February 1997.

Six weeks to go... and finally Maternity leave! I am so looking forward to making those final preparations for the baby, and getting some rest. I am also hoping to get involved in some local baby groups, and meet some more mums-to-be. We have already got to know a few couples through the parentcraft classes at St Mary's, and I have made friends with another mum who is due two weeks after me through "get fit for baby" - an antenatal aerobics class that we have been attending for the last six months.

At my last routine hospital check-up Matthew was still in the breech position, but I'm sure he turned a couple of days ago... there was an amazing movement one night when I was relaxing in the bath. Anyway, as a result I have to go for another scan to check on his position, and if Matthew is still breech I will need to discuss our options for delivery. The scan was fantastic: they used a high resolution scanner, because it is more difficult to get a good picture in the final months of pregnancy, when the "window" created by the water sack is reduced. As a result I got a glimse of what Matthew would look like in a few weeks time. He yawned whilst being scanned, which was quite unreal, and I could see all his teeth in place in his gums. Luckily the scan showed Matthew was head-down. My apointments with the midwives are now weekly, and I am getting very excited. I can hardly wait to see my baby, although I am very scared of what labour will be like. I guess the only good thing is that I don't have a choice!

We still have a few weeks to go, and Karl has decided to take a final trip up to his parents before he becomes a dad. My parents are coming up to visit me, and keep me company whilst he is away. I have started to feel very tired and a bit ill: at my check up my blood pressure was up to 130/90, so I was put on daily observations, as I also had traces of protein in my urine. Luckily though, after a couple of days of complete 'chair-rest', it had dropped back to within normal limits. I have been getting some very strong braxton-hicks contractions too, so I don't think it will be long before the baby is born. At times they are regular, for an hour or so... then they die out. I have been taking raspberry leaf tablets to "encourage" things along: and by now I am feeling so awful that the prospect of labour seems almost welcome!