Bike Ride

I had to get a ride in on Andre's new bike before I no longer fit into my bike gear. Quite some time ago I made an agreement with Andre that he could get this bike or something sporty like it once I'm pregnant and no longer able to ride with him. I've only ever been on touring bikes with him and have never been on a sports bike and thought it would be too uncomfortable. 

We only went for a short ride this morning and the first half felt a bit different. It accelerates so much faster which was a bit scary and I would punch Andre in the ribs when it got a bit much for me and wanted him to slow down. I have to lean a little bit forward with him which took some getting used to, but I have a much better view of the road ahead with him sitting more forward. On the previous bikes I would just be staring into his helmet. Once I realised this I started enjoying the ride more. I think it also took some getting used to as I've not been on a bike since our trip to Germany. And I must say, the seat felt as comfortable as previous bikes too.

He loves it so much!

No medical bills

23 March 2013

10 weeks along this week and I got Andre to take my first belly shot. Wasn't going to do this, but I didn't want to later regret it so here it is. I only realised I was 10 weeks along to the day once I was in pyjamas already. Will try for a better one next time!

While to everybody else it just looks like I've been enjoying one too many chocolates, I can see a small, small difference in my tummy.

I got this envelope this morning and before opening it turned it over for a clue to what it might be. NHS- so I knew it had to be something to do with my pregnancy. I said to Andre if we were in any other country this would have given us a sinking feeling of yet another medical bill probably, but not here! I continued to open the envelope to see what it might be and not only is it not a medical bill, but this card which now gives me all my prescriptions free while pregnant and up to a year after baby's birth, as well as free dental treatment while being pregnant and for a year after. And just in case baby arrives later than planned I can have it extended too.

As much as I sometimes want to get out of this country with it's long long winters and barely week long summers, it is such a blessing to be able to have our baby absolutely free of any medical costs.

8/9 weeks booking appointment

16 March 2013

Here in the UK, the first contact you have with any medical professional once you find out you're pregnant is at 8 weeks, or 9 weeks for me as my midwife is only at my GP surgery every other Tuesday. So I had my first appointment with her this week (the 12th March). It took just over an hour and is called a booking appointment because I think you get booked into the hospital of your choice, if you have a choice, and booked for your first scan which will be at 12 weeks. 

So the first thing I had to decide which I wasn't actually expecting (and I did some research on what to expect at the appointment) was to decide which hospital I'd like to go to. I had a choice between the Royal Berkshire Hospital which is in Reading, North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke or one in Oxford. I decided on the one in Basingstoke as I don't like having to drive into the centre of Reading and have been to Royal Berkshire for X-rays and found it difficult to find parking and find the correct hospital building. I've been driving to Basingstoke for my ear op and check ups, not to the hospital but have passed it and it's really easy to get to.

Next the midwife went through all the paperwork we had to fill out, I filled out some and she filled out some to get through it a bit quicker. There's a whole book you have to fill out and more! Contact details and medical history etc. You also get a certificate which you send off and then get sent a card to be exempt of paying for any prescriptions or dental work while pregnant and up until one year after giving birth which I'll make use of. (The British medical advantages are never ending!)

My midwife is really nice. Friendly and seemed to be thorough. I felt happy with her. A bit different here to SA where I believe you see a gynaecologist, here you only see a midwife unless you have complications where you might see a GP or a specialist as well.

After the paperwork was done she took my blood pressure, weight and height. Worked out my BMI (body mass index) which was fine. My due date she calculated from the first day of my last period which came to be the 15th of October, although I might get a different date when I have my 12 week scan and they measure the baby. She tested my urine for protein (signs of urinary tract infection) which was fine too.

No one has yet confirmed whether I really am pregnant!

Symptoms to date: nausea, tiredness (I start getting tired by 8pm, and can usually make it to 9pm before giving in to sleep!), constant hunger which has subsided now along with the nausea, and then having to get up on average three times a night. I don't even lie thinking whether I really need the toilet or not, I just get up and go, I'm so used to it now! Had headaches for about a week or two, waking up with them in the morning and then usually disappearing when I drink water or eat something. Only had one really bad headache which lasted and I ended up giving in and taking two paracetamol tablets which helped. Touch wood, I've not had a headache for the last two weeks or so which with my history of headaches is really good too! I do have an increased sense of smell and find I don't like the smell of coffee anymore.

I consider myself lucky that I haven't had anything worse and especially have not been sick. Hope it will stay that way!

