Crazy Little Thing Called The Person Behind The Belly.

Most of my friends and family all call me or message me to remind me to update them on my growing belly. There is this great excitement when someone gets pregnant, it is truly an amazing thing. But whats behind the belly? Some ladies are lucky enough to have totally blissful pregnancies, the pregnancy "glow". I have definitely missed all the luck with this one!! But funnily, if you ask a single one of those people who want to rub your belly, can you stand here and hold my hair back while I vomit, hold me while I cry because i've had the tenth tear and I am so scared about losing my baby or could you bring over dinners because i'm back on bed rest. They suddenly don't have time, or just plain don't bother coming over anymore. When things get a little bit tough people run for the hills.

It's all been very exciting but incredibly stressful. I have hyperemsis gravidarum which is simple terms means really sucky morning sickness. I have 8mg of Zofran three times a day and have still ended up in hospital 7 times with dehydration. It is incredibly draining and not many people understand the extreme toll it has on your body. I had a doctor explain HG (Hyperemsis) as long term food poisoning. We found out we were expecting as I was admitted to hospital for severe vomiting and at that stage I was 5 weeks pregnant and it had already started!! Now at 20 weeks it's still going strong!!

At around 8 weeks I started bleeding after a shopping trip with my mum. We got home and I just broke down. My mum held me while I cried, tried to calm me until my husband could pick me up and take me to the hospital. After hours of waiting and waiting the doctor sent me home with "go home, rest and wait and see." If I wasn't so incredibly exhausted I could've screamed at her, This is a life inside me and your telling me all I can do is wait and see! I booked in for a scan a few days later to see if we still had some hope, and there he was. My beautiful baby still hanging in there. I called my husband and my mum straight away to give them the good news, he was perfect!
At 12 weeks I had another bleed, and another and another until I was put on bed rest. By week 17 It seemed under control and then on Monday we had another big bleed after doing some housework. I saw my GP and was put back on bed rest. He is concerned that I will go into pre-term labour and has advised that the next 6 weeks we take it really easy. At 26 weeks there is a greater chance of the preemie baby surviving. When he told me this reality really hit. This next 6 weeks are crucial in our babies development and i'm hoping he will stay strong.

There are some truly beautiful moments in pregnancy and our pregnancy hasn't been all sadness and tears. Finding out we were having a boy was amazing, it's an indescribable feeling and totally boosts your bond with your baby. My husband and I choosing his name (It's a secret!!) wondering around spotlight and discussing our options and we just came across this name which was perfect! The first time I felt him kick and now every time he kicks he reminds me of what i'm here to do, my entire purpose in life. He is the most incredible thing to ever happen to myself or my husband and he isn't even here yet!

Here is a little pic of our little man at 18 weeks. He doesn't like being poked by the probe so it was incredibly hard to get some great shots.