First of all, apologies for having missed the 25 weeks update. This past week was a bit busy and I simply couldn’t find the time/will to sit down and update.
Well, the highlight of the past week and a bit has been my visits to the MDAU (Maternity day assessment unit) at the hospital. As I already explained before, my blood pressure has been quite high, which added to my high levels of protein in the blood means that I probably have very early pre-eclampsia. The consultant asked me to have my blood pressure taken twice a week, and that was going to be challenging due to my commuting, however we found an easier way of dealing with this, which was attending the MDAU at the hospital.
The MDAU is part of the anti-natal ward at Sherborne Building, and it is open 24/7. It is manned by midwives and so far I have found that the midwives there are so nice! I’ve been seen by two: Donna (twice) and Lorraine (once), and Donna is the best ever! I so wish that she was MY midwife, rather than Madeleine (although Madeleine is ok, I have no complaints, to be honest).
So today I attended for the third time. Got my blood pressure checked (it was the lowest in a long time!), had an urine test (still slightly high in protein), a few blood samples (need to call tomorrow to ask for the results), and listened to the heartbeats of Pixie and Dixie (very regular and normal. Pixie’s is somewhat faster than Dixie’s, and the midwife also told us that Pixie had hiccups!)
I can’t tell you how convenient it is to live so near the hospital. We have walked there a couple of times, although we have stopped walking now because we noticed that my heart would get all pumped up and then my blood pressure test would end up being high. So we now drive, which only takes us about 3 minutes and it’s also great that we have found official free parking by the building (I mean “official”, because it is not by the road. It is just next to the paying one and we’ve noticed that there are mainly hospital workers cars, but there is no sign saying that we can’t park there or that it is exclusively staff parking…)
And what else…
For the last 2 – 3 weeks I’ve noticed that the fingertips in my left hand have been getting a numb feeling, and also lots of pins and needles. In occasions it is even painful, especially in the morning, after I’ve just woken up. At the beginning I thought it was because I am now sleeping on my left side and I believed I was laying over my arm/hand. But the pain has been consistent for the last 2-3 weeks so I mentioned it to Jon, who asked me to google it in case that it is something serious.
Well, it turns out that it is quite common to get it during pregnancy. It is called the carpal tunnel syndrome, and more likely than not it will disappear after I have given birth. However, it is very uncomfortable. Even now, as I am typing, I am struggling to have full power over my left hand fingertips and it kind of hurts. I mentioned it to Lorraine the midwife this morning and she didn’t seem too worried. The only thing she recommended was to see my GP about it, and maybe I would be told to get a wrist splint.
On other fronts everything seems to be going ok. I am getting slightly hungrier now. Where before I would always leave some of my dinner unfinished, now I am mostly finishing everything. And I feel hungrier at work too. I have to snack before my lunch break, and afterwards as well. Nuts are my craving now, especially almonds and walnuts… I have no idea where the craving comes from, though!
And here’s this week’s picture update. Sorry it is not the best profile of the bump, but it will do 🙂
