Third Trimester Tiredness and Pregnant at Aged 42

I am in shock at how very tired I am. During the first trimester I was in bed by 21:15 nearly every night and kept telling the husband "don't worry I will have loads of energy in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters" just.like.last.time.... Yes, it turned out to be true of the 2nd trimester but now that I am in the 3rd, I am 30 weeks but looking like I am 40 weeks and if I am honest I am struggling. It's another large baby and just as with Aaron, my bump is measuring +2. For anyone who says "those bump measurements are notoriously innaccurate" at the 4d scan they measured the baby's head circumference, abdomen circumference and femur length and I think all of those measurements put my new baby girl on the 94th growth percentile. Again, a duplicate of her brother.

Just like with Aaron my bump is all out in front, very large, and no extra weight anywhere else on my body, not even around the face and no swollen ankles yet either. Despite the change in gender, the only difference seems to be that with Aaron I had no morning sickness whereas this time it was from week 6 to week 14.

The limited number of blogs and vlogs I have done are purely due to how tired I am, and how little get up and go I have. So so so so so many thinks I was MEANT to do this week.

If I was one of those organised Mums who already had a nursery set up (from about 25 weeks on) then it wouldn't be a problem. I could carry on watching 2-3 Xmas movies a day (as has become my habit) except I have done nothing and have bought nothing. Ooooops. We don't even know what we've done with the screws to the cot. And if we don't find them soon, I will have to be contacting Cosatto to ask if there is such a thing as them being able to post them to us....... eeek.

I've just decided to tweet them and see if they can help:

Hi @Cosatto_Tweets can you help a stressed out Mum-to-be? Hubby dismantled cot over a year ago. New baby in Jan 16 & we've mislaid screws x

— Liska (@NewMumOnline) November 20, 2015

Hmmm, turns out he is going to HAVE to find them as Cosatto have already replied to me, as below. 

@NewMumOnline no problem you can purchase new ones through our website service centre spare parts or call on free phone 08000149252  Steph

— Cosatto (@Cosatto_Tweets) November 20, 2015

I've already phoned the number and got a blow by blow account. Blow (1) THAT cot is discontinued blow (2) we no longer use the factory that made it (3) we don't really do many cots any more and (4) we ran out of that spare part half way through this year and as we don't use that factory anymore won't be getting anymore in *cries*......... looks for hubby!!!

I filed EVERYTHING to do with baby when I was expecting Aaron, so I just abandoned this post for a second, while I went through everything trying to ascertain the model name/number of the cot, but guess what I found... the paperwork for our travel system. I've been beating myself up that I had one in place (during my last pregnancy) much sooner last time, but yet the paperwork tells me I ordered it on 26th May... that was cutting it fine considering Aaron's due date was 7th June. He was 8 days late and born on 15th June. I actually paid full price, up front, for a buggy at the February baby show, but a couple of months later got cold feet about how much I'd spent and got a refund. I then spent the next few months researching buggies (alongside working really long hours) even joining Which, temporarily, so I could read all of the technical reviews on buggies. I ended up going for a travel system that lasted me for 2.5 years. I never upgraded to a stroller, and just always used our buggy. Aaron was out of it at 2 and onto a scooter, then a balance bike and then straight to a proper bike never a stabilizer in sight. We used to walk about a minimum of 20 miles a week so he always had to have some sort of wheels (I don't drive) and we'll be the same again as now I walk about 30 miles a week.

I don't even know where my wrap is, and I was big into baby wearing last time, carrying Aaron until he was a year and a half old. Yes I used the buggy too, but living in a flat, the wrap was invaluable for getting him up the stairs when I had shopping in both arms. It was also invaluable when hanging washing on the line or bringing it in. I would even chop vegetables amongst many other chores whilst "wearing" him. It was a life saver as there are often times when they don't want to be put down and it is so so nurturing for them to hear out heartbeat and of course share our warmth. A wrap means at least you can be mobile and not tied to the sofa. I must find mine from the Aaron days, although I am longing for a We Made Me one this time.

Even though I say I have not bought anything, yet, thanks to HushCush and Nature's Purest, I do have baby's nursing pillow and first baby grow :-)

Just need to work out what else I need.

I haven't had my camera much in my hand of late, so don't really have any photos to share with you. Friday 13th November I wore a onesie for Children In Need movie night at school and I looked enormous in it. I'd intended to get one of my fellow PTA mums to get a snap for me, and would be including it here, but it was so busy getting everything just right, I never did get chance to pass my camera to someone. Haven't had chance to get hubby to take a recent bump shot either. I know! Pregnant blogger fail alert!

That's one of the reasons I hung fire on writing this post, as I only like to put blog posts together when I have the photos to go with them. 9 times out of 10 it's always photos that prompt blog posts.

Back to what I need to get for baby number two. In case I have problems breastfeeding again, one of these is definitely on my shopping list:

I suppose if I go in to premature labour without having sourced a buggy, I can always baby wear for the first few weeks but I don't fancy my chances considering I will be post-op as I have a planned C-section and the school run covers 30 miles a week. I do still have Aaron's travel system, but it is black and knackered. The wheels were never ever changed and they cover many many miles. I'd love something fancy for my little Princess, so best get cracking picking one and getting my tired old life sorted out.

In terms of eating, in the first trimester I used to crave salad and quiches. All healthy stuff. Huge portions, huge appetite, eating 6 times a day. Whereas now, I can quite happily have porridge for lunch and just graze at dinner time. My stomach doesn't have much space now and I have really bad heartburn. I like to think my Pregnacare supplements are picking up the slack, as I have the Pregnacare MAXIMUM ones and have taken them throughout my pregnancy.

I'd really love to do a pregnancy Vlog as I had planned on doing one every week throughout my pregnancy, but with this pregnancy tiredness that has descended I just don't imagine how I could be photogenic, watchable or natural on camera. But perhaps I should just film real life. Tired, 42 year old me.

Perhaps I will try and get the energy to wash and straighten my hair tomorrow and do one.

Ah tomorrow, that reminds me, we are getting a new washing machine. Hooorrrraaaah. So that is what I will be busy playing with when everyone else is at Mumsnet Blogfest. I have been to all 3: 2012, 2013 and 2014 and I normally write really good blog posts about the conference - with one of them even winning me a competition (a 3 night stay at Featherdown Farm), but sometimes you have to know your limits and I just knew I don't have the energy for it this time. I'll have to stay off social media or I will be gutted.

With regards to my tiredness, Aaron has been FABULOUS at understanding. Last Friday when we got back from Movie night, the only energetic thing we did, was set up his new (review) ScaleXtric. Then Saturday and Sunday, both days we had a PJ day, and he must have been tired too, as my active boy did not object at all.

In the evenings he's been happy to do low energy things like colouring in, except as you can see he makes me join in too:

Bye for now, I need to put my feet up before the school run ;-) I'm serious!

I am back to add on another bit.

Yesterday a Mum on the school run asked me if I wanted any girl's clothes to which I said "yes please". She already had them with her, all boxed up on the school run this morning, so we transferred them from her car to hubby's. She's given me 5 carrier bags and 2 nappie boxes of gorgeous girl's baby clothes. So, all of a sudden it is all feeling a bit more real. Whoooops!

Liska xxx