What To Expect

  • Pelvic Girdle pain
  • Tiredness
  • Swollen ankles

Your Baby This Week

Your baby this week is about the size of a plant pot, weighing well over 2kg and is 28cm long.

Dear Diary

We've just had a really lovely Easter week with lots of activities and days out. There is absolutely no sign of me slowing down anytime soon and I'm kind of owning it, to be honest. It feels good to feel good at thirty-five weeks pregnant.

Billy is off play-school for the week for the Easter holidays, so we've been doing a good bit of chilling out at home as well as days out. We went to the cinema to see Dumbo and I ate my weight in buttery popcorn which is standard for me.

We also had a lovely day out to Luggwoods to experience their Easter event. Billy had a ball doing the Easter egg hunt and meeting the Easter bunny. We rounded it off with a nice family meal, so it was a great day all round.

I live for those days with my little family and I feel like getting out of the house is exactly what I need when we've had a productive couple of days in terms of house chores.

In a weird way, I find myself wanting to get more and more done when we start to get on top of things. The list of what needs to be done often seems endless and getting out for some fresh air helps me to see the house with new eyes when I get home. I love being at home, but I am also one of those people that really crave fresh air and a change of scenery or I end up having too much time to think.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwROPGtn5GQ/

On Saturday I was completely on my own in the house for the night which was a strange mixture of joyful and lonely. Peter brought Billy to his very first Leeds match and I was a nervous wreck over it.

I know he was in the unbelievably capable hands of his Daddy but the idea of my little boy getting on a flight and being in a different country to me felt unnatural. I kept listing all the things I wanted Peter to do such as hold his hand in the airport - as if he wouldn't know these things already. I just had to say them out loud.

In the end, they had an absolute ball and the look on Billy's face in the photograph outside the airport is just priceless. Himself and his Daddy have such a beautiful relationship. They're best pals and it makes me feel so proud of them both. I was very happy to have them both home safe and sound though.

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Easter Sunday was a busy day. We invited our families over for Easter dinner and I underestimated how much work would be involved but I'm glad we did it. We cooked Lamb and Peter's famous brown sugar/mustard ham and the food turned out great.

The sun was splitting the trees and I had an excuse to wear a lovely dress my mother in law bought for me last year. The stretchy material meant that it worked perfectly as a maternity dress. I have to say, I felt good about myself that day and we got some gorgeous photos which I'll cherish. Getting our family together and under one roof always feels very special, especially when a family member is unwell.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwl0UOdHYAr/

I don't know if I'd call it a pregnancy craving, but I am obsessed with frozen fruit and yoghurt. Every night when Billy goes to bed, I get into my PJs and make my favourite bowl of fruity goodness.

I picked up bags of frozen Mango, Cherries and raspberries and when I leave them out for fifteen minutes, they melt a little making them taste like sorbet when I mix it with some yoghurt. It is so refreshing and has become my nightly routine when the weather is super warm and uncomfortable for a pregnant woman.

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A Partner’s Perspective

My partner experiences frequent bouts of exhaustion - as she has right through the pregnancy. She takes iron supplements to try to up her levels, but they remain stubbornly low. We've started to eat way more meat than we have in years, as it seems to work better than the pills. One day she is full of energy, the next day she crashes out. This week, we bought venison steaks and make stir fry, it's delicious and it seems to work.

Our Midwife’s Advice

It's mind-boggling to think but instead of a fused solid skull, your baby's head is comprised of different soft plates which, during birth, can overlap to allow for a smaller and easier exit through the birth canal. This is why babies have 'soft spots' or fontanels when they are born.

Pelvic girdle pain is another of the 'common discomforts of pregnancy'. It can occur from any time in the 2nd trimester and for women who have suffered with it previous pregnancies, it can occur even earlier.

As the progesterone and relaxin hormones do their work, they loosen and relax the ligaments in the pelvis. This is for a very good reason - to help with your baby's entry into the world.

However, as with all things to do with pregnancy, sometimes it causes the pelvis to become too loose. This can feel very, very sore and uncomfortable and can make walking and even standing difficult. Physio and wearable support belts and straps can relieve some of the symptoms, but it won't resolve totally until well after your baby's birth.

Week 35

Our Wellness Tip of the Week

If you haven't already, invest in a pregnancy pillow. It will make sleeping a whole lot easier for you and keep you comfortable throughout the night.

Recommended Reading

EXPERT STYLE: 11 GORGEOUS FESTIVE OUTFITS FOR MUMS-TO-BE

WHAT IS PRE-ECLAMPSIA AND HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE BABY?

THE BEST NATURAL WAYS TO HELP INDUCE YOUR LABOUR

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