May 1998.

We went up to Scotland to visit Karls family on the 1st bank holiday, and I felt a little better than I had for a while. It was a very pleasent break, however I had a small blead on the last day which was, of course, very worrying. I am about 8-9 weeks pregnant and I had a similar bleed when I was carrying Matthew. He was fine so I am somewhat reassured, but I will take it VERY easy for the rest of our trip.

Back home I went to the hospital on Tuesday morning to be checked over, the bleeding had stopped but I was offered an ultrasound for reasurance which was fantastic. Until now it had not really sunk in that I was carrying a baby. The scan showed that the baby was fine, and I could see the heart beating. The sonographer said that she could see the yolk sac, and the developing placenta, and, although I had a small lutial cyst, there was no obvious cause for the bleed. However I was grateful to be given the week off work to rest.

My clothes have stopped fitting me - the only things that I can still get into are those I bought just after Matthew was born, when I was still had about a stone to loose... if I wear anything tight around my tummy I get sick. I am also getting very sick when I get over tired... at the moment I need a good 9-10 hours sleep. The nausea is generally getting much easier though. I am supprised by how pregnant I already look (to myself), although when I remember back to my last pregnancy I started wearing maternity clothes at twelve weeks then too. Nobody else really notices my changed shape. I keep looking at maternity clothes in the shops, but they are so expensive. I will have to dig out my maternity clothes from before

One thing I have found so relaxing is swimming. I feel completely normal again for an hour when I take Matthew swimming. I have found chasing after a toddler the hardest part of this pregnancy so far - although I think it has also kept me going too. I couldn't change nappies for a while, and I still find carrying Matthew makes my back ache as well as exhausting me, otherwise though I am coping well with looking after him.