A first pregnancy..... the craziest journey of them all

33 weeks along

The first trimester

Morning sickness hit me like a ton of bricks 6 weeks in and inconveniently on the car ride home from our honeymoon. I remember looking at Simon in disgust when he opened a packet of chicken chips and the aroma wafted up my nostrils like it was the most grotesque smell in the world, and to this day the smell of chicken chips still does not sit right with me. Its funny what your mind chooses to remember and what it chooses to forget during pregnancy and labour, as I look back on these early weeks I find myself saying "was it really that bad" - I suppose this is your bodys' way of convincing you that falling pregnant again isn't such a bad idea.

What I do remember however is that morning sickness did not last just for the morning, but all day and stayed this way for around 18 weeks. I also remember that feeling of second guessing everything I did, ate or drank in fear that I could somehow do something that may cause harm to the growing little being in my body. It's amazing how sacredly we treat our body when we know we are pregnant, how almost instantaneously we form the strongest bond with the tiny grape seed growing in there, the truth is that little grape seed is stronger than we know right from the very start, and our fears are more often than not totally unjustifiable.

At 10 weeks as I sat in my office I started to experience some pretty heavy cramping and terrible stabbing pains, so on the advice of Dr Google I called Simon and met him at emergency. My heart was heavy and although I tried to tell myself not to jump to conclusions I was a mess by the time I saw the doctor, and after waiting 6 hours and through numerous tests they sent me off for an ultrasound to inspect my appendix. This was the first time we laid eyes on Cooper (although we had no idea if it was a boy or a girl and wouldn't until the day he was born), his heart beat was strong and he was doing just fine. That was the good news, the bad was that if it was in fact my appendix and I required surgery we would surely lose our little baby. After a night of close observation, monitoring and an IV drip, they sent me home confident that all was well, and thankfully it was.

The first 12 weeks dragged on. It seemed like an eternity had passed since we had told our parents at 6 weeks that they were going to be grandparents for the very first time. I'll never forget the reactions for both sides, my Dad's first instinct was to ask us if it was, as he put it, "by accident" and my mum could have won an Oscar for the performance she put on to act surprised in front of my dad. Simon's parents and family took the news a bit differently, his mum couldn't do anything but cry, it had been an emotional weekend what with the wedding and all, and his dad kind of just said congratulations with a grin from ear to ear, his brother on the other hand a little in shock came out with "what, who is, Helene???".

With every week that past I found myself constantly on Google or pregnancy websites reading up about what was developing next and how my body was changing in awe of the miracle of life and just waiting till that magical milestone of 12 weeks so I could go and buy that first precious piece of clothing or stuffed toy. I was exactly 12 weeks and 3 days when I had my 12 week ultrasound, and even though holding a bladder full of water all morning was tough, the instant the sonographer gave us the A-OK and told us our little bean was doing just great the feeling of urgency to pee was overcome with a cascade of tears of joy. It was in that moment that it hit me, I was going to be a mummy. After the ultrasound, rather than heading back to work straight away I headed straight into Myer and picked out the most adorable uni-sex outfit, complete with little beanie, mittens and baby blanket. The cost of the outfit was phenomenal for the tiny amount of cotton it was created from, but it was worth every cent when I look back and remember the pride and joy I had when walking up to the register and boasting that I had just reached the first of many milestones in my pregnancy.

Through my first trimester I continued to exercise regularly, and I needed to, for all I wanted to eat was pasta, hot chips and heavy starch loaded carbohydrates. I gained a lot of weight in my first trimester, most of which I'm sure was water weight, but by 12 weeks it was hard to hide my little bump and extremely swollen 12C breasts from the work place. When I finally announced my pregnancy I was met with overwhelming congratulations as well as overwhelming "I knew it, your boobs are huge". I suppose my growing bust and waistline was a dead giveaway and without exercise I would have been the size of a house by 12 weeks, next time around I'll be far more disciplined with eating healthily during the first tri... I promise myself as I sit here eating pizza, well, I'm not pregnant yet!



The second trimester

The second 12 weeks flew by. At around 18 weeks I started to feel really good, I had that pregnant glow and all the energy in the world. My little bump was start to grow nicely and I was starting to  feel more confident in my own skin. Truth be told it took me till about 24 weeks to actually like the way my body looked, until then I just felt fat and bloated. I guess that was the hardest part of my pregnancy, coming to terms with not being this thin, athletic person anymore, and as much as I wanted to believe I could be one of those beautifully skinny women with nothing but a nice round bump out front, I was not one of those women! My short stature made me look heavy and rounded all over, but by the time I'd reached 24 weeks I was starting to accept my body and loved the way my belly stuck out nice and round for the world to see I was clearly pregnant and not just letting myself go now I've got that ring on my finger.


I remember so many women telling me that by around 17 - 19 weeks they started to feel their babies kick, but by 20 weeks I still wasn't feeling a thing. This just made my 1st pregnancy paranoia that something was going to go wrong worse. Every night I'd lye in bed trying to convince myself I felt that first tiny flutter, but to no avail. I remember being so disappointed at our 20 week anatomy scan when the sonographer kept laughing that Cooper would not stay still long enough to get a good shot for us to take home, and how she was surprised I wasn't feeling him wriggle around in their regardless of my anterior placed placenta. Around about 30 mins into the scan, the sonographer asked us if we wanted to know what we were having, I remember looking at Simon thinking, I hope he's changed he's mind, because at that exact moment I really wanted to know. Regardless of how wonderful the surprise would be at the end of all that hard work I did want to know, unfortunately Simon did not and I knew that there was no way known that I could keep a secret that big for that long. Simon's justification is one probably most men think about, Simon wanted a boy, and he'll kill me when he sees that I've written this, but he was worried that because his desire to have a son first was so great if he'd found out a little girl was on her way he may have felt disappointed. However he also knew that when push comes to push in the labor ward and the end result is a happy healthy little baby he would just be so glad and overwhelmed that gender wouldn't matter any more.So that being said we didn't find out.

