2nd Trimester...

Facebook... The demise of modern society and relationships? It seems that as we had told a couple of people about our news it was all across the social network for all to see. It's not that we weren't happy for our friends to know. it was more that we wanted to tell our close friends and family in person, not them read about it a couple lines after they hear how 'John Smith is Single'. 

We managed to get to everyone just in time and they were all thrilled for us. Very few people knew about our difficulties in getting this far. Even though we were finally here, we were still nervous and comments like "what took you so long" weren't helpful.

One week - yes, one week - in to the second trimester V had some spotting. We got in touch with  that demon - Dr. Google. Let me tell you, the man is a Twat. He doesn't care how mild your symptoms, if you type something in and search, he will give you the very worst case scenario. Headache? Oh that must be a category 'A' brain tumor... Wanker!

No matter how much I reassured V, we ended up in A&E early on a Sunday morning. I was sat next to a girl with a black eye and her 'fella' with scratches all over his face - nice couple!

We finally got to see the GP (we were referred from A&E through to the Emergency Doctor). He had an excellent bedside manner and advised V that she was probably miscarrying and should just get on with it. Cue waterworks and paranoia. 

No matter how bad Dr Google had been, he paled in comparison to the real thing!

We managed to get an urgent appointment with Apeekaboo Imaging, they were so good. They said to come in that afternoon and although we may wait half hour or so, they would fit us in. 

We were both dreading that scan. How can you prepare yourself to look at the screen and see that your unborn baby was either in a very bad way, or worse... The staff were great, really empathetic and supportive. But when it came to look at the screen, we couldn't. 

There was some silence (seemed like hours) and then the technician spoke: "Well, I've no idea where the blood is coming from but your baby is fine". We both whipped our heads round faster than you can say "You Shit NHS bastard" and stared out our little baby, bobbing away happily inside V's tummy. Never have I felt such relief.

The spotting eased and stopped after a day or so and things went back to normal. We started making plans again, for major DIY work to be finished, for our nursery to be ready and also to ensure that we had everything ready for our arrival in September 2011. 

Things were going well, V wasn't as tired as she had been and we were back on a positive note again. It wasn't until about week 30 that V admitted she had been for another scan at around week 15 to reassure herself that our little one was still in good health! I wasn't angry that she hadn't told me but I wished she had so that I could have been there to support her.

We bought a Doppler at about week 15 and, despite a couple of long periods not finding anything, enjoyed listening to baby's heartbeat. It helped to reassure V that all was well and she got up a little routine of listening in the morning and evening. In my opinion this saved us thousands of pounds in scans!!!

We also got that wonderful moment of feeling our baby kicking. V obviously felt this long before I could. I was a little jealous as I wanted to feel what she could, but it was worthwhile when I could feel the kicks. I really enjoyed that, it reassured me that all was going well. But I didn't like to do it for too long in one go, I don't know why not? Maybe I thought I was restricting our little ones movements as I was having to press quite hard in the beginning? Who knows.

We had a few strops about looking fat not pregnant but then again, we had these from week 4 through to when LC was born and it still continues. For the record V is not fat, she was pregnant and is now two weeks post baby arrival and expects to be a size 8 (lucky I love her or she'd have driven me up the wall :)

Towards the end of 2nd trimester, V had some pains low in her stomach, Dr Google was consulted but not really listened too (we have learnt this now!). We went to our GP who diagnosed a UTI and V took antibiotics for a week which cleared up the infection and pains.

One major bit of good news in the second trimester was that V's best friend (who we had gone to Bruges with in the first tri) was also pregnant and due in December 2011. We were really happy for them and also, selfishly, ourselves. It would mean that our baby would have a friend and we would still be in touch with our best friends through pregnancy without them thinking we were boring for not staying up late or getting wasted with them.

After their 12 week scan we booked a holiday for June 2012. The six of us will be staying in a villa in Majorca! 2 bedrooms, 2 cots, 4 very excited parents...

On to the third trimester with renewed positivity and a nearly completely decorated house!