things, one of the main reasons was to discuss pre-conception and to make my GP aware that I was embarking on the journey to conception.

My GP wasn’t great and made me feel like I was massively wasting her time… I asked if I should be referred for pre-conception immunisations. She replied with a stark “You’re in your late 20’s, you won’t need any”. THANKS.

I then asked if there was anything else I should be doing or taking. She just shrugged! Couldn’t believe it! I said I was already taking Folic Acid and Vitamin D, as per advice from my previous GP. She then said I shouldn’t be taking Vitamin D just yet… Is this true? It’s not like we’ve had much in the way of sunshine recently.

What was your experience pre-conception like? Did you take anything additional to Vitamin D or Folic Acid? Keen to hear your insights.

MM.

…Silence is golden.

After setting up my new MoM blog, life took over a little bit. I don’t mean this as an excuse, but in fact, I literally did not have access to the internetz for the past 2 weeks! Which has been frustrating and tiresome to say the very least!

But we’re back now, so expect more personal insights and thoughts on current affairs.

MM.