My jeans are getting a little bit tight around the waist and I can notice a slight bump, which anybody else would assume to be from eating! Andre reckons I've just been eating more, but I don't think I really have as I used to snack lots anyway. Today I looked at maternity jeans online for the first time. A bit early I suppose, but I hate being uncomfortable in jeans. I'll wait a couple more weeks before buying. Luckily my work trousers are still comfy as they're horribly unflattering anyway. I plan to get one pair of jeans for weekends and one pair of black trousers for work eventually. I have a pair of stretchy 3/4 length trousers and another which sits on my hips, below my belly so am hoping that'll do as I won't need much else than jeans and the occasional 3/4 length for the British summer!

Waiting for more symptoms

Below is a post I wrote two months ago while we were visiting mom and Jürgen in Germany. Reading it again, I remember thinking the same thing on the way to my first scan: "What if they tell me I'm not actually pregnant?!" The scan at 12 weeks is the first confirmation by a medical professional that you are really pregnant. Before that nobody checks. They just take your word for it and give you lots of free things! Anyway, here's a short little post I wrote then. More to come with photos later this week.

Wednesday, 26 February 2013

Between six and seven weeks I still have had no nausea from being pregnant. I am considering myself lucky and know it might still come. I would be happy if it didn't come at all, but with having to wait another two weeks until my first appointment with the midwife I would welcome some more confirmation of being pregnant.

Andre and I spent a day in Munich on Monday and over goulash suppe lunch at the Augustiner Brauhaus I said, "What if I'm actually not pregnant after all?"

Nothing to do but wait! Two more weeks until the first appointment and then it should be another four weeks until we have our first scan. I'm also very eager to find out whether our baby will be a girl or a boy. I would not be able to wait nine months for that!

Posted with Blogsy

Baby Mostert coming in October!

Just look at that little nose and toes!

We're pregnant! 14 weeks now. I have been writing about being pregnant all along and will post some of what I wrote here. I'm planning on making another photo book with Blurb towards the end of the year/ beginning next year of 2013 as a kind of pregnancy/ newborn diary to keep.

Another sunny weekend

Looks like the sun is slowly returning to this side of the world. Can't really be called hot yet at 11C midday, but at least it looks a little more inviting outside.

The tomato plants have graduated to slightly larger pots and are now living in the greenhouse. Courgette and pumpkin seeds have taken their place indoors in the seed trays. Maybe a little tight for the larger seeds but they'll have to make do if they want to stay at around 20C. I need to go check on the tomato seedlings in the greenhouse to see how they survived their first night out of the warm and cosy house. It was a mere 1C outside when I woke up this morning. Oh well, they'll just need to toughen up!

Andre mowed the lawn yesterday for the first time after winter and it looks so lovely. I love a freshly mowed lawn. It makes the garden look bigger and fresher and neater.

He also did some tidying up around the garden of branches that were getting a bit out of hand. I do have to watch him with that saw!!

Don't worry, the apple tree is still standing!

I had last year's geraniums overwinter in the greenhouse in pots and hanging baskets, but I'm afraid I might not have given them much water while they were in there. Andre brought them out for me yesterday and I have been giving them lots of water lately whenever I remembered. I'm hoping they'll come back to life. One has started making new green leaves so there is hope.

The yellow with red tulips are looking very cheerful. There's also some hyacinths and grape hyacinths flowering here and there and the little forget-me-nots are starting now too. 

Next job will be planting out the peppers and chillies into the greenhouse and then planting the sunflower seeds in their place in the seed trays indoors for a while.

And the 2013 gardening begins

Although still quite cold (max 6C) we actually had a lovely sunny weekend. I had a bit of a cold and was feeling quite miserable, but towards the end of the weekend after lots of rest felt well enough to spend a little time in the garden. With the short British summer you can't wait too long to get those seeds in the ground!

These snowdrops were out at the beginning
of February.

The only veggie seeds I've planted so far are tomatoes, peppers and chillies. They're the ones that need planting earlier and will probably again end up spending their entire summer growing in the greenhouse. The seed trays are inside at the moment as the greenhouse isn't heated and therefor still too cold. 

Then I also planted some flowers in the front corner of the veggie patch and under the pear tree. You can see the flowers I planted, the ones in the boxes, below.

I'm very excited to see some colour in the garden. The bulbs I planted at the beginning of winter are growing really well and one area of the garden is full of bulbs which should look great soon. We already have one tulip flowering in the front garden and a few daffodils nearly ready to flower. The flowers I've planted this weekend will flower after the bulbs during summer so we'll hopefully have nice continuous colour. I'm also looking forward to getting the sunflower seeds started. Waiting for the next warmer sunny weekend to plant the rest of the seeds in the greenhouse.

Andre built this bird feeder while I planted the seeds and flowers. We have about three other bird feeders hanging in branches of trees and see many little birds coming for their meals in our garden.