Magical Moments

In the midst of still battling this infernal cold-turned-sinusitis-turned-chest-infection (5 weeks and counting), there have been some truly magical moments.

We had an appointment with the midwife on 7^th December and were able to listen to the baby’s heartbeat for the first time! It’s a pretty incredible thing to hear – yet more proof that there really is a baby growing in there. She kept apologising that it was so quiet, but it was definitely loud and clear enough for us to hear!

Two days later, we went for a private scan to find out the sex of the baby. Opinion has been divided on this, when we told people what we were doing. Quite a few people (our midwife included) don’t understand why we would pay for a scan when we’re going to find out the same information at the 20 week NHS scan and yes, I can totally see why people would think that.

Maybe it would have been easier to be patient if we’d conceived naturally and quickly. Maybe not. I honestly have no idea how much the experiences with IVF have influenced how we view this pregnancy.

All I know is that the idea of having to wait until the 20 week scan to see our baby again was too long!

We paid £80 and had an absolutely wonderful experience. For that money, we had a relaxed 30 minute scan, switching between 2D and the 4D view, were given 6 photos to take home and a DVD of the scan so we can watch our baby moving around whenever we want! My husband’s brother and his girlfriend came to watch the scan too and it was amazing to be able to involve them.

I have no regrets about paying for an extra scan.

Our baby at 16 weeks and 5 days!

According to the sonographer, we’re having a very wriggly, tactile, baby boy!

He has wonderful long legs that wouldn’t stop kicking around, and he kept stretching out, rubbing his eyes and sucking his thumb. Maybe my favourite moments though were when he held the umbilical cord to his body with one hand and started stroking it with the other, and when at the end of the scan, he started to nuzzle against the side of the amniotic sac/womb/whichever part it is that he could actually lean against and squeeze up against it.

I think he’s going to be a very cuddly baby!

Of course, until we’ve had confirmation at the 20 week scan that the baby is a boy, we aren’t going to start calling him by the name we’ve chosen, or buy too many ‘boy’ things but I suspect that the sonographer was right.

Another magical moment was in my last week at work before the Christmas holiday, walking into the toilets and seeing my lovely bump! It was the first moment when I’ve genuinely felt that I look pregnant, rather than that I’ve eaten too much! Can’t stop looking at it now or rubbing the part where I know the baby is, wondering if he knows I’m there.

A real bump that is clearly a bump! I love it! (Photo taken in the toilets at work - I couldn't wait until I got home to take a photo because I was far too excited!)

The final incredible thing worth a mention was that on the Thursday before Christmas and then again on Christmas day, I felt him move! It’s so hard to explain how it felt, but I know it was that because it felt like nothing I’ve ever known before.

It felt a little like raindrops splashing on the inside of my tummy. Weird description but I can’t think of any other way to say it!

I know it is still early to be feeling something (I’m 19 weeks and 4 days today) and that many women on their first pregnancy won’t feel movement for a while, so I don’t expect it to be a regular or strong feeling yet, but it was truly amazing and I can’t wait to feel it again!