October 1998.

Seven months down... two to go! I am getting big and the annoying pregnancy things are starting to take their toll. I am sleeping badly, and suffering from heartburn almost every night. I am keen to use non-invasive methods of coping with later pregnancy though: By having a bath every night before bed, I sleep better and suffer less cramp. A glass of warm milk and honey helps with the heartburn (I don't like taking antacids because in my last pregnancy they ended up making the heartburn worse). I need to get up slowly in the morning to avoid feeling dizzy and nauseous, and I find simple food like plain yoghurt for breakfast also helps with this by raising my blood sugar more slowly.

I have arranged my maternity leave, and will be finishing work at the end of the month. Although by using holiday first I don't officially start until 15th November. I have done this so that I effectively still get paid until the end of December, which will help with Christams! I am looking forward to the break now, because sitting in a office all day is getting uncomfortable. We have also started parentcraft classes. Even though we are second-time parents, I have found the classes really good. Last time I couldn't realy relate to what was being said, and ended up forgetting much of it... also Matthew's labour and birth were so out of my control that I have lots of questions to ask. I want to make sure I am ready, and get what I want this time.

At the classes we were given the chance to try out a TENS machine on our arms. I felt the sensation quite clearly even on a low setting, and it didn't annoy me, so I am now convinced that I will be amoung the 75-80% of people who are helped by TENS, and I want one for this labour. It was interesting to compare other people's reactions to the machine: some people had no real response to it, whilst one woman hated it: she seemed to feel nothing until a cut off point, when suddenly she found it painful. To me the sensation was like being rhythmically flicked or poked. At a higher level it felt kind of like the random tingling of 'pins and needles' without the pain, and my arm started to feel warm. After it was taken off my arm felt light and itchy for about half an hour. I am going to arrange the hire one of these TENS machines this month. I also want to start taking raspberry leaf tea very soon, so I need to get some in.

I have finally reached the 'hicup milestone'. I remember being driven mad by Matthew's hicups when I was last pregnant. The sensation is like a rhythmic knocking, against one, or sometimes a few, points in my abdomen. Ususaly they last about 15-20 mins but at worst it can go on for an hour or so. At the moment it just happens most days - whereas with Matthew it became three times a day, almost like clockwork, I guess I still have that to come. Luckily though I haven't reached the stretch mark milestaone yet! Dispite being quite marked by my last pregnancy I haven't any new ones and the old ones have stayed white which makes me really happy, but I do remember they arrived very suddenly last time and there's still a good six weeks to go. I am now finding the new baby's kicks are more what I remember from Matthew. I guess I must have just been paranoid before, because I was remembering the painful kicks near to the end of the pregnancy. Just occasionally now I find this baby's kicks are painful. I am pleased that this baby seems to be behaving quite like Matthew, because I don't think I would be as good a mother to a more passive child. I still feel very lacking in a bond with this new baby. In fact I seem to be bonding even more with Matthew instead, but I sure once his is born I will quickly bond with the new baby, and I know I will love having somebody new to care for.

I am finding that I am much fitter and more able this pregnancy. Karl reminded me that I was unwilling to drive by 32 weeks last time, whereas I am still ok for now. My main concern is being agile enough to see around me and quick enough to respond to the road. I think that having to keep up with Matthew this time has forced me into less rest and more exercise, so I have kept my agility, but I have had some "Symphis Pubis" pain so I am having to be very careful about what I do. Getting in and out of bed, and picking up Matthew seems to be the biggest problem - and ensuring that I keep my legs firmly together helps alot!

Arrghh! I have become fantasticaly itchy all of a sudden, it is worst in the evening, and affects my hands, face and feet most, although it can be anywhere. Itching is quite a common problem in pregnancy, but can be a sign of more serious problems. I was initially very worried about it, and went to see my midwife almost straight away. I was reassured by the fact I could hear the baby's heartbeat and everything seemed normal but I wasn't happy with her explanation of what can cause the itching. I was getting very worked up with worry so I phoned the hospital for a second opinion and they gave me a very thorough check up, which I found more reasuring. They ruled out "Cholestasis" by doing a liver function test, so I am happy now to just live with the problem.