It was right on 23 weeks I felt the first little flutter of movement in there that wasn't gas related. It was early morning and I was just laying in bed rubbing my tummy with mama bee belly balm as I always did to avoid stretch marks and I felt the tiniest little tickle from inside me. I was so excited that I had to stop myself from jumping out of bed, but as I lay there a little longer feeling our baby's first kicks I started to cry, it was the first time I had felt so reassured that everything was going to be OK.

It was in this trimester when I started to put together all the bits and pieces for the nursery. It is amazing how generous people are when they know you are having a baby, we were given so many things like bassinets, blankets, stuffed toys, nappy pales and clothes, but it wasn't until we picked up our cot and change table that it all started to come together. By 28 weeks and the end of my second trimester the nursery was almost complete.

the nursery - almost complete

The third trimester

Every women who has ever been pregnant will tell you the third trimester is the worst, that they were uncomfortable, impatient and tired. I was not one of those women. I LOVED the third trimester, I loved the size of my bump, I loved the kicks, I loved the attention and I loved that Simon was finally able to feel his son move. Yes, the last month was hard, yes, I was very emotional and yes I was impatient to meet our little one but I have never slept better than I did during those last 12 weeks, I was uncomfortable but I think staying active throughout my pregnancy really helped those general aches and pains.

My baby shower was planned in my 31st week of pregnancy, it was a beautiful sunny day and I decided that we should move the shower to a near by park. My host, one of my best friends had organised some great games, there was wonderful food and drinks and I couldn't have imagined how generous peoples gifts were. I was given so many gorgeous gifts and things I didn't know I needed until I was given them.

I was given:

• A room tempegg - a magical device that reads room temperature and then flashes a certain colour if the room is too hot or cold - to let you know what to dress your baby in.
• Plaster Cast set  - for moulding perfect replicas of the tiny little feet and hands of my baby
• A diaper bag
• Stuff animals and toys
• Plenty of onsies and cute outfits in a range of sizes
• A medicinal set, baby nail clippers, thermometer and creams
• Breast pads and nipple shields
• Children's books
• Photo frames
• Linen and Blankets
• loveys

Me at the baby shower with a bucket load of gifts

At 33 weeks I had a friend of mines younger sister, (AR Photography) take some pregnancy photos for me (have a look at her link - its worth the peak) I was feeling radiant and wonderful and I'm so glad I captured that on camera. I think if there is anything I would encourage pregnant women to do, it to is get some photos taken of your beautiful body because you never truly appreciate it's beauty until you look back on the photos.


Simon and I had planned a bit of a babymoon on the north coast of NSW between 35 and 36 weeks, this coincided perfectly with my best friends wedding which happened to be only a few hours drive from our little love getaway.  Thankfully Kate had the good sense not to ask me to wear any form of bridesmaid dress, but I did get to enjoy in all the pre-wedding day festivities, minus the celebratory champers. As any women will tell you finding the perfect outfit for a wedding is stressful enough, add into the mix a bulging bump and heaving12D breasts and it becomes almost impossible. I managed to find some success in a size 12 Cooper St strapless full length maxi dress, I still have the dress and I hoping one day to get it taken in to fit me post baby bump, because as much as I loved the dress while I was pregnant, I can only imagine it will look much better on when I'm not that BIG!

My parents joined Simon and I for 2 days on our mini babymoon, It was nice not to have to cook or clean but I remember how awkward it was the first time I popped on my bikini, my breasts spilling out the front and sides, my tiny briefs sitting very low under my belly and my Dad's face of absolute embarrassment that I was in fact going to the beach like that. It was funny, the bigger I got the more comfortable I was in my skin, my Dad did not share the same confidence walking down the sand dunes next to Simon and I.

About 5 days after returning from the wedding and babymoon I started to experience some light spotting that continued for around 24 hours, I didn't think it was anything to worry about but I snuck myself of to hospital while Simon was at work, not wanting to worry him. As I was waiting to be seen I had a revaluation.... how could I not have thought of it before.... after all I had read about over the last 8 months.... this was the start of my bloody show! After the once over the nurse sent me on my way assuring me that baby's arrival wouldn't be more than 10 days away.


Well 10 days came and past and still no baby. At around 38 1/2 weeks, the Wednesday during my last week of work  I was sitting at my desk and started feeling some pretty serious braxton hicks contractions but nothing further. Later that night I was laying in bed wishing the baby out of me when my braxton hicks got serious, I got out of bed and started pacing the living room hoping to help induce labor, after about 5 hours the contractions stopped, suffice to say I did not sleep well that night and neither did Simon. I called work the next morning and let them know I wouldn't be in until later to sign out and hand over my office key to my back fill. I got home around 2pm and put my feet up. About an hour after that I had the sudden urge to clean, and clean I did for the next 3 hours.


That night I had a few more untimable contractions but managed but managed to fall asleep somewhere between 1 and 2am. About an hour later I woke up feeling wet............ had my water broke? Was I leaking amniotic fluid? I woke Simon and we headed into the maternity ward.


Now here's the most embarrassing moment of my entire pregnancy. We were checked into a ward and a lovely mid wife came to examine me, the good news was I was half a finger tip dilated, the bad news was that my water hadn't broke, I had just wet myself. Humiliated, and Simon in stitches laughing we drove home.


The next morning, after washing my bed sheets and airing out my mattress I jumped into the shower, not 5 mins into washing my hair I notice a clump of snot like gunk on the floor on the shower and upon closer inspection I excitedly proclaimed it to be my mucus plug..... woo hoo things we starting to happen!